What are 25,000 US citizens doing in Lebanon?

[madmunchie]

Just curious. Seems like an awful lot of Americans. Are they all civilians?

[JHH]

1. Taking Cover and praying for peace

[rubberducky]

2. Seems to be alot of students there.

Probably, business people, visitors,diplomats, but that does sound like an awful lot of people. Not a very good place to be, hope they all get out safely.

[Penndems]

3. Yes, Ducky - you nailed it

BTW, welcome to DU! :hi: :D

[NNN0LHI]

9. Yes a lot of universities there

American University of Beirut (AUB)The American University of Beirut, AUB, is a private, non-sectarian institution of higher learning, founded in 1866, which functions under a charter from ...
www.aub.edu.lb/ - 33k - Jul 14, 2006 - Cached - Similar pages


Lebanese American University (LAU)is an American institution with the following schools: Arts & Sciences, Business, Engineering & Architect...
www.lau.edu.lb/ - 6k - Jul 14, 2006 - Cached - Similar pages


AU Abroad - Lebanon: American University of Beirut: Arabic ...AU Abroad is American University's highly ranked study abroad program that offers a wide variety of study abroad experiences, from island programs to direct ...
www.auabroad.american.edu/language/aublang.cfm - 21k - Cached - Similar pages


(Lebanon) American University In BeirutCenter for Advanced Mathematical Sciences, AUB, Beirut,Lebanon.
www.cams.aub.edu.lb/ - Similar pages


American University Of Technology (AUT)The American University of Technology in Halat, Lebanon is a university offering Bachelor and Masters programs in the fields of Arts, Humanities, ...
www.aut.edu/ - 20k - Cached - Similar pages


American University of Beirut Medical CenterAmerican University of Beirut Medical Center ... Children’s Cancer Center of Lebanon (CCCL) · Department of Family Medicine · Nursing Services ...
www.aubmc.org/ - 26k - Cached - Similar pages


Lebanon Atlas - Universities in Lebanon: Lebanon Universities ...Universities in Lebanon, Lebanon Universities, Lebanon University, Universities Map, AUB Map, AUB GIS Map, American University of Beirut Map.
www.lebanonatlas.com/universities/index.asp - 41k - Cached - Similar pages


Lebanon > Beirut > College and University in the Yahoo! DirectoryPrivate, independent, non-sectarian institution of higher learning in Beirut, Lebanon. www.aub.edu.lb. American University of Beirut > Clubs and ...
dir.yahoo.com/Regional/Countries/Lebanon/Cities/Beirut/Education/College_and_University/ - 9k - Cached - Similar pages


Libdex: American University of Beirut, Beirut, LebanonAmerican University of Beirut. Library Site, http://people.aub.edu.lb/~webjafet/. City, Beirut. Country, Lebanon. Library Type, Academic ...
www.libdex.com/data/10/5234.html - 11k - Cached - Similar pages


American University of Beirut - aub.edu.lb - LebanonA private, non-sectarian institution of higher learning, considered one of the oldest and most respected educational institutes in Lebanon.
www.lebweb.com/site/lebanon-aub-edu-lb-20764 - 16k - Cached - Similar pages

[Penndems]

10. And a heck of a lot of businesspeople and contractors, too

Just about every major American company has representation in Lebanon.

Not to mention the people in our Embassy.

[spanone]

4. You'd think if Lebanon was such a terrorist nation that we would restrict

travel?

[SoCalDem]

5. Americans have had a long presence in Lebanon

There is a very large "American School" there..(probably many, actually).. Beirut was once called the "Paris of the mediterranean". It was a very cosmoploitan, enlightened place that hosted people of many nations and happliy entertained tourists from everywhere.

Before Reagan....

The ugly, protracted war that devastated it had his greasy fingerprints all over it.

It's a damned shame that Beirut might once again be "rubble-ized"..:(

[ovidsen]

6. You might be surprised

For example, there's these guys:

After a yearlong tour of Iraq with the Georgia Army National Guard, Jared and Ryan Calloway decided to return to the Middle East with members of their church.

Now, their nine-day stay, scheduled to end Saturday, has become indefinite. Along with seven other members of Eagle's Landing First Baptist Church in McDonough, they were stranded in Lebanon by the shutdown Thursday of Beirut's airport following Israeli attacks.

http://www.ajc.com/search/content/auto/epaper/editions/yesterday/news_447b8301f198019a008e.html

[alcibiades_mystery]

7. A large percentage are robbing the Lebanese for all they're worth

What US citizens do mostly in the so-called "developing world" (developing into what? like they're children?)

[etherealtruth]

14. In my area we have a huge population of people of Lebanese ancestry

Many people live between there and "here."

I don't deny the U.S's history of exploitation, however, I count many people that spend time there as friends ...people with no intention of exploiting the region.

[Vidar]

8. Waiting for Bush to find a convenient hurricane.

[Igel]

11. I have this completely unsupported hunch that many

are Lebanese.

The '80s were hard, and a great number of Lebanese immigrated, esp. Christians, to Europe and the US. Some had kids.

But then when things got better a lot moved back. Another large group would probably be those taking the kids back to visit families. Some students, no doubt, enrolled in Arabic or some other classes. I'm not sure where in the ME I'd go to learn Arabic, but Beirut's a decent place, or was last week, I'm sure.

The other big bunch are probably tourists. It was reported that Lebanese tourism finally has gotten back up to good numbers, just as had occurred with Israel.

[RB TexLa]

12. Living and working there as free human beings

who can chose to live and work where they please.


And probably some visiting friends and/or family or vacationing.

[originalpckelly]

13. I know some of them are college students from American University...

has students there:
http://www.aub.edu.lb/

I suppose they go to learn Arabic and learn about the Lebanese culture (which is actually supposed to be very interesting, not really Arab or any other ethnicity in region. They are a mix historically.)

[SPKrazy]

15. Living Their Lives, Working, Going To School, Etc.

lots of Americans of Lebanese descent as well in the US.

Of course some my just be there for the Lebanese blonde hashish

[MADem]

16. A boatload are DUAL NATIONALS...some LIVE there, others VISIT

A lot of Lebanese that I know have taken to sending the kids over to visit with Grannie and Gramps for the summer. Practice the language, learn the culture, know thy relatives.

When Lebanon started going south in the seventies, as many people who could, and who had dough, bailed out. They became citizens here in the US of A. Then, when things got better, they went home. Like perhaps twenty percent of the Iranian population of TX and Los Angeles will do if Iran ever shapes up...

Still have that blue passport, though....

[im10ashus]

17. Lebanon is the Paris of the ME.

Lots of students, tourists, contractors, business people, etc. What was once a beautiful city, will soon be turned to rubble, if someone doesn't get a grip on the situation.