*BREAK* FReeper rebel_yell2 trapped in Lebanon

FreeRepublic ^ | July 13, 2006 | NonValueAdded

[NonValueAdded]

From Tourists Streaming into Syria from Lebanon, post 47:

To: cinives

You all might find this damn funny, but my sorry ass is marooned in Beirut, where I have been working for the IMF. If anybody has any helpful suggestions on how I can get out of this war zone, I would be most grateful. Right now, the road to Syria is the only way out of Lebanon for anyone, including U.S. citizens, and the Israelis are bombing that road. I am NOT happy with the Israelis right now. I understand their concerns about their kidnapped soldiers but bombing the Beirut Airport was not going to help them in any way.

47 posted on 07/13/2006 3:47:47 PM EDT by rebel_yell2

[areafiftyone]

TrueBlackman is giving you some excellent advice. Please read his post #113

[angkor]

"Radio Shack is closed for the day."

Good. I think you would find the BBC/VOA reporting to be extremely annoying in your circumstances.

Fog of war. No one - not BBC, not VOA, not the US embassy Beruit - has any better idea than you about what's going on right now. You are the best judge, not reporters.

Hang on with rumor and gossip until its all over.

Anecdote: in the coup I was in, I left my hotel where I could hear B40 and mortar fire going on less than 4-5 blocks away (which was "distant" given previous shooting). So I hotfooted it on my motorcycle down to the 5-star hotel where the embassy had set up a refuge spot for US citizens (they rented the ballroom).

I ask the embassy staffer at the desk, "what's up, any news?"

"Oh, everything is OK now, it's all over."

"Ummm......not quite, they're still shooting blazes over at the Stadium. Big stuff, not just AK."

"Oh, really? That's not what they told us."

[Hildy]

Be safe...you and our beautiful Israel are in my prayers...please keep us posted.

[OB1kNOb]

Hang tight, RY2. Many of us are praying for your safety and protection. Record and write down everything you can if possible, for sharing later. You'll be THE talk of the FR when you get back home to safety. Lay low. Stay safe. - OB1

[HAL9000]

If you haven't done so, I strongly recommend filing a travel registration with the State Dept. so they will know how to contact you on short notice -

https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs

Note 'https', not 'http'.

[Trueblackman]

No problem, since we have a Status of Armed Forces Agreement with Israel and having worked with their military I have some insight on how they work. If you have a car and the IDF does invade, get your hands on some red spray paint and paint large red crosses on it. You may see Israeli Jets, if your car is painted, your lights ON and use white flags as well, they will not bomb you trust me they will see you even from 2 miles up, they will tell their ground troops you are coming towards their position, stop 1000 yards off, slowly exit the car, approach their position slowly, with those ID Papaers in your right hand palms up, ID yourself as an American, they will get you out of the warzone and to safety within Israel. This is whay we are trained to do and the Israelis have the same training.

[fix]

Unless you speak the language and have tons of cash on hand, you're better off finding other Americans/Canadians/Brits/Aussies in your vicinity and staying put.

[Rte66]

Another tip, from hurricane country: Bathtub drain plugs do not always "hold." Get duct tape and tape the sucker down or at least around the edges of the metal stopper, so you don't wake up (as if you'll be asleep) with a tubful of *air*.

Get duct tape, anyway.

[photodawg]

Do you really think Hezbollah could march the captured Israeli soldiers through the Beirut airport and onto a Syrian plane to Iran?
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I was referring to Syrian fighters using the airport for supplies, rockets, reinforcements. The hostage situation would be greatly simplified if no planes were leaving Lebanon because that would be one less avenue of escape for those who had control of the hostages. Anyway, I guess this has gone past the hostage issue at this point and has become a greater issue possibly involving Syria and Iran. things are quite dicey right now, lets wait and see how things play out.

[NonValueAdded]

Sounds like it is not as dire as I first thought - at the moment, anyway. So ... morphing the advice posted so far with your report on the local cuisine ... stock up on 5 days worth of subs from Subway and we'll see you on TV in a month or so talking about how the Subway diet got you through a war zone and a trimmer waistline at the same time. :)

As to your IMF mission in Lebanon, was it mainly loans for infrastructure and getting Lebanon back on its feet after a Syrian withdrawal (however phony that might be)? Will these attacks drive the Lebanese back into boy-Assad's hands?

[rahbert]

Are you serious?? Never approach troops in a combat zone if you can help it. There is no guarantee that they won't mistake you for a suicide bomber. Stay far away from any
Israeli troops unless they explicitly offer to evacuate.

Stay in your hotel. The Marines will evacuate.

http://www.c6f.navy.mil/Default.asp?P=News&ID=36

[null and void]

The concern is hijacked commercial aircraft being used to smuggle kidnapped soldiers into Syrian airspace.

Or, perhaps, being used as cruise missiles. There is a precedent for that...

[squarebarb]

Yes, Cripplecreek, that was trashy.

[photodawg]

The airport tarmacs and fuel tanks were hit to prevent Syria from resupplying HEzbollah. It's that simple.
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I agree.

[Hot Tabasco]

Best of luck and just think that there are worse places to be stuck than in

Downtown Detroit unarmed during the great blackout a couple years ago.......or downtown Detroit during any circumstances......

[sionnsar]

Reb, I know you're joking about stringing for Fox News, but you'd be a great resource for the Free Republic News Service (if there was one).

I concur. A couple of years ago we got blow-by-blow accounts of demonstrations/riots in Tehran, courtesy of an Iranian FReeper there. (Fortunately he was able to get out of the country to freedom.)

[angkor]

"You are where you are and some day this will make a great story to tell ... You may want to record what is happening ... the Lebanese are very hospitable people .... just think that there are worse places to be stuck than in a 5 star hotel.."

Fantastic advice. I remember most of my experience because I was writing email every day to friends and family. Long emails, which I still have.

The locals in my place were concerned just like us, but when our food ran out they invited us for rice and scrambled eggs, all they had in stock (but plenty of it).

The 5-star we finally retreated to ($200 a night and no discounts for coup refugees) to was a nice, safe, secure place to be with a great pool. And lots of people walking around with bodyguards and weaponry, including the guy walking down our hall with pistol in hand.

[squarebarb]

Or that of your 'significant other'? LOL!

[rebel_yell2]

Hellhole? Beirut? What planet do you live on? Beirut was, and has been returning to, the Rivera of the Middle East. There is are brand new Four Seasons, Hyatt and Hilton hotels nearing completion. Beirut is a fascinating city but still recovering from a decade of civil war. As for dangerous, I am safer here than on the South Side of Chicago (or parts of many other major U.S. cities). As for Israel's security concerns, they should be bombing Tehran and Damascus rather than Beirut because Hezbollah is just a "messenger boy" for the leadership in those countries, who are simply using Israel and Lebanon to divert attention at the G-8 from Iran's nuclear program.

[proud American in Canada]

I am not knowledgeable enough on this to offer advice, but I can offer you my prayers.

Good luck & God bless you.