U.S. Embassy Works on Lebanon Evacuation

[cal04]

The United States is working on a plan to evacuate American citizens from Lebanon to the neighboring island of Cyprus, the U.S. Embassy said Saturday.

``We are looking at how we might transport Americans to Cyprus. Once in Cyprus, Americans can then board commercial aircraft for onward travel,'' an embassy statement said.

The State Department said Friday that Americans in Lebanon should consider leaving when it is safe to do so, and officials made contingency plans for the evacuation of people who cannot leave on their own.

``Our best advice is for people to assess their security situation,'' State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Friday. ``Right now ... from the U.S. government perspective, there aren't any reliable ways to get out by air, land or sea.''

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-5953092,00.html

[rodeodance]

1. too little too late.

......``Our best advice is for people to assess their security situation,'' State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Friday. ``Right now ... from the U.S. government perspective, there aren't any reliable ways to get out by air, land or sea.''

[lovuian]

2. Americans Welcome to Bush's government "Your on your own"

This is pathetic government!!!

[htuttle]

3. "...the buses! What about the buses?!?..."

[BOSSHOG]

4. "When it is safe to do so???"

That would be when bush is no longer the world "leader."

[brook]

5. One word.

Katrina.

[Totally Committed]

6. One word response.

Exactly.


TC

[cantstandbush]

7. But Israel will UN workers just as well as any others. They don't care.

There needs to be huge regime change within Israel and well as the US before the world can come together over anything but war.

[robinlynne]

8. I lived in a foreign country for 20 years. We (Americans) learned. When

you're in trouble head quickly for the Bristish embassy. I kid you not.

[IndianaGreen]

9. What are they waiting for? Divine Guidance?

If they are waiting for The Decider to make any decisions, forget it! Bush looked like he was coming unhinged at his press conference with Putin, a man on the verge of a breakdown!

[puffthemagicdragon]

10. could have been done BEFORE Israel started bombing

if we are such good buds with Israel and give them so much money surely they could have warned our government to get them out BEFORE the bombing. I can't believe more Americans aren't peeved about it. I saw something on local news where a Lebanese travel agent here in the city is contacting her american clients in lebanon to help them get out. She said that she had buses arranged to get some to Demascus but that was foiled when Israel bombed the ONLY road to Demascus. what a quagmire. We have an estimated 25K citizens in that mess.

[MichiganVote]

11. Let me guess...FEMA's in charge

[DeepModem Mom]

12. CNN: U.S. plans 'air bridge' out of Lebanon, officials say

U.S. plans 'air bridge' out of Lebanon, officials say
Americans urged to register with State Department
Saturday, July 15, 2006

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Americans could be evacuated from Lebanon using an "air bridge" of fast-moving aircraft, U.S. military officials said Saturday.

Pentagon and U.S. State Department officials are working on contingency plans to get about 25,000 people out of Lebanon to escape Israel's military campaign, launched after two Israeli soldiers were kidnapped by Hezbollah guerrillas.

An "air bridge" is the term for planes that would move in swiftly and ferry people out in quick succession.

Planners are focusing on flying people from the Lebanese capital of Beirut to the island of Cyprus, officials said.

But the U.S. military is also looking at other options for any evacuation, considering whether it is possible to dock ships or land aircraft in Beirut, given the large number of Hezbollah militants there....

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/07/15/lebanon.us.citizens/index.html

[BillZBubb]

13. The US should send an aircraft carrier battle group.

They should tell the Israeli's that they are going to get Americans out. And don't get in our way. Fat chance.

[daleo]

14. It seems like this would require a lot of flights

25000 people at 100 per flight would be 250 flights. That would be a pretty big deal, probably quite dangerous and expensive. It might be easier to just pressure Israel into stopping its assault.

[MADem]

24. They need to fix the damn runways first

Send in the Seabees...

They'll use HUGE planes, like the 141s they used to evacuate Iran. Or C-5s (not typically used in this fashion, but they could work it if they needed to, plus, those can take off in fairly short situations). They put in these crappy webbed paratrooper seats and everyone sits knee-to-knee like a bunch of sardines. You can cram a couple hundred of people in each aircraft.

