CNN: US to considers s. Lebanon airlift

[sabra]

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1153291953234&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

CNN: US to considers s. Lebanon airlift

The US military considers airlifting Americans from southern Lebanon, CNN reported early Thursday.

The airlift would take place if US citizens in the area could not get out any other way, according to CNN.

[Kagemusha]

1. Uh yeah good luck with that. Wake me up when you're done.

Airlift from S. Lebanon.. sure they will.

[uppityperson]

2. Are there airports working there?

Is it safe to fly out of southern Lebanon?

[daleo]

4. I can't imagine fixed wing aircraft of any size could land

Helicopters would be it, I should think. As for safety...it's probably a Hobbson's choice.

A helicopter in S. Lebanon could easily be shot down by either side. It would be a good pretext for whipping up American support for Israel, if such an event was pinned on Hezzbollah. It could also be used to gain support for a U.S. strike against Iran.

Yet we know from the U.S.S. Liberty that accidents can happen, so we shouldn't jump to conclusions if there is an incident. But the propaganda blizzard would be immediate and fierce.

[uppityperson]

5. Reuters article, Lebanese afraid of what will happen after foreigners go

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-07-20T061115Z_01_L11538533_RTRUKOC_0_US-MIDEAST.xml
""I have a very bad feeling that after the foreigners flee the bombings will get worse," said 37-year old Ziad Nayef, a costume designer. "Nobody cares about Arab lives.""

I can see an incident happening also, am glad I am not there to have to decide which risk is worse.

[Igel]

8. "Nobody cares about Arab lives."

This would seem to be the problem.

[bemildred]

3. Send in the Marines. nt

[uppityperson]

9. they did, tiny marines have landed

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-07-20T152122Z_01_L11538533_RTRUKOC_0_US-MIDEAST.xml&src=072006_1125_TOPSTORY_hundreds_evacuated
A tiny U.S. Marine force landed in Lebanon on Thursday to evacuate Americans stranded by a nine-day-old Israeli bombardment, which has killed more than 300 people but failed to stop Hizbollah rocket strikes on Israel.

It was the U.S. military's first return to Lebanon since it withdrew in 1984, months after a Shi'ite Muslim suicide bomber destroyed a Marine barracks killing 241 U.S. service personnel.

[bemildred]

10. See whether they "insert" more or not.

There are a couple assault ships with marines there or on the way. STRATFOR was saying a week or so ago a force of 2200 or so marines is going to be put in. It boggles the mind.

[lumpy]

6. US leadership is incapable of wiping

their goddamn backsides. This is simply outrageous. Supposidly we have a president who has vowed to look out for our wellfare and he is more interested in his next phony photo op. Supposedly we have an intelligence community that is supposed to know and anticipate events such as the Lebanon assault that is taking place. Billions of dollars are spent on undercover/spy/intelligence gathering for what end? Billions of dollars are spent on administration members and congressional politicos to act in the interest of the American people and all they are interested in is the next election, burning flags or investigating the illegal peccadillos of their contemporaries.

[madrchsod]

7. there is no working airfields in lebanon

there is one road left in lebanon and that goes to syria
condo won`t go to israel until the idf is done destroying what ever it can find and butchering as many people as it can.
we have no guarantee from the idf or anyone else that americans won`t be targeted

the americans in southern lebanon are on their own...

[lumpy]

11. Many of those Americans in Lebanon

ar of Lebanese descent. Do you suppose that is why the US is finding it difficult to rescue them. How many visitors from other countries have managed to get out of Lebanon?