"They go to Lebanon and then rely on the governemnt to get them out if their is trouble. The last person I know that went to Lebanon ened up as a hostage. I said it then and I will say it again years later, why would anyone risk going there?"
On business paerhaps? On vacation? I have done both in Beirut. It is (or was) a fantastic city.
Wandering around the bars and cafes at night you would never have sensed any feeing of threat.
I love all of these "I told you so" tsk-tskers who are so unsympathetic to fellow citizens who are being held hostage by a foreign government. The funny thing is that it isn't Hizbollah that prevents us from leaving Beirut; it is our staunchest ally.
I have never been there. I'm sure you are quite right. They were there on a teaching sabbatical.