Photo Diary of Evacuation from Beirut (Rebel_Yell2)

Rebel_Yell2 | July 22, 2006 | Rebel_Yell2

[bravo whiskey]

glad you are safe. the unidentified ship is a british built type 42 frigate batch 1 or 2. i suspect the helos are marine ch-46s which look very much like army ch-47 chinooks at a distance.

[Tarkus2040]

This was my fifth trip to Beirut and what happened was stunning to everyone with whom I work, both in Washington, DC and Beirut, contrary to what some Freepers would have you believe.

Hazard pay included?

[rebel_yell2]

"Many Lebanese" is not "All Lebanese" or even "Most Lebanese."

From my contacts, "most Lebanese" outside of south Lebanon strongly oppose Hizbollah.

To then make the leap to "Americans there" support Hizbollah is beyond illogical; it is just plain stupid.

[leadpenny]

I do. Growing up in Michigan I don't believe I heard SouthernSpeak more than a few times before I joined the Army.

[arasina]

Terrific photos! I'm glad you were able to evacuate safely.

[restornu]

I don't know why some need to make blanket statements each situation is unique!

I am glad you made it out and sorry you lost your stuff!

[rebel_yell2]

The IAF is highly accurate and even dropped leaflets warning civilians in areas they intended to strike so I never worried about my safety from airstrikes. What I (and other Americans with me) did worry about were the local militias in South Beirut coming to the hotels looking for western hostages. After all, taking hostages is their "thing."

[romanesq]

Very happy to see you made the early trip out on the big boat.
Glad to hear you are back home safe and sound and away from the fog of war.

Maybe you're buddies at work should give you some combat pay for above and beyond.

Good to hear you are back. That's great news.

[Flyer]

Mark.

Thanks, RY2. Glad you made it out safely.

[hershey]

Glad you're okay and out, and great pictures! Thanks! I've been waiting for the 'international community' to decide the US owes it to Lebanon to take in those million or so 'displaced' Lebanese since wej supported Israel. Plus, now we're selling them bunker busters (precision guided). (Dead silence from the 'international community' about rockets and IED's found in that Lebanese mosque. They had nothing to say about the bunker found underneath the mosque Israelis targeted as a Hezbollah command center.) All mosques have bunkers, right?

[monkeywrench]

Thanks for sharing the pics! Glad you're back safe and sound.

[eyespysomething]

Well, once again, I'm glad you (and others) made it out and are home and ok!

Thanks for answering my questions, too. Good job keeping yourself maintained under an extremely stressful situation, and I think we've all learned a little bit living vicariously through you.

[sissyjane]

Thank God you're home safely! Great pictures!!! :>)

[usmcobra]

The Unidentified ship are Royal Navy HMS Gloucester (D96) and HMS York (D98) The Chinooks are RAF (dark forrest green instead of Army olive drab) The Grey British Helicopters are Royal Navy Pumas assigned to each destroyer.

[mass55th]

Welcome home. Glad you are safe and sound. Thanks for sharing your experience with us.

[Tarkus2040]

From my contacts, "most Lebanese" outside of south Lebanon strongly oppose Hizbollah.

Then how did two Hezbollah "politicians" come to sit on the Lebanese parliament? Weren't they democratically elected?

[McGavin999]

Nice pictures, thank you. Guess you'll be VERY busy there after this whole thing settles down. Will they send you back again?

[Melinda in TN]

Glad you made it Rebel. I've never talked to you in here but you've been on my mind all week. What a relief!

[rebel_yell2]

I just KNEW someone would be able to identify them for me!

Much thanks.

[Txsleuth]

BTTT...great pics, rebel..so glad to have you home!