"Defence Secretary Des Browne has given orders for HMS Illustrious and HMS Bulwark to "make ready" for operations off Lebanon. The pair will depart as soon as necessary, possibly within 24 hours."
Ping! Could it be the preparatory phase of military attacks against Israel, familyop? The "British, French, Italian and Norwegian media (including the most conservative of them) have been insinuating that military forces should occupy Israel to restrain it." you mentioned on another thread?
After considering alternatives, I think they'll get with IDF on security before going in. That would have the best chance for success at getting many refugees safely home.
After the ships are back in their home ports, publicized fantasies of restraining Israel with NATO movements will again intensify.
The UK is going to try to rescue 20,000 of its citizens from Lebanon. The French also have about 20,000 citizens there. After they've collected a few of their adventurers pretending to be Lawrence of Arabia, they'll return to their respective countries. The denizens of one of the two countries will resume tossing insults across the English Channel at the other (and to us about the other), and the other will continue to ignore (and snub) the first. Neither of the nations has enough "power showers" or interest in frequent bathing, BTW.
...related.
Europeans begin Lebanon evacuation
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1666152/posts
"Could it be the preparatory phase of military attacks against Israel, familyop"
Could be. Then they'll attack New Zealand and Australia afterwards.