US military team in Liberia as Bush considers peacekeepers

A US military team flew into Liberia yesterday to look at how best to bring stability to the broken West African country as President Charles Taylor prepares for exile.

The humanitarian survey team touched down in helicopters at the heavily-fortified US embassy in the steamy coastal capital Monrovia, where hundreds were killed in fighting last month. Gun-toting US Marines leapt out in flak jackets and helmets.

The 20-member team is seen as a possible precursor to a larger force, which the United States is considering and Liberians are praying will come in to save them from nearly 14 years of violence.