    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1996, Book I)]
    [April 11, 1996]
    [Page 572]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Letter to Congressional Leaders Reporting on the Civil War in Liberia
    April 11, 1996

    Dear Mr. Speaker:  (Dear Mr. President:)
        On April 4, 1996, small arms and mortar fire broke out in Monrovia,
    Liberia, apparently as the result of renewed fighting between factions
    led by Charles Taylor and Roosevelt Johnson involved in the civil war in
    that country. On April 5, groups of angry civilians set up make-shift
    checkpoints near the international airport and within the city to
    protest the destruction of their property by the warring factions. On
    April 6, the American Embassy began receiving calls from American
    citizens reporting weapons fire and the movement of large groups of
    armed individuals in the city. Further violence, including reported
    hostage-taking, has continued.
        On April 9, due to the deterioration of the security situation and
    the resulting threat to American citizens, I ordered U.S. military
    forces to conduct the evacuation from Liberia of private U.S. citizens
    and certain third-country nationals who have taken refuge in the U.S.
    Embassy compound wishing to leave. U.S. military security assessment and
    enhancement teams deployed to Monrovia the same day in order to
    reinforce and assist the American Embassy. Evacuation operations
    commenced shortly thereafter. The evacuation, designated Operation
    Assured Response, is being carried out using MH-53 helicopters staged
    from Freetown, Sierra Leone. A small number of U.S. military aircraft
    are supporting this operation from Dakar, Senegal. Approximately 140
    military personnel from the U.S. European Command's Special Operations
    Command are involved in this operation and are backed up by forces from
    the Southern European Task Force, U.S. Army, Europe. I have also ordered
    the deployment of U.S. Navy amphibious forces to the region to transport
    evacuees, if required.
        Although U.S. military forces participating in the evacuation are
    equipped for combat, the evacuation is being undertaken for the purpose
    of protecting American citizens and is not intended to alter or preserve
    the existing political status quo in Liberia. I therefore expect that
    this operation will be of limited duration. A number of our helicopters
    have been fired upon, but have not been hit.
        I have taken this action pursuant to my constitutional authority to
    conduct the foreign relations of the United States and as Commander in
    Chief and Chief Executive.
        I am providing this report as part of my efforts to keep the
    Congress fully informed, consistent with the War Powers Resolution. I
    appreciate the support of the Congress in this action to protect
    American citizens.
            Sincerely,

                                                          William J. Clinton

    Note: Identical letters were sent to Newt Gingrich, Speaker of the House
    of Representatives, and Strom Thurmond, President pro tempore of the
    Senate. This letter was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on
    April 12.