| Submit your comments on this article |
| Africa: East |
| Rebels Take Key Bridge in Liberia Capital |
| 2003-07-23 |
| EFL Rebels took control of a key bridge at Liberia’s capital Wednesday in fighting that shattered a day-old cease-fire pledge, sending thousands of families fleeing in a city desperately short of food, water and shelter. Yes! Come on boys, just a little more! Explosions boomed in the capital, Monrovia, on Wednesday, one day after rebel leaders announced a unilateral cease-fire. Hey, this is an African ceasefire we’re talking about. `This morning we’re still under attack,’ Defense Minister Daniel Chea said after a night of shelling and gunfire. `It’s still raining round after round of mortars.’ As for the rebels’ cease-fire pledge, Chea said, ``I’m not impressed at all.’’ You can end it anytime, Dan. Put a bullet in Chuck’s head and you’ll be a hero. You know you want to. By midday, rebels took and crossed the city’s Stockton Bridge, Lt. General Roland Duo said. Controlling the bridge opens northern suburbs to the rebels, putting them in position to cut off the road to the main airport and encircle the capital. Chuck better take that plane soon. Taylor told The New York Times he would step aside within 10 days and hand over power to the speaker of the House of Representatives, Yundueh Monorkomna. Taylor will make the formal announcement Saturday, the Times reported Wednesday. Too late, Chuck. During the past two months, Taylor has announced and then amended plans to resign. On Wednesday, Chea suggested Taylor will remain as long as fighting rages. ``The president has definitely agreed to go to Nigeria,’’ Chea told The Associated Press. ``But he is not going to go under these circumstances.’’ Rebels derided Taylor’s latest departure pledge. ``Taylor is just bluffing,’’ rebel spokesman Kabineh Ja’neh said in Accra, Ghana, where cease-fire negotiations were held. ``You know how many times he has said this kind of thing? We’ll make sure he leaves.’’ Hurry up, please. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #6 The only reason Liberia's making the headlines is because the UN thinks it can dragoon us into wasting men and money on another misbegotten Kosovo-like venture. Once it becomes clear that this administration will not be pushed around, news about Liberia will fade into the background. |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2003-7-23 5:01:25 PM |
| #5 Weren't me. I think Fred or Steve posted that. |
| Posted by: Dar 2003-7-23 3:07:25 PM |
| #4 I'm voting for the kid with the wig that DAR posted. He looks like a trustworthy fellow. |
| Posted by: Paul 2003-7-23 1:41:47 PM |
| #3 With all the anarchy going on in Liberia, it would seem counterproductive to go in with a bunch of soliders to blow away boy soldiers wearing wigs and ladies clothes. Bush, I hope, just stays away, except for troops needed to protect the US Embassy and related personnel. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-7-23 1:30:48 PM |
| #2 I'm rooting for not-Chuck. When he's gone, we can root for somebody else. |
| Posted by: Fred 2003-7-23 12:31:06 PM |
| #1 who are we rooting for again? What a freaking mess. |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-7-23 12:27:03 PM |