Liberian archbishop criticizes withdrawal of U.S. troops from country

Published: 2003-10-06

ROME (CNS) -- Liberian Archbishop Michael Francis criticized the United States for pulling its troops out of Liberia before civil conflict has been completely quelled and order restored. "Although the United States has left Liberia, the conflict, the humanitarian crisis and the terror are still here. It is deplorable that the United States has withdrawn its troops in this critical moment of transition," Archbishop Francis told the Rome-based missionary news agency MISNA Oct. 4. While Liberians generally were appreciative of the role played by U.S. troops after their arrival in August, many reportedly were apprehensive about the handoff to a U.N. peacekeeping force. On Sept. 30, the last U.S. military ground forces were airlifted quietly out of the West African country. When the U.N. mission took over the next day, four people were killed in renewed armed clashes on the outskirts of the capital, Monrovia. Archbishop Francis, head of the Monrovia Archdiocese, called it an "explosion" of new combat.

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