Evacuations of American Citizens?

[mrgenius]

If the U.S. Military does decide to try to evacuate the 25,000 U.S. citizens in Lebanon, will it be feasible?

Contingency plans I've heard of is using helicopters and marines, or trying to find a working airstrip.

Also, when they evacuate citizens, do they evacuate only citizens or also those with green cards?

Lebanon has become very dangerous.

 

[Truronian]

They should evacuate anyone in danger, where to I do not know. To be honest, there should be no-one in danger, but we know thats not the case.

 

[emzie]

If it were needed, it should be a joint US/ EU/NATO effort. As to an airstrip, it only needs to be long enough for a plane capable of flying to Cyprus or Turkey.

 

[Paradigne]

We could clear it out quick enough. As long as all citizens could make it to the Embassy...

 

[silver 2039]

Can't citizens just go to Syria and take a flight from there?

 

[Urederra]

I thought that if you have a green card you were a citizen

Not only american citizens are fleeing from Lebanon.

 

[emzie]

Can't citizens just go to Syria and take a flight from there?

The main highway was bombed.

 

[jamiethearcher]

I thought that if you have a green card you were a citizen

Not only american citizens are fleeing from Lebanon.

No, green card holders are Lawful Permenant Residents - they are allowed to live and work in the US, but not to vote, and can be deported.

 

[Yeeek]

If it were needed, it should be a joint US/ EU/NATO effort. As to an airstrip, it only needs to be long enough for a plane capable of flying to Cyprus or Turkey.

I believe it would be the case aswell, if USA were to call out their citizens in Lebanons, other foreigners such as Europeans would follow. So, it would be mostlikely a joint effort. But i can see the EU do it aswell. French special forces did evacuate US citizens in Ivory Coast. Of course, there was not as much as 20K people like its the case in Lebanon.

 

[Evil Tyrant]

There are 25000 American citizens in Lebanon? Unless they are soldiers and diplomats, I would like to know what they were drinking to go to that hellhole. At any rate, I would give American citizens priority and take greencard holders only as there is space on the transports after the citizens are out.

 

[RedWolf]

This is interesting... Maybe they could do it again for their own citizens? Of course there would be no need for this if Israel wasn't blowing away civilian infrastructure...


In an unusual deal that the United States helped broker, a runway at the Beirut airport was repaired long enough to enable six planes -- one carrying former Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Nakati -- to take off. Israeli forces soon after bombed the runway again.



http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/07/14/mideast/index.html

 

[jalapeno_dude]

Can't citizens just go to Syria and take a flight from there?

The US and Syria don't get along very well, or so I've heard...

 

[amadeus]

Can't citizens just go to Syria and take a flight from there?

I'm sure they could get connecting flights through Iran and North Korea.

 

[Hundegesicht]

There are 25000 American citizens in Lebanon? Unless they are soldiers and diplomats, I would like to know what they were drinking to go to that hellhole.

Visiting family? There are probably 25,000 Lebanese-Americans in my city alone, a lot more in the entire U.S.

 

[Pontiuth Pilate]

Thank God we have a President with more balls than Reagan!

 

[CaptainF]

There are 25000 American citizens in Lebanon? Unless they are soldiers and diplomats, I would like to know what they were drinking to go to that hellhole. At any rate, I would give American citizens priority and take greencard holders only as there is space on the transports after the citizens are out.

Lebanon, from what I hear, is quite cosmopolitan in the cities, where many students like to study.