Israel thread #2

[Pburgh]

I think the mentality is "you owe me", "you owe me".

[Janice]

Yes, it is getting to the point where people who are in dire need and get into circumstances that our government should bail them out. Our government is going to go broke with this mentality. They went there for vacations and visits, etc. The government did not send them over there. There were warnings, etc. Give me a break.

[Pburgh]

People just don't want to take responsibility for their actions.

[Audrey2Katrina]

Look at it this way, (since this is a weather site): A hurricane warning is issued for the Carolina coast, it's in the cone of probabilities, about 4 days out. Ignoring the potential for disaster, 20,000 folks rush IN to the beaches there, (Not talking about folks who'd BEEN living there--but folks rushing in despite warnings) and then get trapped by a sudden storm surge, and hurricane. In the wake of this calamity, the US offers to get the folks who went IN, WHILE THE ORDER WAS TO GET OUT, but asks them to pay for tranportation out of the area--and then they raise all sorts of holy hell about being entitled to a free trip out--when they moved INTO the area knowing full well it was under such a warning....sorry; I'm all for trying to help the US citizens; but they went at their own risk... and they should PAY on their dime since they openly defied a clear warning about the risks involved in that area.

To avoid getting into political areas; all the above notwithstanding, you can still bet it wouldn't take long for certain opportunists to try to make hay over it to advance their own... ummm... cause.

A2K

[Pburgh]

Trust me, this will become an "issue". I can see the headlines now in the New York Times.

[Janice]

I do not have a link, but will try to find it. I heard on tv that a certain Senator is going to bring it up that we should pay for their return home.

[Janice]

This is on CNN.com, Anderson Cooper's report


Who should pay for evacuations from Lebanon?
A fascinating argument is ramping up fast here in Washington about the thousands of Americans still in Lebanon, but trying to escape the fighting. Simply put: Should they pay for their own evacuation by the U.S. government or should all of us pay for it through our tax dollars?

Air or boatlifts of Americans from wartorn nations are not new. Heck, many Americans have been helped out of all sorts of tricky foreign situations by the military or the State Department. But those who want these particular Americans in Lebanon to help foot the bill for their rescue make the following points.

1) They knew they were living in a dicey area to begin with. Yes, Lebanon has shown significant progress toward being a more peaceful, stable country in recent years, but the southern end of the nation is and has been essentially in the control of an internationally recognized terrorist group, Hezbollah. When you move to or visit such a place, these critics say, you are willingly putting yourself at some degree of risk and that's your burden ... no one else's.

2) This conflict, while fast-moving, has been intensifying for days. These "stranded" Americans should have got out while the getting was good.

On the other side, there are those who make their own strong points.

1) This conflict hasn't just been fast moving; it has developed at a lightning pace, going from a dispute over a pair of kidnappings into what resembles all out war in less than a week. It is unfair, they argue, for American civilians to be expected to foresee how bad it would get so quickly.

2) We encourage Americans to invest in foreign nations, to help spread the ideals of democracy, freedom and respect for human rights all over the globe. We can't then turn around and say, "Now, you're on your own," when times get tough. In addition, if people start fearing a big bill is going to land in their mailbox after an evacuation, might that not encourage other Americans in future disputes to wait even later before seeking help?

This issue of having people pay for their own rescues has come up in many different ways with all kinds of rescues: Hikers plucked from mountainsides where they've become rimrocked, motorists rescued from blizzard-swept roads, boaters pulled from stormy seas.

[Audrey2Katrina]

a certain Senator is going to bring it up that we should pay for their return home

Heard it already... Nancy Pelosi... no comment; but no surprise there either.

A2K

[Janice]

Well, if we send troops over there and we get a couple Katrina canes with damage this year, we will be broke.

