Terrorized Americans fleeing Lebanon . . . fleeing the Israeli assault

[bigtree]

TYRE, Lebanon - A group of Americans huddled at the port Wednesday before boarding the Princesa Marissa to begin their journey home — away from the epicenter of southern Lebanon's war zone.

They had come from American suburbia, some to show their children the land of their ancestors, but found themselves trapped in a nightmare of death and destruction.

The Cypriot ferry lifted anchor with 320 people, mostly Americans, on board, taking the battered refugees away from 14 days of horror trapped in Yaroun, a border village down the road from the raging ground battle between Israeli and Hezbollah forces.

"I can't even talk about it. It was a disaster. It was worse than a nightmare. I saw dogs and cats on bodies that couldn't be taken from bombed out houses. We ran from one building to another trying to escape the bombing," he said. "It didn't stop. It didn't stop even for a day. Everything is finished."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060726/ap_on_re_mi_ea/mideast_fighting_fleeing_americans_1

[katinmn]

1. How horrible!

Exhausted and still shaking from their ordeal, the rescued Americans interrupted each other to try to describe the horror.

"I don't know where to even begin. I saw parts of bodies. I saw small children, and old people and women stuck in the rubble. But you know what was so hard was not being able to help," said Hassan Ghachan, a high school student from Belle, Calif.

"On the road coming to Tyre yesterday we saw cars that had been rocketed with dead people still inside. There were so many cars I couldn't count. I couldn't even look at some of them."

[blonndee]

2. My god, when will this end?

How horrible!

[bigtree]

3. It needs to be read to be appreciated

very inflammatory descriptions.

How will this affect me if I continue to suppress the deep anger I feel? How can I ever express the hurt I have inside without hurting others?

[bigtree]

4. "We are aware"

July 26, 2006

WASHINGTON - The United States expressed concern Tuesday about Americans, possibly hundreds of them, stranded in south Lebanon without safe passage to evacuation points in the capital Beirut and on the coast.

“that there are an undetermined number of Americans at locations in southern Lebanon,” the U.S. State Department said.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14028061/