American students haven't been rescued yet. What did Rummy

[caligirl]

do with the assets needed for this? This is a standard operation planned by a couple of Captains and a Lt. Its practiced for as one of the standard operations and has always been. The plans for these rescues are done by standard SOP. All they have to do is fill in the landing zones on the preformatted plan. Just fill in the dates, places and number people to carry. That the Bush admin. say's they are developing a plan is just pure BS. This is a delay and I just have to ask what has Rummy done with the assets needed to do this? Why are there no rescue missions already completed? The Marine Corps training standard is 4 hours from notice to execution.

This delay could be another Katrina! Where's President Putin and a microphone?

[rubberducky]

1. They handed it over to FEMA!

I know it`s not funny, but if I can`t laugh I will explode. We are supposed to be a super power and we can`t even get our people out of harms way. God, we couldn`t get our people out of harms way for a hurricane IN THIS COUNTRY. What faith can we have in the preponderance of idiots to get our people out of harms way in another country??

[LA lady]

2. small problem

Where do you want them to land?? I was evacuated in 1967 but the Beirut airport was intact.

[caligirl]

3. Helos land anywhere they want, and they tell the Israel's where they

are going to be. Israel if infromed, won't shoot at an American flagged helo. They can escort them out to the helo's and fly they to Cyprus or any off shore ship, the Iwo Jima is an amphibious assault ship off shore with medical care available.It has 1800 beds and a hospital for about 600 I think. Any Maorine knows this stuff.

Bush and the State dept are not being truthful but what else is new.

[LA lady]

4. Think not?

Hell, Israel tried to destroy the Liberty, I wouldn't trust them for shit.

[caligirl]

5. that was a long time ago. And the students, close in age to my children

are sitting around still for no good reason.

[LA lady]

6. This site is helpful

http://yalibnan.com/site/archives/2006/07/americans_to_be.php

Beirut & Washington- 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.

[Solo_in_MD]

7. 25,000 people is not a standard operation and it will

take more than a few jr officers to pull it together.
- First you have to find them (not possible under the circumstances)
- Then you have to find common sites that can support helos or bus them to ones that will
- You have to have the transportation assets (that a lot of helo flights)
- They have to want to leave.

You were aware that they will be billed for transportation costs...

[caligirl]

8. I am aware of the billing, outrageous.

[CottonBear]

9. Reagan invaded a country to 'rescue' students who were not in danger...yet

BushCo leaves US citizens in harm's way for political purposes and for reasons of greed and corruption and misguided political strategy.
:grr: