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Providence woman safely home after fleeing Lebanon.(and lives to whine about it)
Providence Journal ^ | July 19, 2006 | TOM MOONEY

Posted on 07/19/2006 4:33:07 PM PDT by got_moab?

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To: got_moab?
a relative of her affluent Lebanese friends, who works in Washington, somehow arranged for a tour bus to take Williams and 16 others over the northern border to Syria.

Somehow? Actually paid big $$$ to get someone to drive that tour bus to get their guest out of there.

21 posted on 07/19/2006 5:37:51 PM PDT by ladyjane
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To: got_moab?

"I still haven't received any word from the embassy."

Why should she. She didn't stay at the hotel, probably didn't advise the embassee of her bus trip, probably didn't advise the embassee that she arrived back in the states.

If Americans ignore State Dept. warnings on travel they have only themselves to blame for their circumstances.



22 posted on 07/19/2006 5:54:17 PM PDT by Joan Kerrey
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To: got_moab?

That's the risk you take when you go to a country under the control of a terrorist organization.


23 posted on 07/19/2006 6:04:14 PM PDT by Republican Wildcat
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To: got_moab?
" It ended with the wife and mother of two watching the Israelis bomb the Beirut airport on the morning she was to fly home and enduring a tense 16-hour bus ride along narrow dirt roads to an airport in Aleppo, Syria."

What the hell is wrong with countries like Syria that they can't or will not construct paved roads!! Haven't they heard of asphalt or concrete? And it's just too bad the lady got caught in the middle of a war zone. Is a party worth risking your freedom or life? As far as I'm concerned travel to Lebanon ought to banned. I consider it an enemy nation as long as Hezbollah is there.

24 posted on 07/19/2006 6:05:37 PM PDT by StormEye
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To: xcamel
The Consular Information Sheet, dated 1/20/2006, might have persuaded some to avoid the place. Quote:
SAFETY AND SECURITY: Recent events in Lebanon underscore the need for caution and sound personal security precautions. Former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri was assassinated on February 14, 2005 in a car bomb attack in which 22 people were killed and many others seriously wounded; the potential for violence remains. Since February 2005, there have been 15 separate bombings in Lebanon, resulting in ten dead and 121 wounded.

Americans have been the targets of numerous terrorist attacks in Lebanon in the past. The perpetrators of many of these attacks are still present and retain the ability to act. American citizens should thus keep a low profile, varying times and routes for all required travel. Americans should also pay close attention to their personal security at locations where Westerners are generally known to congregate, and should avoid demonstrations and large gatherings. Unofficial travel to Lebanon by U.S. Government employees and their family members requires prior approval by the Department of State.

U.S. citizens who travel to Lebanon should exercise heightened caution when traveling in parts of the southern suburbs of Beirut, portions of the Bekaa Valley and South Lebanon, and the cities of Sidon and Tripoli. Hizballah has not been disarmed. It maintains a strong presence in many of these areas, and there is potential for action by other extremist groups in the city of Tripoli. Tensions remain in Lebanon's southern border with the possibility of Hizballah and Palestinian militant activity at any time.

Palestinian groups hostile to both the Lebanese government and the U.S. operate largely autonomously inside refugee camps in different areas of the country. Intra-communal violence within the camps has resulted in violent incidents such as shootings and explosions. Travel by U.S. citizens to Palestinian camps should be avoided. Asbat al-Ansar, a terrorist group with apparent links to Al-Qaida, has targeted Lebanese, U.S. and other foreign government interests. It has been outlawed by the Lebanese government but continues to maintain a presence in Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp.

In addition, dangers posed by landmines and unexploded ordnance throughout south Lebanon are significant and also exist in other areas where civil war fighting was intense.


25 posted on 07/19/2006 6:08:44 PM PDT by dighton
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To: got_moab?

Meanwhile, days after calling the U.S. officials in Beirut for help, and now safely home, "I still haven't received any word from the embassy."

