[twigs]

I've been bothered by some of the responses I've been hearing on TV. Some Americans trapped over there have gotten in touch with some Arab American Association here in the US and they are demanding that Americans of Arab extraction be gotten out now. Excuse me? Get them out because they're Arabs? And I heard one woman being interviewed over there who kept talking angrily about having an American passport and that should insure their immediate transport out. The emphasis I kept hearing was American passport... American help... not pride at being an American.

ED Hill pointed out this morning on F&F that the State Department had updated its warning recently about visiting that area and hadn't tourists paid attention? It's a worthy point to be made. Plenty of people are working there and I understand that, but many, many more are not and disregarded warnings to go and are now demanding instant action because of their passport.

[Kimberly GG]

I heard a little about this too. But my understanding is that there are many, many holders of passports for both US and Lebanon and the story I heard implied that those doing the complaining about the U.S. not rescuing them, and demanding the U.S. do so, are not tourists, but Arabs with U.S. passports that have been living in Lebanon for years and years. That's perhaps why you don't hear 'pride' about being 'American', but demands and use of Arab Associations to assist.