Politics: Update

I won't yet discount my prediction below, but this CNN report appears to indicate that we're closer to a decision than Bush's travel schedule would allow.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush could announce as early as Thursday that he is sending 500 to 1,000 peacekeeping troops to Liberia, despite Pentagon reservations, two senior officials told CNN.

Bush faces mounting international pressure to have the United States lead a Liberia mission that would also include West African peacekeepers.

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan and others have talked of a U.S. deployment of 2,000 troops, but U.S. officials told CNN any deployment would be no more than half that.

Bush also used different language Wednesday in urging Liberian President Charles Taylor to step down -- saying he should leave his war-torn country.