[Audrey2Katrina]

This issue of having people pay for their own rescues has come up in many different ways with all kinds of rescues: Hikers plucked from mountainsides where they've become rimrocked, motorists rescued from blizzard-swept roads, boaters pulled from stormy seas.

sounds like typical CNN to me... that is a LOUSY analogy, as people caught in storms and blizzards et. al. were not going into an area that the US Gov't had already issued a warning against going to in the first place. Two MONTHS before this happened the State Dept. warned about being in this area.... you ignore the warning... you pick up the tab if we have to bail you out. Sounds sensible and FAIR to me.

A2K

[Stratosphere747]

We will not go "broke".....

[stormtruth]

You have to admit the May travel warning is pretty clear. However, they don't flat out tell people already living there to leave. So maybe people already there should be not have to pay but peeps traveling to Lebanon after May should not have to reimburse the govt. Boy that will be confusing tho.

Here is the warning from May:
http://communitydispatch.com/artman/pub ... 4778.shtml

[Janice]

On CNN.com


Lebanese TV reports fresh airstrikes in the Bekaa Valley. No immediate word on targets or casualties.

[kevin]

Israel will move into the Bekaa valley as it is strategically important. If they are there already, apologies. Its hot outside and I have been building a house.

[Audrey2Katrina]

Lebanese TV reports fresh airstrikes in the Bekaa Valley. No immediate word on targets or casualties.

Question:

Is CNN reporting EVERY SINGLE missile that the Lebonese Hezbollah group is lobbing into civilian areas of Israel? Just curious... because a couple'a hundred thousand down there are living in underground bomb-shelters and I believe that's the ONLY thing keeping their death toll from being a lot higher--not that Hezbollah isn't giving it their best to up the anty.

A2K

[sunny]

U.S., Israel Join to Protect Americans

U.S. Fears Hezbollah Attacks on Americans During Evacuations
Tuesday, July 18, 2006

BEIRUT, Lebanon — The United States fears a Hezbollah attack during its evacuation of up to 5,000 Americans from war-torn Beirut, and is working with Israel to coordinate their safety, the U.S. military said Tuesday.

Vice Admiral Patrick Walsh said Israel was aware that the U.S. would be ferrying evacuees from the port of Beirut to Cyprus on the chartered cruise ship Orient Queen, and that several U.S. and Israeli warships would be on hand to protect Americans from an attack by the guerrilla group.

"I’m concerned about attacks on ships. We do not assume anything. And that sort of scenario is something we are planning for," Walsh said to reporters Tuesday.

Story

[Audrey2Katrina]

I’m concerned about attacks on ships. We do not assume anything. And that sort of scenario is something we are planning for," Walsh said to reporters Tuesday.

A valid point of real concern. Hezbollah are just sick enough to make a propaganda tool of the deaths of hundreds of evacuees... possibly even try to make it look like it was an Israeli hit.

A2K

[Stratosphere747]

Israel will move into the Bekaa valley as it is strategically important. If they are there already, apologies. Its hot outside and I have been building a house.

Any idea Kevin if Israel or Syria has shown any troop build ups near the Golan Heights?

[Regit]

Lebanese TV reports fresh airstrikes in the Bekaa Valley. No immediate word on targets or casualties.

Question:

Is CNN reporting EVERY SINGLE missile that the Lebonese Hezbollah group is lobbing into civilian areas of Israel? Just curious... because a couple'a hundred thousand down there are living in underground bomb-shelters and I believe that's the ONLY thing keeping their death toll from being a lot higher--not that Hezbollah isn't giving it their best to up the anty.

A2K

There's "breaking news: new attacks" every 5 minutes or so. So I'm going to guess yes.

[Audrey2Katrina]

So I'm going to guess yes.

Not according to the CNN viewers I've spoken to. Like I said, I flat out don't watch 'em, so I can't say for sure; but I've spoken to at least three others who watch all the channels, and they said that while CNN will occasionall mention that the Israelis are being hit with missiles, it's not NEARLY the coverage they're giving to the "awful" (my sarcasm) things Israel is doing to poor Lebanon. I have heard that Anderson Cooper (is that his name?) is pretty fair... wouldn't know.

I'll stick to internet sources, Fox. and occasionally MSNBC as long as it's NOT Keith Obermann.

A2K