The State Dept. has been MIA in this evacuation.
No one is answering the phone at the U.S. Embassy in Lebanon.
Phone calls to the main State Dept. EMERGENCY numbers are put on hold for upwards of 1 hour.
The registration system for U.S. citizens in Lebanon is a massive failure. Not only does it fail to register people, it doesn't send a confirmation so you think you are registered when, in actuality, you are not.
I know these things because I am STILL in Lebanon, with no contact (not even an email) from the State Department, one week after I "registered" with their online system. Finally, I got someone to pull some strings, finding out that I was NOT registered. At least NOW I'm registered. Not that it is doing any good.
The French have pulled well over 1,000 of their citizens AND some of ours out of Lebanon, while the U.S. has pulled out less than 100 at last count.
What the hell is taking so long?
Heads need to roll at State after this is over, especially those responsible for IT and contingency planning.
Are you ready for a cruise?
---
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Jul2006/20060717_5677.html
"U.S. Contracts Cruise Ship For Possible Lebanon Evacuations"
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, July 17, 2006
I feel for you. I saw the footage of some of the French people leaving last night. The report siad (not that I assign much credibility to the media) that it might be three or four days before the U.S. citizens might be evacuated.
This is disgraceful. You guys should already be out.
That is the craps. Sorry to hear you are still in Lebanon.
I saw on TV British choppers taking 40 or so Americans out that had health problems.
FOX News right now is showing and interviewing the task force in the State Dept. to get you folks out.
I think one of the problems is getting cruise ships together and get them off coast.
Hang in there.
5, count them, 5 State Department employee were terminated in the 16 years before Bush was elected.
What you say is the absolute truth but nothing will happen to anyone.
The State Department allowed the 9/11 hijackers into the country even though their visa applications were incomplete or improperly filled out. No one was fired.
I know these things because I am STILL in Lebanon, with no contact (not even an email) from the State Department, one week after I "registered" with their online system. Finally, I got someone to pull some strings, finding out that I was NOT registered. At least NOW I'm registered. Not that it is doing any good.
They're busy, didn't you know there's a war going on.
/laugh so you don't cry
Hey buddy you be careful! You get yourself hurt, I will be....displeased.
By Alaa Shahine in Beirut July 18, 2006 08:30pm
THE United States sent a ferry to Lebanon today to begin its first major evacuation of Americans as thousands of foreigners packed bags to flee Israeli air strikes pounding the country.
Britain said two aircraft carriers, the HMS Illustrious and HMS Invincible, were among six of its ships in the region ready to start rescuing its citizens from the violence.
Other European nations mustered boats and planes to reach their nationals stranded by the bombing of Beirut airport and the destruction of roads and bridges.
Countries from as far away as Chile were making arrangements to reach their citizens.
Convoys of foreign nationals also travelled the hazardous route to Syria from Lebanon in a mass exodus to flee a seventh day of an Israeli bombardment which has killed at least 230 people in Lebanon, all but 26 of them civilians.
The attacks were launched after Hezbollah fighters seized two Israeli soldiers and killed eight in a cross-border raid on July 12. At least 24 Israelis, 12 of them civilians, have been killed in Hezbollah rocket attacks.
"I ran from hell," Lebanese businessman Nassar Nassar said.
"I made it to Tripoli (in north Lebanon) where I took a taxi to Damascus ... On Friday, I took a plane to Vienna and then I came back to Bucharest," said Mr Nassar who was in the western part of Beirut when the conflict began.
Are you using a laptop to talk to us?
According to this article- You may not be able to take it with you.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13902115