Why would she expect to? She's home now. They have other people to worry about.

Idiot! But she's from Rhode Island, so what can we expect?


26 posted on 07/19/2006 6:13:09 PM PDT by MiniCooperChick
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To: StormEye

Uh, they probably avoided the main roads, as they were being bombed. The roads were in Lebanon leading to Syria.

Which is why the trip took much longer, back roads, dirt roads.


27 posted on 07/19/2006 6:15:47 PM PDT by MiniCooperChick
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To: got_moab?

We should have left them to fend for themselves. (Well, maybe not...)


28 posted on 07/19/2006 6:17:46 PM PDT by madison10 (The Islamofacists have stolen childhood from the world.)
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To: BallyBill
She get's to take off 3 weeks for a friends wedding? I have been standing in the wrong line!!!
29 posted on 07/19/2006 6:25:59 PM PDT by nomorelurker (wetraginhell)
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To: nomorelurker
lol
3 weeks off to go to a wedding..that must've been one heck of a bachelorette party.
30 posted on 07/19/2006 10:38:32 PM PDT by Deadshot Drifter (Discovery Institute- promoting one of the core tenets of Islam since 1990)
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To: got_moab?

They put themselves in that stupid position to begin with, they have zero rights to expect a perfect anything in return.


31 posted on 07/19/2006 10:40:17 PM PDT by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: got_moab?

Try riding a bus in Israel lady...


32 posted on 07/19/2006 11:00:22 PM PDT by Dallas59
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To: Dallas59

O'Reilly (no spin zone) on Foxnewstv got in the act by 'saving' a Mass. women who was over there to adopt a Lebanese baby--(no babies to adopt in the USA?)--her husband was on tonite and when O'Reilly asked why he adoption there, he answered he is 3rd generation Lebanese so it was a 'cultural thing'---sheesh--I am who knows how many generations English, French and Dutch extraction but sure don't have to go there to do anything "cultural"---these more 'money than brains' so-called Americans make me sick---hope the b-=--ds get caught in a real war before they are dead and gone--O'Reilly was an ass to get mixed up in this s--t,in my opinion, but "the show must go on"--by the way, Kennedy and Sununu and the Embassy and Homeland Security all got involved for this 'show of shows'---what a sick country we live in today--God help us if we get into a all-out shooting war that hits here at home


33 posted on 07/19/2006 11:28:48 PM PDT by cmotormac44
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I just wonder how any of the people in these stories can get out of bed in the morning without government help!


34 posted on 07/20/2006 4:48:39 AM PDT by nh1
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To: Texas Eagle
Had that been an American clerk in an American hotel, Williams would be writing a 10-page complaint letter to the CEO about the rudeness of his employees, filing a law suit for emotional abuse and getting on television to complain about it.

The poor desk clerk would be standing in the unemployment line, because a spoiled rich woman had to use her power to take away a $10.00 per hour job from a guy just trying to make a living.

35 posted on 07/20/2006 4:55:19 AM PDT by 3catsanadog (When anything goes, everything does.)
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To: Ditter

Just saw on Fox & Friends about 45 minutes ago a guy with very curly hair (with a little tail in the back) ending up his interview complaining about Bush.


36 posted on 07/20/2006 4:56:50 AM PDT by 3catsanadog (When anything goes, everything does.)
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To: MiniCooperChick
Ring, ring, ring.

Williams: Hello?

US Embassy: Mrs. Williams?

Williams: Yes?

US Embassy: This is the US Embassy in Lebanon.

Williams: Yes?

US Embassy: Just checking to see if you are back in the United States, safe and sound.

Williams: Why yes I am! Thank you for calling and thinking about me.

US Embassy: Quitcher bitchin' then.

Click.

37 posted on 07/20/2006 5:00:48 AM PDT by 3catsanadog (When anything goes, everything does.)
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To: 3catsanadog

LOL!


38 posted on 07/20/2006 6:25:34 AM PDT by UlmoLordOfWaters
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