Not with my tax dollars, please

There’s been a lot of discussion at work about the US citizens in Lebanon getting evacuated by the embassy. Most of it starts with “what the f*ck are they doing there to begin with? There are a few good answers; embassy personnel, relief workers, people visiting family… but not all the answers seem sensible. Students? Why in hell would you travel from the United States to such a dismal part of the world to go to school? Vacationers? Give me a break. And then there’s the entirely possible case of Hezbollah terrorists with US citizenship.

Apparently, most of the US citizens stuck in this war-zone are there of their own volition.

Hezbollah has been an active group in Lebanon for decades, and their history in regards to the United States is disgustingly violent. Their sponsors are openly aggressive to the United States, and repeatedly threaten their neighbor to the south, Israel, with annihilation.

All this screams, to a sensible American, that Lebanon is not an ideal vacation destination.

So why should my tax dollars be spent providing the casual, unwise visitor safe passage out of the area? Why should they not be expected to pay for the cost of their travel? They’re not paying for the actual cost, they’re being billed the rate of a commercial ticket – considerably less than the actual amount this little exercise will run – and the difference will come out of the taxpayer’s (your and my) pocket. Seems like a good start, though.

U.S. student worries about evacuation – Mideast/N. Africa – MSNBC.com

Nucho added that all evacuees have signed promissory notes pledging to pay the U.S. back for safe passage to Cyprus, plus interest. Once in Cyprus, she said the government would not pay for hotel fees nor a return flight to the U.S.

Update, seems appropriate for this post (linked via LGF) Hizballah Activity in North America

2 Comments

  1. Bunch of whiners. “Oh, they took so long”. Oh, they charged us”.

    I’m so tired of people not taking personal responsibility, and when something goes wrong, they blame the government.

    It was like all those self righteous idiots that CHOSE to stay in New Orleans, then whined that they needed some water because they were too stupid to get some in the entire week prior when they were told a big ass hurricane was coming.Disgusting.

  2. Sadly, reporting today indicated that not only was the US now going to pick up the tab on moving our citizens out of Lebanon, we’re now heaping on additional bonuses.

    No further word on repayment of any sort, but I guess we can still hope the law will be enforced.

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