Liberian President Charles Taylor is expected to formally announce his resignation tomorrow.
The move has prompted the US to finally send a small contingent of troops in to the country but officials say the move has little baring on whether over 2,000 marines offshore are deployed.
Pentagon spokesman Mr Bryan Whitman said around seven marines had been flown from ships offshore as an initial "liaison element" that could grow to around 20 officers.
Their initial role is to assist Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which has been increasing its peacekeeping contingent.
In Texas, President George W Bush said the contingent sent to Monrovia fulfilled his promise to help Liberia.
"This is all part of determining what is necessary to help ECOWAS ... to go in and provide the conditions necessary for humanitarian relief to arrive, whether it be by sea or by air," he said.
A Pentagon official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there has been no decision on any further use of US troops in Liberia. Several factors were being considered by US policymakers, including security conditions in Liberia and support for the peacekeeping mission by other regional states.
The increased deployment of troops will boost civilian hopes peace and a regular supply of food and water will be restored to a country ravaged by internecine fighting.
Two thousand people have been killed in the capital Monrovia since an escalation of fighting in the capital in June.
While Monrovia was quiet today, fighting raged in the second city of Buchanan as Mr Taylor's forces tried to oust the small Model rebel group, which seized the port city last week.
"Our intention is to remove those bandits from Buchanan," a government military official said.
The head of ECOWAS meanwhile, Mr Mohammed Ibn Chambas, said Mr Taylor would tomorrow formally announce his intention to resign and take asylum in Nigeria.
The move will pave the way for peacekeepers and aid agencies to take temporary control of the country while a peace accord between feuding factions in the country is brokered.
Mr Taylor's resignation is a pre-condition for the peace moves to begin but the plan was thrown into chaos yesterday when Nigerian officials said the president may not be stepping down as planned.
The president was said to be insisting a UN-backed court in neighbouring Sierra Leone drop a war crimes indictment against him.
His lawyers have asked the World Court to quash the indictment but Sierra Leonean officials have insisted the indictment still stands. However Mr Taylor will be given immunity from prosecution in Nigeria.
ECOWAS today said Mr Taylor would formally announce his intention to resign during a joint session of Liberia's houses of parliament tomorrow. However a time for his departure was not mentioned.
Agencies