Evacuation Update

Today we got a note from a friend in Syria who said nothing much is happening there, and conditions are fine for now. That was a relief, but we're still worried about Dr. Abikhaled and family. I had been seeing headlines to the effect that the U.S. was evacuating its nationals from Lebanon, and these had made me hopeful. The latest news, however, suggests that the government is doing "a heck of a job" as usual. Those effete French have already evacuated 800 of their citizens, while the U.S. embassy is saying "I told you so," as in, "The State Department warned people not to travel to Lebanon" and thinking they may get a destroyer that's on maneuvers in the area over to a port in Lebanon some time in the near future. Imagine a night you spent in an airport with the airline not telling you why the plane was grounded and why you coudn't get on the next one, add bombs falling, and you'll have an idea of what those people must feel like.