“PEOPLE ARE DYING. THE AMERICANS MUST COME. WE WANT PEACE.” But don’t worry — the French are on hand:

But unlike in Sierra Leone in 2000, when British troops remained in large numbers on the ground for months, the French commanders ordered their men to leave Liberia as soon as the foreign passport holders had been rounded up.

“For the moment we don’t foresee leaving our troops here,” a French army spokesman said.

“Our sole mission is to proceed with the evacuation of Europeans and other foreigners upon the demand of the French government.”

Typical colonialist response: get the white folks out, and let the natives go hang. Literally, I’m afraid, in this case.