The approximately 20,000 Liberians who live in the United States have been closely following events in their homeland. Many say the historical ties between the two countries should have led to an early and significant U.S. intervention to stop Liberia's civil war. But Liberians are happy now that fighting seems to have halted with the arrival of West African peacekeeping troops. NPR's Anthony Brooks spoke with members of the Liberian community just outside Boston.
Anthony Brooks has more than twenty five years of experience in public radio, working as a producer, editor, reporter, and most recently, as a fill-in host for NPR. For years, Brooks has worked as a Boston-based reporter for NPR, covering regional issues across New England, including politics, criminal justice, and urban affairs. He has also covered higher education for NPR, and during the 2000 presidential election he was one of NPR's lead political reporters, covering the campaign from the early primaries through the Supreme Court's Bush V. Gore ruling. His reports have been heard for many years on NPR's Morning Edition, All Things Considered, and Weekend Edition.