US ambassador to the UN John Negroponte announced here that Washington would kick in 10 million dollars to the Economic Community of West African States, or ECOWAS, which Wednesday announced it would soon send some 1,300 Nigerian troops to Liberia, a force it said would grow to about 3,000.

"We welcome the decision by ECOWAS to deploy two batalions as a vanguard force," he said. "The US has identified 10 million dollars in support of ECOWAS. The intention is to provide support, including logistics."

In Washington, Secretary of State Colin Powell said President George W. Bush "has not yet made a decision as to whether or not the US will commit troops beyond logistics and support.

"Most of that logistic effort will probably be by contractors...and not troop support, but we have an open mind on that as well," he said.

"But with respect to combat troops on the ground, that's still under consideration. The President is examining the option."

Jacques Klein, special representative of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, said "the Nigerian resident has committed troops. Because there is no funding, we are using (United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone) troops. There is no UN mandate but the Secretary General appealed to the Nigerian President" for the deployment.

The Bush administration has for weeks been torn over the question of embroiling US troops in yet another country's internal strife.

WAR.WIRE