U.S. citizens remain in dark about evacuation

[cal04]

Official: Operation costs more than available resources; 64 have left so far
U.S. Marines raced Monday to complete naval and air evacuation plans for thousands of Americans in Lebanon — an operation U.S. military official said carries “some risk.”

The Orient Queen, a commercial ship hired by the government, will sail into a Beirut port Tuesday escorted by the destroyer USS Gonzales and possibly the USS Iwo Jimato. The cruise ship will try to rescue the estimated 5,000 citizens who are so far wanting to leave.

(snip)
The cruise ship, which can carry up to 750 people, will be forced to dodge an Israeli warship naval blockade and potential Hezbollah attacks that damaged two vessels Friday. The boat will take the citizens to the nearby island country Cyprus.

(snip)
Joanne Nucho finished packing in the early morning hours Tuesday. Nucho, a student at American University in Beirut, said there was talk that Americans would have to pay a $300 evacuation fee, not be allowed to take laptops or cameras and be left to sleep on the streets of Cyprus

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13902115/

[partylessinOhio]

1. Who is making these rules? FEMA?

pay a $300 evacuation fee, not be allowed to take laptops or cameras and be left to sleep on the streets of Cyprus

[Atman]

2. No cameras or laptops?

The government can't risk any REAL pictures getting back to the USA, I guess. After all, things are really rosy over there, remember? Pictures of chaos would only sour the wonderfully victorious mood the American people are in. :sarcasm:

[AlamoDemoc]

3. If every American in Labonon was Israeli....

We would have done a better job of resqueing them, of course.

[BlooInBloo]

4. The republican bastards are charging to evacuate...

https://fromtheleft.wordpress.com/2006/07/15/for-americans-stuck-in-lebanon-us-plans-air-bridge-out-but-for-a-price/

Fuckers. Imagine what they would've charged the Germans for the Berlin Airlift. Or the Iranian hostages.

christ republicans are evil.