Concerned about "commercial rate" charges for evacs, I called around

[Rose Siding]

This was reported last night by the AP-

At the State Department, McCormack said the cost of a massive evacuation was beyond U.S. resources. He said evacuated Americans would be asked to pay commercial rates, and if they did not have the money, to promise to pay in the future.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/17/AR2006071700749.html

That didn't seem right to me and I wanted some more information.

I've already spoken with the press office at the French embassy (it was good to have a chance to tell *someone* there how impressed I was to see the PM himself was welcoming and assisting French citizens to safety) and a man named Erikson at the Swedish embassy (Erikson- how cute is that?) in DC. I asked both if they had charged their citizens for transport out of the war zone as the US government is doing.

The French: "Ha ha ha. No." Mr. Erikssen: "Our deal is the same as France". Both offered free transport from Beirut to Cypress, where commercial airlines are located. From there people are responsible for getting themselves home, which seems reasonable.

I also called Sean McCormack's office at State to clarify that it's the Beirut/Cypress leg of the trip that the US intends to charge for. That seems clear from the way the AP wrote the piece but I wanted to be certain before I call Anderson Cooper. *smile* A woman there said he was in a meeting, but she'd have him call me. I made sure she knew I wasn't personally involved -I just wanted to get all my facts straight before I call my Senators- and suggested that I didn't really need to speak with him directly if she could get the info for me. She said she'd call back.

There's no question that juggling logistics within the US bureaucracy is daunting, and I do trust that lots of sincere government employees are really trying to get the job done. I've got no beef with them. What's really "beyond US resources" is leadership at the top.

The president's candid remarks revealed that he didn't like the "sequence" of the UN's objective of obtaining a cease fire as a first step. While he finds it "ironic" that "they" -and by "they" he must mean actual world leaders- should do something other than what they're doing to end hostilities, *I* find it ironic that the CEO president says things like this:

My job is to protect the American people, this: And, Terry, my job is to protect the American people, and this: My biggest job is to protect the American people.

without mentioning that it's a cash and carry business operation.
Half a trillion for Iraq and still more for safe passage.

[donsu]

1. kicking - have they called back yet?

nt

[Rose Siding]

2. No. -Also waiting on members of Congress.

:hi:

[Rose Siding]

3. Guess I don't need the clarification. MSNBC asked about it-

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack, in an interview with MSNBC Monday, said the evacuees will be charged for their transportation at a "commercial rate" because the State Department isn't authorized by Congress to bear the costs.
"It's not an excessive rate. It's a rate that they might pay for a regular airline flight out or a ship leaving Beirut," McCormack said. "If they don't have the funds immediately available, they sign a promissory note and...they pay the U.S. government back at some point."

http://www.easybourse.com/Website/dynamic/News.php?NewsID=25403&lang=fra&NewsRubrique=2

That's BS. If the DoD doesn't need authorization to contract with the cruise line, why would they need Congress' OK for transport?

[BuhByeChimp]

4. They said in the article

They didn't have the authority to bear the cost not to contract it out. So they have to charge to justify it.

I'm not sure my opinion on the matter, I say charge nothing as of now and let it get sorted out when everyone is safe.

[Rose Siding]

5. Stabenow is introducing legislation to make waiving fees mandatory

-according to a rpt on CNN.

And Pelosi and Reid have both held press conferences critical of how long the evacuations are taking as compared with those by other countries.

[Rose Siding]

6. Pelosi's statement-

WASHINGTON, July 18 /U.S. Newswire/ -- House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today on news reports that American citizens who are trying to leave Lebanon must agree to repay the U.S. government for the cost of their evacuation:

"The United States government has an obligation to get thousands of its citizens out of harm's way in Lebanon quickly and safely. That means making it clear to the combatants that we will not tolerate any interference with our evacuation activities.

"The immediate risk to American lives also means this is no time for quibbling over payment for evacuation. Whatever resources are needed to assist Americans in danger in Lebanon must be provided. Americans should not be held hostage by a requirement to sign an agreement to repay transportation costs before evacuation. A nation that can provide more than $300 billion for a war in Iraq can provide the money to get its people out of Lebanon.

"I call upon the President to remove one worry from the minds of stranded American citizens in Lebanon and their families back home by declaring immediately that their country will bear the costs of bringing them to safety."

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=69366

The US government is insisting that prospective US evacuees from Lebanon sign a promissory note promising to reimburse the government an unspecified amount for their evacuation. Their passports will be unusable till all the money is re-paid.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/martin-lewis/evacuation-cruise-only-_b_25289.html

[Rose Siding]

7. A letter to Rice and Rumsfeld from Reid, Levin and Kennedy

Democrats Press for Support to Americans Wishing to Leave Lebanon

...The letter comes amid disturbing reports that Americans registering with the State Department to leave Lebanon are not being evacuated immediately. The Senators urged the Secretaries to ensure that all necessary Defense Department assets are made available to secure these Americans' transport out of harm's way.

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=69343

[Rose Siding]

8. Blitzer's set to cover the costs coming right up n/t

[Rose Siding]

9. AYEEEE Cafferty's covering this!!!!!!!!

-the slowness AND the fee :bounce:

"Welcome to the twilight zone" he says.

[Rose Siding]

13. Here's video of Cafferty's rant-

There's a YouTube link here-

http://www.first-draft.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=6580&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0&PHPSESSID=287258fa7e37ae1ff33811a8fce82b62

[Rose Siding]

10. "Democrats siezed on this issue" -O'Donnell

Then she goes on showing footage of a REPUBLICAN objecting.

[Rose Siding]

11. State Dept.: No Free Evacuations for Dead Americans, Either

snip from TPMmuckraker-

Alive or dead, Uncle Sam doesn't give any free rides.

Earlier I noted that the State Department, in stark contrast to the Canadian government, is requiring U.S. citizens caught in Lebanon to pay for the cost of their evacuation. (Rep. Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has since weighed in, saying that this was no time "for quibbling over payment for evacuation.").....

What if they're dead?

Same deal, she said. No freebies, even if you're not around to enjoy it.

Hironimus said that she didn't know the exact fee being charged. Evacuees are signing promissory notes. Those citizens will find out how much they owe when they get the bill in the mail.

And if a U.S. citizen is killed waiting to evacuate -- or because they stayed behind, unable to promise their government they could pay?

"We arrange with their families," Hironimus said. "We discuss their choices, but it’s paid for by the families."

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/001155.php

[Rose Siding]

12. Advice for Canadians in Lebanon: (July 18, 2006)

The Canadian Government has arranged for sea vessels to assist Canadians wishing to depart Lebanon. All costs related to the evacuation of Canadians citizens from Lebanon will be borne by the Government of Canada.

http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/beirut/menu-en.asp

The Canadian govt supplied the emphasis.

[DanCa]

14. Yet would embryos get to ride free? (nt)