Post; State Department makes US evacuees from Lebanon sign IOU to repay evacuation costs

mmarsh · July 19th, 2006

This has got to be a new low...

http://www.forbes.com/business/servi...ap2887271.html

The State Department said Monday that it will ask Americans to pay for rides out of Lebanon that include chartered vessels.

"What we have to do in a situation like this is, we have to go out on an emergency basis and rent vessels," Burns said. "That's what we're trying to do ... We do that on behalf of American citizens. We're not quite sure how many of these Americans will come out."

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi objected to billing evacuees.
"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," Pelosi said in a statement.

Making US citizens pay back the costs to be evacuated? Whose inane idea was this? You'll notice they didnt even bother to mention the actual cost of the evacuation. Somebody explain this to me, we spend millions if not Billions in corporate bailouts, but we refuse to cover the cost of renting a boat to get our people out of a warzone. The French and Italians didnt charge their citizens anything. Anybody?

July 19th, 2006
mmarsh Tribunus Laticlavius Gear	Post; State Department makes US evacuees from Lebanon sign IOU to repay evacuation costs This has got to be a new low... http://www.forbes.com/business/servi...ap2887271.html The State Department said Monday that it will ask Americans to pay for rides out of Lebanon that include chartered vessels. "What we have to do in a situation like this is, we have to go out on an emergency basis and rent vessels," Burns said. "That's what we're trying to do ... We do that on behalf of American citizens. We're not quite sure how many of these Americans will come out." House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi objected to billing evacuees. "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," Pelosi said in a statement. Making US citizens pay back the costs to be evacuated? Whose inane idea was this? You'll notice they didnt even bother to mention the actual cost of the evacuation. Somebody explain this to me, we spend millions if not Billions in corporate bailouts, but we refuse to cover the cost of renting a boat to get our people out of a warzone. The French and Italians didnt charge their citizens anything. Anybody? __________________ "My center is giving way, my right is in retreat; situation excellent. I shall attack." -Foch I get this question a lot. I am from NYC. I fly a French flag because I work for the Paris Office of a International company.