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US charging Americans for evacuation from Beirut? »
Posted by: Karina 2 years, 2 months agoTIME's Andrew Sullivan has posted an email from a reader trying to get out of Lebanon. "Most other governments evacuating people here are actually flying them back to their home country without cost. But not the USG."
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Karina
Karina Longworth blogs about film at Spout.com. She co-founded the film blog Cinematical in March 2005, whilst simultaneously completing an MA in Cinema Studies ...
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Comments: 184
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Crawford69
July 17, 2006, 6:55 p.m.The government has actually thought of a new way to make its citizens feel ashamed of its policies. Actually charging the people that they have sworn to protect is astounding. I am so disheartened that I now by this that I am seriously considering moving to Canada.
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sergeant
July 17, 2006, 7:08 p.m.These aren't tourists were talking about, they are American Citizens who have chosen to work and live in Lebanon. Most are Lebanese and hold dual citizenship. Make em pay or let em stay.
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ades
July 17, 2006, 7:11 p.m.Crawford69,
I agree completely. Since when do the citizens serve the government? This "democracy" is becoming a load of ******.
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ades
July 17, 2006, 7:16 p.m.sergeant, we do pay. through the nose.... 1/3 of every paycheck. we dump money in stupid wars and programs designed to help illegal immigrants, but when some of our own are trapped in a war zone we kick them when they're down. this is shameful.
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pals
July 17, 2006, 7:39 p.m.Nothings wrong in paying to save your life.And any amount will be priceless,as we live only once.
Its a good money making opportunity for the airlines industry now.I am sure the fares must be rocketing.
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Jim McCoy
July 17, 2006, 7:47 p.m.I don't think this should come as a surprise to any American citizen living there. After all you're there for your own benefit, not the U.S.A.'s.
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OlyaZ
July 17, 2006, 7:50 p.m.These American citizens CHOSE to be there- they were not forced to go by ANYONE.
Now let them pay for their way back.
How stupid was their initial decision to work/play/study in a hot bed of activity???? Probably the worst place in the world. What were they THINKING???
And now they are whining........... "get me outta here quick- and for FREE."
It is NOT the government's responsibility to bail out stupid citizens.
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StarBright
July 17, 2006, 7:59 p.m.Maybe they can hitch a ride on the British aircraft carrier that will arrive in Beirut. Hmm...where are the U.S. aircraft carriers,anyway??
Also nice to hear that the State Dept. is now into asking people to sign BLANK promissory notes. Nice way to make a buck or 2 depending on how desperate someone is.
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sergeant
July 17, 2006, 8:01 p.m.Ades, those people are working in Lebanon and not for the U.S. Government. So, according to you, they are not paying 1/3 of their paychecks to fund wars or illegal aliens. That 1/3 is going straight into their own pockets. Sorry, but, if they want to be Americans, then work and live in America.
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usuallyrightbjw
July 17, 2006, 8:09 p.m.OF COURSE THEY SHOULD PAY. AMERICANS OVERSEAS PLANNED ON PAYING TO GET HOME SOMEHOW, JUST BECAUSE ITS SOONER THAT EXPECTED, DOES NOT CHANGE A THING. IF YOU DONT PAY, THEN STAY. JUST DONT JUMP UP AND PROCLAIM YOURSELF AN AMERICAN IF THEY WANT TO LIVE.
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wylin
July 17, 2006, 8:12 p.m.It's $300 to have transportation out. Why is it that the US Govt spends over 300 billion dollars in Iraq with more to come and can't provide an emergency evacuation for a few citizens in a war zone. I suspect it may be the same reason they can't provide emergency evacuation for it's own citizens in NOLA after hurricane Katrina. They don't care.
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EL KIRI
July 17, 2006, 8:23 p.m.I think if they are living and working there...they should pay,but if they are tourist then they should not!
just put yourself in their shoes!
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Old Squid
July 17, 2006, 8:24 p.m.Let's just deduct the evacuation fees from the military aid we give to Israel
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katrinakid
July 17, 2006, 8:33 p.m.Why has it taken the world's only superpower 6 days to begin an evacuation of its citizens from a war zone? Is this the same bunch of dummies that came here to New Orleans to set up an evacuation process? At least they didn't charge anybody here that I know of.
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ades
July 17, 2006, 8:41 p.m.Just because an American is abroad does NOT mean they are any less American. I can't believe some of you think this is acceptable. What is a better use of tax money and military resources than protecting our own citizens?
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robertszeged
July 17, 2006, 8:41 p.m.Why are you surprised? The US government does not pay the full costs of a home trip from Iraq for its own servicemen.
Admit it - the comments like 'why should we pay for the evacuation of American citizens stranded in Lebanon - they chose themselves to be there' and the rest of the bullshit are a clear sign of racism. People who make these comments are racists - they just hate their fellow Americans who are of the Middle Eastern (but not Jewish!) origin. They may or may not Arabs, they may or may not be Muslims or Christians (in fact most of them are Christians), as long as they are law-abiding American citizens it is the duty of this government to protect them by evacuating them.
The argument that they chose to work overseas and therefore are not contributing to the country's treasury and why should the US government help them out is bullshit. Americans are required to pay taxes on their income worldwide and those who work and live in Lebanon.
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Horace
July 17, 2006, 8:45 p.m.Many years ago, I found myself quite sick in New Delhi. I went to the US embassy for help and they hostilely refused, and wouldn't even simply recommend a doctor; I was escorted out by a Marine. I learned from others that the US was known to be very poor at helping its citizens abroad in comparison to the Brits or many other European countries. Later, by contrast, a Swiss friend who got sick in Iran was flown home by his embassy.
So, even though the US is charging for the ride to Cyprus, at least now it is offering to help its taxpaying citizens. I see progress.
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ades
July 17, 2006, 8:46 p.m.The government does NOT own the ships, planes, embassy buildings, etc!! WE DO! How hard is that to comprehend. They exist for US... United States citizens!!
Our government has gotten to be a massive, out of control monster. What amazes me is so many people think this is ok.
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robertszeged
July 17, 2006, 8:46 p.m.As a follow-up to my previous posting, it follows from some comments that American citizens should stay and work only in the US. What the hell then are the US military doing overseas in dozens of countries? What interests the US has then worldwide which it ostensibly defends? Create 'foretress America' and do not travel outside and do not meddle in the other places.
Also, everytime an American 'contractor' is adbucted in Iraq the US government should charge his or her family for any rescue operation - what the **** was the guy thinking about by accepting a job in a hotbed such as Iraq, right?!
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ades
July 17, 2006, 8:55 p.m.Horace,
this article coupled with your comment is making me red in the face I'm so angry. you were escorted out of your own embassy by a marine?! Yeah, I said that right YOUR embassy.. and MINE. People need to open their eyes and see what this "democracy" has become and is becoming. We have no control anymore.
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Redbeard
July 17, 2006, 9:05 p.m.They chose to work and live there..Serve's them right..I have no sympathy for those that go where we aren't wanted..
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Horace
July 17, 2006, 9:12 p.m.Ades,
I think that small episode in India in my early life informed me of nature of the relationship our government had, and probably continues to have, to its people -- as opposed to, for example, its corporate citizens. There seems to be no limit to which it will go to help the latter.
The fact that our government is doing anything to evacuate its people is, to me, progress of a sort.
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