H. CON. RES. 255 :
Expressing the sense of the Congress that the United States military should not become involved in the Liberian civil war, either alone or as part of a United Nations peacekeeping force.

Rep Paul, Ron [TX-14] (introduced 7/24/2003) 
Co-Sponsors

This bill acknowledges the United States' role in the founding of Liberia in 1821 by the American Colonization Society to repatriate former slaves from the United States back to Africa; however, it decries any attempt by the United States to become involved in the current civil war, citing the following reasons:

• the civil war is an internal and a regional conflict of Liberia and the neighboring countries, which affects almost exclusively the West African area alone

• possible hostility towards the presence of European and North American troops, given the history of neo-colonialism in Africa

• U.S. involvement in foreign conflict of no national interest, such as recent activities Somalia, is ill-advised, expensive and dangerous to those troops and advisors involved

• U.S. involvement is already escalating, as evidenced by the July 2003 arrival of a 32-member U.S. military group in Liberia to assess the security situation on the ground

• all but three of the 33 brigades of active duty combat forces of the United States Army are currently engaged in Iraq, Afghanistan, South Korea, are committed to other missions, or are reconstituting, suggesting that the United States military is in serious danger of becoming over-extended

• a regional effort, especially including the countries neighboring Liberia, would be the most effective way to end the tragic conflict in Liberia and such effort should be encouraged

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