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 ...
Hi rebel_yell2. I just talked with people at the company I told you about and they first told me about the five ships in Beirut harbor, waiting to evac Americans, as in the Fox news item further above.
He said the Lebanese govt is not letting American ships dock. I don't know if that changed while he and I were talking just now, but he seems to think that the evacs on those ships will eventually happen and the port will allow the ships to dock.
The good news is that you are in the very best position you can be in, for someone in Beirut who is American and wants to get out.
He said the hotel will not be a target. As long as you have food, water and power, which the hotel will most likely be able to keep going for quite a long time, you are the least at-risk of any others. Phone and 'Net connections are just gravy.
Suggests you sit tight and will hear from Embassy person with short notice, maybe an hour or less. Be ready to bug out on moment's notice in order to be included. All papers, one bag, less than 30 pounds.
Whatever you do, nothing connected to Syria is a good idea. (However, he was softer about that than anyone else has been. He says to remember the borders are open now for 48 hours. I said "no thanks, we don't want to be hostages" - he said NO ONE has taken any hostages!)
He said food is the bargaining chip and when it really starts running low (not just grocery shelves - when the hotel starts having trouble feeding everyone), evacs will happen with protection.
I think that's everything. He feels like if you are prepared to hang in another 3-4 days, you'll be out of there before that.
Best of luck to you. You can call him, if you can call out to US - and discuss any further possibilities. They are almost as hamstrung as everyone else.
To reinforce my previous point, here's an article time-stamped from 30 minutes agao....
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran's Hizbollah, which claims links to the Lebanese group of the same name, said on Tuesday it stood ready to attack Israeli and U.S. interests worldwide.
"We have 2,000 volunteers who have registered since last year," said Iranian Hizbollah's spokesman Mojtaba Bigdeli, speaking by telephone from the central seminary city of Qom.
"They have been trained and they can become fully armed. We are ready to dispatch them to every corner of the world to jeopardise Israel and America's interests. We are only waiting for the Supreme Leader's green light to take action. If America wants to ignite World War Three ... we welcome it," he said.
Iranian religious organisations have made great public show of recruiting volunteers for "martyrdom-seeking operations" in recent years, usually threatening U.S. interests in case of any attack against the Islamic Republic's nuclear programme.
This is an evacuation, not a bon voyage.
Beginning to sound like New Orleans. Are you still marooned in Lebanon? They say many are headed north to Syria.
Or at any time. No company wants to lose a boat even if they could find a crew to brave the waters.
At some point, I'd probably give up on the red tape and head for Latakia. These ships in port are sitting ducks. I had visions of the Marines rescuing people out in air-effect landing craft, and I'll bet many Americans in Beirut did also.
Yeah. Soft targets are very attractive to these lumbagoes. When I was travelling abroad I never even thought of the possibility that the US Gummint would try to get American civilians out of a tense situation unless the civilians could make it to the embassy.
There must be Israeli secret agents on every street corner in Beirut for the US to have confidence this is safe.
In summation, yet another golden opportunity for the practice of prayer.
Well, there might be. They have had thousands of years to preposition personnel in the region.
The French ship left early leaving behind 8 busloads of their people left near the port. In your dreams the French are more successful. They interviewed an American who did make it out on that ship, that was what she said.
Bump to BM
Woohoo! Per FOX banner - the "IOWA" Jima is on it's way!
(sigh)
8 busloads were left behind?!
Wow, the news stories did not list a single American among the nationalities of the people the French ferry took.
Inscrutable code
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