[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 32, Number 15 (Monday, April 15, 1996)]
[Pages 652-653]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
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

[[Page 653]]

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.