My opinion

To answer Debbie's question about Alexander Downer's comments, I think the general idea, and this is not just Australians, the Brits have said simular things, is that now is the time when we have large ships, we can take big numbers of people and we won't be doing this large scale operation again. So when they say "get out now", it is more because, "this is the time we are here to take you". I don't think it would be impossible to get out of Lebanon after the evacuation stops, in fact I have friends who are counting on it, but it will be more difficult, at your own expense and only as far as another arab country til you buy a ticket out. There is some feeling that after the ships and foreign armys have gone, we will be in for another heavy bombardment or the ground invasion that they are promising in the south, so I suppose they want people who want to go, to go now.
I actually wrote a letter to the editor at the Advertiser/Sunday Mail online yesterday. Don't know if they will actually do anything with it, but I wanted to make the point that while so many people are quick and ready to complain about the government, I think most people have no idea what it is really like here and the undertaking of evacuating thousands of people whilst still under fire, within 10 days of the war starting, is no small task. I wanted to express my gratitude to the government. I have had two phone calls from Canberra and Melbourne, from the Dept of Foreign Affairs, just to check I am okay, asking if I want to leave and to let me know what is happening. You tell them thanks from me!!!
We are getting ready for church now. I think we will still have about 30 people as a lot of the foreigners up here are coming to join us. Then we are having a pot luck lunch in the Chetti's garden, just down the road from us. Better get the Shepherds Pie out of the oven. Love you all lots. Lindy