This one?
Posted on 07/18/2006 4:40:15 PM PDT by ChessMan
The State Department said Monday that it will ask Americans to pay for rides out of Lebanon that include chartered vessels.
"What we have to do in a situation like this is, we have to go out on an emergency basis and rent vessels," Burns said. "That's what we're trying to do ... We do that on behalf of American citizens. We're not quite sure how many of these Americans will come out."
House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi objected to billing evacuees.
"A nation that can provide more than $300 billion for a war in Iraq can provide the money to get its people out of Lebanon," Pelosi said in a statement.
Personally, I think evacuations should not come with a bill directly to the evacuees (although there are always exceptions).
On the other hand people might say if your butt was there and you knew it was a risky place you out to pay your way like you did to get in.
At any rate - thoughts on this?
BTW Nancy Pelosi voted for this measure.
A nation that can provide more than $300 billion for a war in Iraq can provide the money to get its people out of Lebanon," Pelosi said in a statement.Leave it to the Democrats to invent a new entitlement, the right to be evacuated from any troubled spot in the world at taxpayer expense.
Britt Hume said on his show today the Bill was passed during the Clinton era and Nancy Pelosi voted FOR it.
What a load of horsedung !! We can transport divisions of troops into Iraq and pay to rebuild civilization there but God help us if an American taxpayer needs a little help in a combat zone.
What's next? Federal surcharges on all tickets?
Tough call.
1) Who in the heck vacations in Lebanon?
2) Are these people truly Americans or terrorists enablers?
3) Are they diplomats or the families of our government workers?
I guess we have to bring them all back if we can.
Frankly, I do not care to help pay for evacuating people who chose to visit their family in Lebanon.
You might want to read some of the post that explain this position before you get too worked up over it. BTW, these people got to Lebanon without my money, I see no reason why they can't pay their way back without using my money.
This one?
Worth repeating...often!
Yep that's the one.
The State Department firmly warns Americans not to travel to certain politically unstable areas of the world. If Americans choose to travel there anyway, it should not be the responsibility of the US taxpayer to pay for their foolishness.
In addition, the helicopter pilots who are ferrying Americans out of Lebanon are risking their own lives to do so. Are the livs of helicopter pilots less important or less valuable than those of arrogant citizens who insist on ignoring the warnings of their own country?
I used to vacation at a ski area out west. The Ski Patrol and the local sheriff's office warned skiers that if they decided to ski off piste and got in trouble, needing rescue, they would have to pay for the rescue team. The cost could go over $50k because helicopters are expensive to run. But every year some dumbass would decide he was such a good skier he could do what he wanted to and nothing bad could ever happen to him. And then the sheriff's department and ski patrol and other emergency personnel would have to spend a mean cold dangerous night out in treacherous country looking for him. And he'd be surprised and outraged when he got a big fat bill for their services.
Same principle. You've been warned; after that, it's on your bill.
With the exception of the US assigned embassy personel and other US assignees most of the rest are US Muslims, gone there to live and support the Muslim cause. Let 'em find their own way "home".
House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi objected to billing evacuees.
Britt Hume said on his show today the Bill was passed during the Clinton era and Nancy Pelosi voted FOR it.
Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi is calling on the president to immediately declare that the U.S. will start bearing the costs of evacuating its citizens from Lebanon, instead of charging them, saying, "A nation that can provide more than $300 billion for a war in Iraq can provide the money to get its people out of Lebanon."
But the president isn't authorized to reverse the policy — which requires citizens to pay commercial fare plus a dollar for government evacuation — since it's encoded in the 2003 Foreign Relations Authorization Act. That law was approved by the House and the Democratic controlled Senate in 2002. Pelosi herself voted for the measure.
LOL that has to hurt.
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