Amy Goodman reported today that 900,000 people may be displaced in Lebanon by day’s end where the parks already resemble refugee camps. At air time the number was estimated to be 400,000. Israel has refused to guarantee the safe passage of relief workers.
On Saturday morning, a listener stranded in Lebanon told Anthony Walters, producer of the Chicago-based radio show, This Is Hell, he’d “heard that even IF the u.s. can evacuate us they’re going to CHARGE us.”
Hillary Clinton, following a fundraising breakfast thrown for her by Rupert Murdoch, defended Israel’s war crimes at a rally today. I haven’t decided who’s dumber. Clinton for believing she’s being groomed for anything other than the candidate most likely to lose or Bush Junior for believing he’s a grasp on anything besides the rails of the trough in which he dwells.
Reporter Thom Cookes and colleagues are fired upon by the IOF whilst filming an outstanding report on the situation in Gaza. The inimitable George Negus interviews Efram Halevy.
Juan Cole explains why Murdoch will never produce news so honest and brave.
“even IF the u.s. can evacuate us they’re going to CHARGE us”
The Boston Globe report I quoted regarding the critically injured 71 year old man from Michigan also referred to this, I think, as did a number of other press accounts on Americans trapped in Lebanon and the ‘plans’ for evac. A friend of mine who is in Jordan was hearing tall tales about $50K evacuation fees.
A few congress pissants did finally manage to raise enough hackles over that today to reverse the policy. It’s so heartening that they’ve overcome their absolute terror at the idea of critizing anything remotely associated with Israel that they could show some modicum of concern for the at-risk pocketbooks of their constituents in the face of the terror that comes with any American public figure suggesting that just maybe Israel might be – lord preserve us – a little out of line.
I read this morning that US Marines have landed, ostensibly to aid in the evacuation. Odd that other countries have been evacuating for days without having to call in their troops.