7/15 Middle East Live Thread

there are 25,000 Americans...they'd need in excess of 250 buses...

1,761 posted on 07/15/2006 9:58:52 PM PDT by sofaman ("Repetition does not transform a lie into a truth." Franklin D. Roosevelt)

or 12500 camels..if they go two-up....

1,762 posted on 07/15/2006 9:59:27 PM PDT by sofaman ("Repetition does not transform a lie into a truth." Franklin D. Roosevelt)

mayeba bunch of Israeli cherouts would take them...those guys will drive anywhere...and drive like they have a deathwish...

1,763 posted on 07/15/2006 10:00:14 PM PDT by sofaman ("Repetition does not transform a lie into a truth." Franklin D. Roosevelt)

"Gingrich said Bush should call a joint session of Congress the first week of September and talk about global military conflicts in much starker terms than have been heard from the president. "

If it's WWIII, why wait until September? Wouldn't tomorrow morning be more appropriate?

1,764 posted on 07/15/2006 10:00:17 PM PDT by cookcounty (Army Vet, Army Dad)

It is, isn't it. I can't help but think circumstances are lining up with this passage in the bible. All any of us can do is sit back and observe, we have no control over these events.

1,765 posted on 07/15/2006 10:00:43 PM PDT by Arizona Carolyn

the whole scenario arched my eyebrows...

1,766 posted on 07/15/2006 10:00:56 PM PDT by sofaman ("Repetition does not transform a lie into a truth." Franklin D. Roosevelt)

Jillian Kennedy of Ireland, an evacuee from Lebanon, stands with her baggage after arriving on a Spanish plane at the Torrejon military airbase, just outside of Madrid, Saturday July 15, 2006. The plane with 116 Spaniards and several foreigners, four Italians, two Dutch, one Briton, one Irish, one American, one Moroccan and one Egyptian who were evacuated from Lebanon and arrived at Madrid's military Torrejon airport.

A couple hug their daughter(L) and granddaughter upon their arrival in Athens from Beirut via Damascus. Foreign governments were drawing up plans for a voluntary evacuation of their nationals from Lebanon as Israel kept up airstrikes on its neighbour in retaliation for attacks by Hezbollah militants

Mostly Saudi-Arabian foreign citizens wait to board a bus evacuating people to Damascus, Syria, outside a hotel in Beirut, Lebanon Saturday, July 15, 2006

1,767 posted on 07/15/2006 10:01:26 PM PDT by BurbankKarl

To: Arizona Carolyn

"IDF intensifies operations on two fronts"

1,768 posted on 07/15/2006 10:02:45 PM PDT by sofaman ("Repetition does not transform a lie into a truth." Franklin D. Roosevelt)

I dont think there are 25000 leaving....at least according to some commander. He said the Embassy has no firm number.

again, Syria wont let the US / UK through their territory, that is the hangup.

I wonder if Michael Brown is heading this up......This is Condi's Department btw

1,769 posted on 07/15/2006 10:03:11 PM PDT by BurbankKarl

Hi Guys!

Most of the Gulf States and even Saudi Arabia are staying on the sidelines for this war. Hezbollah, with their Iranian roots, are not one of the favored militant groups. In fact, the Saudi press has asked that Hazbollah stop their rocket attacks.

Of course the press continues to print pictures and articles concerning the suffering of the Palestinians and/or Lebanese everyday. But the hate-level meter is only at the yellow/caution mark.

I'm back in Dubai for a couple of weeks after visiting Saudi Arabia to setup a new business office there. I have to wait while all my paperwork is examined, approved and stamped by the Saudis before I can move in permanently.

The atmosphere in Riyadh is quite different from 2003 when I last resided in the Magic Kingdom. Visible security has increased throughout the city. Most Western compounds now have multi-perimeter security with 10-to-12 full-time Saudi National Guard folk providing protection. This is a huge increase since the first terror hits in 2003.

I like the new king; King Abdullah is cracking down on government corruption and is pushing local cops to crack down on law-breakers. This is especially visible on the roads of Riyadh where speeders (regardless of political connections) being given one-day in jail and having their vehicles confiscated. The result: driving is no longer a deadly action.

The high price of oil has led to a huge increase in capital spending. Of course my company has sent me over there to a get a piece of the expanding spending pie. The economic outlook is certainly rosie.

Although I haven't had much time to investigate the malls and souks of Riyadh as yet, there seems to be a noticeable lack of religious police hanging around. This might yet be another result of the new King. But I'll have a better feel after a couple of months.

Plenty of new American stores being built. I saw a Best electronics store under construction---they are a new player in the Middle East. American fast food restaurants are certainly making money. Big American cars are also popular with the locals.

More later if I get a chance to get online.

PoC

1,770 posted on 07/15/2006 10:03:14 PM PDT by PrinceOfCups (Available Space)

To: Arizona Carolyn

"Israel's war with Hizbullah intensified over the weekend as Katyusha rockets rained down on northern Israel, prompting the IDF to deploy Patriot missile batteries outside Haifa and Defense Minister Amir Peretz to declare martial law throughout the North."

1,771 posted on 07/15/2006 10:03:40 PM PDT by sofaman ("Repetition does not transform a lie into a truth." Franklin D. Roosevelt)

"Syria wont let the US / UK through their territory"....nice. I hope they have their arse handed to them on a plate..

1,772 posted on 07/15/2006 10:05:08 PM PDT by sofaman ("Repetition does not transform a lie into a truth." Franklin D. Roosevelt)

One of two Italian C130 air force transport planes parks next to Cyprus Airways and Alitalia planes to unload foreigners evacuated from northern Lebanon.

1,773 posted on 07/15/2006 10:06:13 PM PDT by BurbankKarl

1,774 posted on 07/15/2006 10:06:58 PM PDT by Arizona Carolyn

To: Arizona Carolyn

"Hours after the order was made, the Israel Air Force indeed launched a wave of bombing raids on the Lebanese capital's southern suburbs early Sunday, Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV and witnesses said.

A series of loud explosions, about 18 in total, shook the capital, much of which was plunged in darkness after warplanes struck power stations and fuel depots feeding them."

1,775 posted on 07/15/2006 10:07:36 PM PDT by sofaman ("Repetition does not transform a lie into a truth." Franklin D. Roosevelt)

To: Arizona Carolyn

I realize that...it is still her department. This will become an issue...like the Swedes who didnt stop celebrating Christmas to send military aircraft to Phuket for the Tsunami.

1,776 posted on 07/15/2006 10:08:36 PM PDT by BurbankKarl

To: Arizona Carolyn

No, no control at all. Oddly, now I'm wiiiiide awake! I keep seeing Putin's face! ICK

1,777 posted on 07/15/2006 10:08:49 PM PDT by CAluvdubya (What's so hard to understand about the word illegal?)

To: PrinceOfCups

Thank you for the information, I will be interested in reading more of your updates and observations.

1,778 posted on 07/15/2006 10:09:15 PM PDT by Arizona Carolyn

Sooner the better -- sounds like that would make many Lebanese happy, too.

1,779 posted on 07/15/2006 10:10:08 PM PDT by Arizona Carolyn

What can I say? Them sending themselves white powder for sympathy didn't work (wonder who they were pining that one on), so back to Hardball.

1,780 posted on 07/15/2006 10:11:00 PM PDT by AliVeritas ("One for all , all for kicking *ss and taking names" ...Scratch taking names. Vlad fatwa)

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