Ship en route to begin American evacuations

[cal04]

The U.S. Navy said the cruise ship Orient Queen left Cyprus for Beirut on Tuesday to evacuate Americans from Lebanon.

The cruise ship, escorted by a U.S. destroyer was to begin evacuating some of the 25,000 Americans in Lebanon, joining U.S. military helicopters that have ferried a few dozen U.S. citizens to a British base on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus.

The U.S. Navy said the ship had left from Cyprus, but would not say when it was expected in Beirut. According to the Pentagon, the Orient Queen can carry 750 people at a time. A U.S. Navy destroyer, the USS Gonzales, will be available to escort the Orient Queen, according to the Pentagon.

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Three CH-53 Super Stallion helicopters — each able to carry 36 people — were also available to fly evacuees from Beirut to a British air base on Cyprus, Whitman said, and more choppers will be made available on Tuesday. The helicopter evacuations, which began Sunday, take about one hour.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13914384/

[C_U_L8R]

1. Yeah but in true republican fashion

You have to give up your rights... and camera and laptop
and fork over your cash and once they dump you in Cyprus...
you're on your own. What bastards !!!