Of inestimable value to the U.S. Air Force is the Starlifter's sheer versatility. Like that of the C-130 Hercules, the C-141's main hold is fitted with tie-down points and floor cleats that allow it to be rapidly reconfigured for different missions.. Some passenger configurations include: 200 troops seated in canvas side-facing seats, or 166 troops in rear-facing airline-type seats, or 103 litter patients plus attendants, or a combination of passengers and cargo. Rollers in the aircraft floor allow for quick and easy cargo pallet loading. A palletized lavatory and galley can be installed quickly to accommodate passengers, and when palletized cargo is not being carried, the rollers can be turned over to leave a smooth, flat surface for loading vehicles. ...In its aeromedical evacuation (medevac) role, the Starlifter can carry about 103 litter patients, 113 ambulatory patients or a combination of the two. It provides rapid transfer of the sick and wounded from remote areas overseas to hospitals in the United States. http://www.theaviationzone.com/factsheets/c141.asp







They'd be better off getting a hydrofoil or three and dragging them out of there several hundred at a time to an offshore vessel, then ferrying them to Cyprus.

[BrotherBuzz]

25. Piece of cake compared to the Berlin Airlift

At the height of the Berlin Airlift 1,398 sorties were flown in a 24 hour period! It would be expensive today, for sure, but I have no doubt the Air Force could send in a hord of C130's and C17's and have it done in 48 hours.

[Massacure]

38. 100 people per flight? Fat chance.

There won't be any fixed wing aircraft with Beirut airport knocked out. A Chinook helicopter carries 32 people, a Black Hawk 12.

[Bigmack]

15. I thought Israel had cratered...

Beirut's runways. The question is... will * be able to talk the Israelis into letting somebody repair the runways.

How much would you bet that the bombs they used on the runways are US-made bombs?

[Poll_Blind]

18. They bombs were probably Durandals- very very difficult to repair..

...runways after being hit by those. No idea what they really used but I guarantee whatever it was it was the best the United States had access to.

PB

[Howardx]

26. thats what i thought too

best way to disable a runway

[DELUSIONAL]

28. More ways to spend US taxpayers money!!

[NYC]

34. Can you explain the Durandal

to me. Thanks in advance.

[Bigmack]

35. If it's the one I'm thinking of...

it actually rockets the warhead into the runway, and has a shaped charge on a delay. That puts the sucker deeeeeep into the ground before it explodes, and the shaped charge blows the whole foundation layer of the runway out.

[NYC]

37. Thank you for the explanation.

:hi:

[Poll_Blind]

39. You can also find a bit more at Federation Of American Scientists.

FAS

PB

[NYC]

42. Thanks.

...designed solely for the purpose of destroying runways. Once the parachute-retarded low-level drop bomb attains a nose-down attitude, it fires a rocket booster that penetrates the runway surface, and a delayed explosion buckles a portion of the runway. It can penetrate up to 40 centimeters of concrete, creating a 200 square meter crater causing damage more difficult to repair than the crater of a general-purpose bomb.

[MGD]

16. Evacuating 25,000 Americans from Lebanon is a sure sign

that diplomacy has failed and is no longer even an option-that this situation is going to deteriorate further. A nuclear option is sounding more and more plausible IMO.

[daleo]

17. A nuclear option?

Who would nuke who, and why? Israel is the only country in the region with atomic bombs. What possible good would it do them to nuke anyone?

[MGD]

21. At the current level of intensity it may seem far fetched; however,

at the rate it appears to be deteriorating, it's entirely possible that Iran will become involved more so than it already is. If that happens, the use of nuclear weapons starts to become a real possibility. i'm not saying it will happen but I am saying that the possibility increases as the situation deteriorates. The further you slip into the abyss, the more difficult it is to avoid hitting the bottom.

[DELUSIONAL]

31. bringing in the Iran card again --

right now Israel has the means to deliver a nuke -- and they have a large supply.

But I am hoping that none of the idiots involved are stupid enough to use this toy.

Iran would be smart to stay way back and keep their hands where everyone can see them.

