Merchant of Death
Money, Guns, Planes, and the Man Who Makes War Possible

Blood from Stones

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Liberia Formally Requests Taylor's Extradition
A spokesman for Nigerian president Obasanjo today said that Liberia has formally requested the extradition of Charles Taylor.

Obasanjo's spokeswoman Remi Oyo said in a statement that Johnson-Sirleaf had asked Nigerian to return Taylor and that the president would give his response to the request after consulting fellow African leaders. If successful, Taylor will then be turned over to the Special Court for Sierra Leone to stand trial on 17 counts of crimes against humanity.

It is a brave and important step for Liberia's new president, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and a tribute to steadfast, biparisan group in the U.S. Congress led by Ed Royce (R-Ca), who have kept the issue of Taylor's extradition on the front burner despite little more than pro forma support from the White House and a large dose of apathy in most of their collegues. What is significant in a time when few in Congress get credit for doing anything that does not bring immediate electoral gain, Mssrs. Royce, Wolf, Feingold and others have pressed an issue that will probably not change one vote back home. But it is the right thing to do, and they have done it.

The big hurdle will now rest with the African leaders Obasanjo is "consulting" on whether to honor the request, a request he has consistently said he would honor if made by an elected government in Liberia. Now, Ms. Johnson-Sirleaf has fulfilled her historic obligation on this issue. The question is whether the rest of the "Big Men" of Africa, whose culture of mutual protection is largely responsible for the culture of impunity and corruption that is eroding the continent, will rise to the occassion.
POSTED BY DOUGLAS FARAH
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