As the crisis unfolded, U.S. Ambassador to Liberia John W. Blaney requested military assistance. U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld approved deployment of U.S. forces on July 20, 2003Rhem, Kathleen T. "21 Marines Sent Into Liberia at Ambassador’s Request'', July 21, 2003. Retrieved on October 24, 2008. and soon afterwards, the U.S. military established Joint Task Force Liberia. Formation and deployment of the task force 250px|U.S. Ambassador to Liberia John W. Blaney talking to the marines on the ground from 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit. 250px|World Food Programme unloads humanitarian aid at the Freeport of Monrovia during JTF Liberia. 250px|John W. Blaney and the marines on the ground from 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit.
As the crisis unfolded, U.S. Ambassador to Liberia John W. Blaney requested military assistance. U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld approved deployment of U.S. forces on July 20, 2003Rhem, Kathleen T. "21 Marines Sent Into Liberia at Ambassador’s Request'', July 21, 2003. Retrieved on October 24, 2008. and soon afterwards, the United States armed forces established Joint Task Force Liberia. Formation and deployment of the task force 250px|U.S. Ambassador to Liberia John W. Blaney talking to the marines from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit. 250px|World Food Programme unloads humanitarian aid at the Freeport of Monrovia during JTF Liberia. 250px|John W. Blaney and marines from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit.
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