US troops are ready to depart for Haiti, following the departure of Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide early on Sunday, officials said.
A 500-strong Marine force was ready to leave for Haiti by air as early as Sunday, to help refugee repatriations by the Coast Guard at one or more Haitian ports, the officials said on condition of anonymity.
The US government's intention was to await an agreement to be worked out by the State Department and the Haitian government, before issuing the order to deploy, they said.
The United States currently has a 50-member Marine contingent in Haiti, to protect the US embassy and diplomats there.
The Marines, instead of going to Haiti by ship as was previously considered, would fly into the country to arrive more quickly.
The Marine contingent was not designed to be part of a multinational stabilization force, but could be used later by the government as part of such an international force if one is deployed, they said.
On Sunday, the Bush administration welcomed the departure of Jean-Bertrand Aristide from Haiti, who reportedly left the country at about 6:45 a.m. EST (1145 GMT).
The Pentagon said Friday that the United States was considering sending three warships with 2,200 Marines to sit off Haiti's coastas a precautionary measure, but no decision had been made.