I’m not sure why there are 25,000 Americans in Lebanon. Perhaps someone will tell me what the attraction is. Maybe it’s an easy place to make money without paying taxes? I don’t know. But, apparently, about 8,000 of them now want out – something about a war, not wanting to get blown up – that sort of thing.

The U.S. is racing to the scene to help evacuate them. It’s going slowly because, well, there’s a war – and that creates some logistical problems, but we’re doing the best we can under the circumstances.

One of the things the President and his evacuation team must do is follow the law – or at least people say the President is not above the law, so it’s better that he obeys it. A law especially pertinent to this situation is the 2003 Foreign Relations Authorization Act, which – in part -- requires the government to charge evacuees commercial fare plus a dollar for government evacuation. 

Obeying the law, the State Department had planned to make the evacuating Americans sign a note pledging to reimburse the U.S. government before they got on board. They were charging the price of a single commercial flight from Beirut to Cyprus — usually $150-$200.

When House Minority leader Nancy Pelosi heard about this, she quickly asked her staff to find the nearest microphone. They found CNN, to which Pelosi declared, “A nation that can provide more than $300 billion for a war in Iraq can provide the money to get its people out of Lebanon.”

Well, sure we can, but why should I pay for the ticket to ride for a person who went to Lebanon voluntarily, knowing that the region is a hotbed of conflict, and that they might one day need to leave.  Why should they not pay for their own plane ticket? If they are too poor to so do, how did they get to Lebanon? Did I pay for that too?

And then, there’s the law. Why did Congress pass it if it didn’t mean it? The law, by the way, is not the product of a cold-hearted bunch of conservative Republicans. It was passed in 2002, when Democrats controlled the Senate. And one more thing -- Nancy Pelosi voted for it.

Nevertheless, after Pelosi’s attack, the State Department backed down, and will now violate the law by allowing the evacuees a free ride on your dime.  I’m sure you’ll soon be getting a nice thank-you card. (Feedback)

Time to redeploy drug soldiers