Breakthrough Reported in Liberia Talks

Alistar7

Lifer
May 13, 2002
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Delegates, under West African and international mediation and U.S. pressure, have been meeting since early June to try to end fighting in Liberia's 3-year-old civil war which threatens to overrun the capital, Monrovia.

Taylor, a leader in 14 years of intermittent conflict in Liberia, has signed deals before, only to break them. West African mediators also have been noted for overplaying possible progress.


Taylor announced as recently as June 4 he would step down, but never carried through.



Refugee George Williams called on the international community, "especially America" to help.

Many of Africa's nation-states, however, are immature ? with fewer than 50 years of independence, and are still sorting themselves out within colonially drawn borders.

Many were abruptly dumped by Eastern or Western blocs when the end of the Cold War killed the market for satellite states.

In Liberia, Congo, and elsewhere, the Cold War contests set the stage for today's.

In Liberia, the CIA (news - web sites) in the 1980s made the American-founded country its staging ground for anti-Libya activities. Liberia became Africa's largest per capita recipient of U.S. aid.

Libya countered by backing the overthrow of Liberia's U.S.-supported government, training and arming the guerrilla leader who launched Liberia into war in 1989: Charles Taylor.

 

HombrePequeno

Diamond Member
Mar 7, 2001
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Hopefully this will all get sorted out. I doubt that Taylor will just allow them to exclude him from a transitional government though. If Taylor goes it would definitely stabilize western Africa a bit more considering he's been backing rebels in Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, etc.
 

Alistar7

Lifer
May 13, 2002
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yeah hes a character, plenty of bullets fyling around down there, hope he doesn't buy one himself........;)
 

HombrePequeno

Diamond Member
Mar 7, 2001
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Taylor: I won't quit.

I don't think Taylor will step down until the war crimes charges against him are dropped...or he's dragged out in a casket.

Gotta love this quote from the article:

"The United States has urged Taylor to step down but his ministers insist an abrupt departure could unleash chaos."

For some reason I think chaos has already been unleashed.
 

Aceshigh

Platinum Member
Aug 22, 2002
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Considering our ties, the U.S should put out a referendum to the Liberian people. If a majority votes for it they could become a territory of the U.S like Puerto Rico or Guam.. I know it sounds far-fetched but I have no doubt that the vast majority of Liberians would jump at the chance. Public sentiment towards the U.S is extremely high there. Just look at how many people celebrated outside the U.S embassy yesterday.

I know it would cost a fortune to build up the infrastructure there, but it would be really cool to have a bit of an African connection to the U.S.
 

Martin

Lifer
Jan 15, 2000
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sometimes I think its best to leave africa alone until those people tire of killing themselves with guns and/or AIDS.

 

AnImuS

Senior member
Sep 28, 2001
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Originally posted by: MartyTheManiak
sometimes I think its best to leave africa alone until those people tire of killing themselves with guns and/or AIDS.

I don't. its not the entire Continent of africa thats killing. It a small majority of morons who put innocent people between them. And i dont think its fine to tell people who want to live in peace to forget it and just wait till they all die.
 

MovingTarget

Diamond Member
Jun 22, 2003
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Originally posted by: Aceshigh
Considering our ties, the U.S should put out a referendum to the Liberian people. If a majority votes for it they could become a territory of the U.S like Puerto Rico or Guam.. I know it sounds far-fetched but I have no doubt that the vast majority of Liberians would jump at the chance. Public sentiment towards the U.S is extremely high there. Just look at how many people celebrated outside the U.S embassy yesterday.

I know it would cost a fortune to build up the infrastructure there, but it would be really cool to have a bit of an African connection to the U.S.

Well, this may end up bieng a good idea sometime in the future. However, to do so now probably wouldnt be such a good idea. We should worry about helping these people out first considering the fact that they are asking for it, would probably be pretty grateful, and because of the ties we have to them that you had mentioned. Once we stabalize the conditions in Liberia, if we can do so, we could put it past them in a referendum to see what they think on your idea.