Posted on 07/18/2006 12:46:21 AM PDT by 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.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Just damn. Based on the headline and lead sentence, this is a 2-bagger barf alert.
I have never thought of Beirut as vacation destination but what do I know. I pray that these Americans can get to safety.
An article filled with nothing but editorial comments, masquerading as news...
This article is ABSOLUTELY ACCURATE.
The U.S. Embassy here is a joke.
The French can get their citizens out but we can't get ours out.
I'm here on the ground, trying to contact our embassy staff, trying to register with the State Dept., trying to call the State Dept. Busy, no answer, 50 minutes on hold.
I hate posting from the LA Slimes, but they are DEAD ON here.
Is there anything we can do for you? As your family contacted the state dept and the embassy for you?
as = has
guess they need to start pointing some fingers at themselves for their decision to do there in the first place.. :\
It can't be very easy shifting thousands of people quickly though. I heard on our news that there are 10,000 Brits in southern Lebanon/north Israel. I think that's an amazing number - I can't think they are all tourists, even if it is the holy lands.
Anyway, the RN has a carrier and an assault ship in the east med now, but there is no way they have the capacity to move 10,000 people in one go - maybe not even in half a dozen trips. As for air transport - I thought the israelis were bombarding the airport?
have your family here in the states register you... :) duh...
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.
I had a similar experience. Registered online. No confirmation. (C'mon, if FR can send a bot email confirmation, why can't the State Dept.?)
Five days later I found out that my registration did not exist. I was fortunate enough to have a retired ambassador make a call for me and get me registered.
How can you plan an evacuation when you don't know how many people you are going to need to evacuate?
Heads need to roll at State.
I understand that most of these people shouldn't be here, but they are. As such, they represent a clear and present danger to the U.S. as potential hostages, with an enemy whose primary tactic is hostage-taking.
How quickly will this escalate if Hizbollah goes over to American University Beirut and takes 50 U.S. college students hostage?
That will change your tune, I'm guessing.
"Heads need to roll at State."
We have been saying that for a long, long time.
Pointing fingers doesn't get them/us out.
Do you remember 1979 in Tehran?
The solution is to get these people out.
what is it like 25,000 Americans in Lebanon? thats a few 747's or a few ships...
25,000 people whats the plan?
Not all of those 25,000 will need to be evacuated. A lot of them are dualies. 25,000 is the number the liberal MSM keeps emphasizing to make people think that a gigantic amount of people are trapped there.
well.. if its 10,000 whats the plan?
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