U.S. Rescue Bogs Down in Lebanon

LATimes ^ | July 18, 2006 | Megan K. Stack

[rebel_yell2]

BEIRUT — Thousands of Americans whose vacations and business trips to Lebanon have degenerated with sickening speed into stints in a battle zone remained stranded here under Israeli bombardment Monday, their frustration and anger mounting because the U.S. government hasn't gotten them out faster.

Waiting around Beirut with bags packed and fingers crossed, U.S. citizens derided the embassy for busy phone lines, a lack of information and gnawing uncertainty over when and whether they will get out. Hundreds were expected to be shipped to Cyprus today, but how long the full evacuation will take remains uncertain.

[conservative in nyc]

Well, then the LA Times made this up, and workers at the US Embassy in Lebanon are lying. From the second page of the article:

They tried to call for guidance, but the phone lines at the embassy have been jammed for days. And registering with the embassy online was a futile exercise, McKnight discovered. He said Monday that he waited several days after registering his information, heard nothing and finally rented a car to make the trek to the heavily fortified building.

When he arrived, embassy workers explained that neither faxes nor online communications were getting through. So McKnight registered the old-fashioned way: with pencil and paper.

[rebel_yell2]

Scores of people have died in cars trying to get out.

No one has died on a boat out of town, at least not yet.

[LtKerst]

have degenerated with sickening speed

It's the LA Times thats Degenerated with sickening Speed.

Screw LA . Stupid Liberals.

[NinoFan]

Lajefa seems to know a lot about this. I do hope rebel_yell contacts lajefa.

[Echo Talon]

I have a stash of food, water and cash that could last me for a week and buy my way out of town if necessary.

Glad to hear it. :) don't get to excited and keep your head together. :)

[HiTech RedNeck]

Sounds like what they mean, is nobody there has yet transcribed faxes and emails to the List.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

Other Freepers have pointed out some logical statements. Other countries (especially ones such as France) have more options than the United States. Some can move their people through Syria, and France (which has close ties to Southwest Asia in general and the Levant in particular) can move in military ships. The United States has apparently chartered a civilian ship so as to not seem as though they are invading.

Also, the threat to obvious American ships and people is higher than for other nationalities.

Seems unAmerican, but you could try to pass for Canadian, though simply laying low until contacted by the government would probably work.

[rebel_yell2]

Actually, Canada and France are in even worse shape. I read yesterday that there are 40,000 "Canadians" here, and 250,000 Lebanese Canadians in Quebec.

Obviously, this is part of Hizbollah's strategy, using all of the foreigners in Lebanon as hostages.

[HiTech RedNeck]

gauntlets?

[lajefa]

Those peices of paper were then scanned and emailed to teh Deaprtment and all are now on the centeral system.
I have to leave for the taskforce right now but could check to make sure the name is on if I had a private e-mail. or call 888 407 4747 and ask to register. all the blasting of the Departmet of State is illinforemed we are workign arround the clock to help people get out.

[romanesq]

If the Iranian lackeys wanted to kill Americans, they can do so at any time. It doesn't appear they want to be added to the targets of America list at this time.

Having read a story about a journalist who dealt with them in Lebanon, they seemed to want to avoid that. Not that they wouldn't throw in some intimidation to the journalist, they did. But then they came back and said that was merely a misunderstanding.

This is a volatile situation to say the least. If it were me, I'd have made at least one friend with a nice Lebanese Christian family. And I'd be hanging out east in the mountains as a result.

Damn good people they are. I know one family here.

[NinoFan]

Thank you for the work you are doing.

[Echo Talon]

then you gotta look out for hezbolla trying to morter the staging area.. :\

[familyop]

...okay, flanking security.

[lajefa]

yes, but I have to leave to commute in right now to DC to start my shift.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

The United States was largely responsible for the creation of both.

[romanesq]

I highly doubt the US will be putting boots on the ground. They can't do it in the sufficient numbers necessary to also become targets.

[rebel_yell2]

It wasn't a war zone before last week, but it was high-risk relative to Myrtle Beach. That doesn't excuse the inept response of the State Dept. thus far, evacuation aside.

[NinoFan]

Hezbollah has targeted Americans before. It's possible that they are backing off at this time as far as instant killings go, but I don't doubt for a minute that they'd take some as hostages.

[RandallFlagg]

If I was the top dog making the call, I'd have sent in a fleet of Naval ships with the friendly message that if our American citizens aren't allowed to leave post haste, our Marines would go in and get them out.