The Price of Freedom

There are always risks to summer travel, usually it's nothing more than an inconvenience, a cancelled flight costing you an extra night in a hotel room, a hurricane that cuts your vacation short, or a piece of luggage that gets lost. Smart travelers always add a day onto the time it takes to travel, the weather these days is completely unpredictable, and you never know when a hurricane will hit, or a thunderstorm will delay your return. It's always a good idea to be flexible in case of emergency.

Probably no one expects a war to break out when they are visiting relatives overseas, and when they find themselves in the middle of a war zone unexpectedly, they expect that the US government will do whatever it takes to bring them to safety. As a taxpayer, I would expect that that huge chunk of federal taxes that I pay every year might get me a spot on a helicopter or an evacuation ship without extra charges. Not like a first class cabin or anything with a window view, but maybe just a ride to safety, and I would of course give up my seat to anyone older or disabled, and stand for the entire trip if needed.

But in America, nothing is free, and if you get stuck in a war zone and you need to get out, you'd better have your checkbook handy.

White House spokesman Tony Snow said the United States has determined it was not safe to travel by road, adding: "We understand the anxieties of people in Lebanon."

To get on board, Americans must sign a note pledging to reimburse the U.S. government. They will be charged the price of a single commercial flight from Beirut to Cyprus - usually $150-$200, although officials refused to specify.
If they have no money to fly onward, they also will be asked to guarantee reimbursement of the price of an airline ticket from Cyprus to the United States.
Snow said the government has to charge evacuees because of a 2003 law. "I dare say that it's something that is causing heartburn for a number of people, but it's the law," he said.

If you don't happen to have the money to escape becoming pavement pizza courtesy of our Israeli allies, you can sign a note promising to reimburse the US government for the ride, plus interest. The French evacuated their citizens for free, but I think the Americans will value their freedom that much more, knowing the price that they had to pay.

I wonder, if our fellow citizens get to choose to get out faster if they upgrade to business class?

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