They have played the US skillfully so far -- the US has dismembered their enemy Iraq.

These are continuations of old wars, old grudges old alliances -- just a whole lot of new war toys. Americans have a very short memory.

[ladjf]

30. Hell yes. I'd say that kidnapping three of our soldiers is good

enough reason to start a nuclear war. Get it on!
(sarcasm)

[Endangered Specie]

19. sounds familiar...

[EST]

20. So let me get this straight...

Israel apparently kicked this thing off about two weeks ago.
Israel is our best B-F buddy in the ME.
Did they not tip us off in time for the US government to start making arrangments for the evacuation of these folks or did the fasciopublicans not give a rat's a$$ about them and refused to get involved?
Somebody dropped the ball, here, and there are about to be another 25k body bags (or bodies bagged) to add to the murder rap of the bfee?

Need a new name for these murderers:
Fancist republicans
Republican fascists
Fascio-publicans
Rupublifascists?
Neofascists

[lynne]

32. According to timeline at timesonline in the UK -

- Israel did not kick this thing off. Palestinian gunmen attacked an Israeli Army post on June 25th. Things escalated and Israel finally retaliated June 28th. Partial timeline is below, the link for the entire timeline is > http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,251-2268256,00.html

"Here are the key events of the last 19 days that have pushed the Middle East to the brink of a regional crisis:

June 25
Palestinian gunmen use a tunnel under the Israel-Gaza border to attack an Israeli army post. They kill two soldiers and capture a third, 19-year-old Corporal Gilad Shalit

June 26
Three Palestinian groups, including the armed wing of the ruling Hamas movement, claim the capture of Corporal Shalit and demand the return of Palestinian women and children in Israeli prisons

June 27
Hamas signs an agreement that implicitly recognises the existence of Israel, raising hopes of internal calm in the Palestinian Territories, but the military stand-off deepens as a second Israeli man, 18-year-old settler Eliahu Asheri, is kidnapped

June 28
Israeli warplanes destroy key bridges in the Gaza Strip and knock out the territory’s sole power station, cutting off electricity to many of the 1.4 million residents. Living conditions in Gaza start to deteriorate. Israeli jets fly over the palace of President al-Assad of Syria. At dawn, Israeli tanks and soldiers push a short distance into northern Gaza"

[EST]

33. Thanks, I needed that.

[daleo]

40. I have read that a couple of Palestinians were "arrested" the day before

These arrests have been compared to kidnappings. Regardless, it is difficult to ever pin down some definitive "cause" in this conflict, as each action generates a reaction, in a long line stretching back decades.

[Jazzgirl]

41. Looks to me like the Palestinians retaliated

after the 7 members of a Palestinian family were killed on Gaza beach on June 9th. Then I think the rest of the events are correct.

JG

[mom cat]

43. In the ME, it all depends where you start your time line. I remember

something about harm to Lebanese civilians prior to the capture of Israeli soldiers. Sorry I do not have the link. In any case, the Israeli response seems to have little or nothing to do with an ernest search for the soldiers and everything to do with rolling out pre-planned attacks on Lebanon. This is geo-political, just like our thinly veiled war on Iraq was.

[Kagemusha]

22. How about given the large number of Israeli bombs there.

Is Israel going to allow the airport to be opened to let Americans escape?

[MGD]

23. I predict that they won't impede an evac. of Americans and Europeans

as that would not facilitate their goals.

[Strelnikov_]

27. So, Lets Advertise That We Will Be Running Around 125 Flights,

full of Americans, in a short time frame, from an airport surrounded by now throughly pissed off Islamist Terroists/Freedom Fighters/Whatever most likely having ground to air missles supplied by Syria, Iran, or both.

I will not say LIHOP. No I shall not.

This is a job for one of these:



Launched from one of these:

[ladjf]

29. I thought that the Beirut airport was unusable.

[lynne]

36. Earlier today, one of the news agencies -

- was asking American's in Lebanon to call a certain number if they had information on small or private airstrips that could be used. I would imagine that there are other strips available depending upon the size and type of aircraft they plan on using. It may be that the type of aircraft to be used will be dictated by what landing facilities they can find.