Taxi!

Lots of very predictable whingeing along the lines of 'why isn't the government moving quicker to get Australians out of Lebabnon'.

Ambassador Lyndall Sachs explains in part:

(She) said people had to be realistic about what an embassy could achieve, especially as the Government was being criticised for not entering besieged southern Lebanon to help stranded Australians to safety. "We are not a taxi service, we cannot go and pick people up," Ms Sachs said.

Quite.

More explanation comes from war profiteers shipping line managers in Cyprus:

(They) say quicker action by Australian officials could easily have secured a 680-berth cruise liner to arrive in Beirut on Wednesday.

It's not the Australian Government the whingers should be whinging to - it's the Canadian Government:

Foreign Affairs officials in Canberra have not explained just how they were "gazumped" by Canada for another ship capable of carrying 300 that failed to arrive on Thursday

And Ms Sachs is able to explain quite simply why we were left in a bidding war with other countries for transport:

France reacted most quickly with passenger vehicles, while Britain and several other countries were able to deploy military vessels, but no Australian ships were near the region.

What do people expect - to be teleported out?

Meanwhile, not everyone can get on British ships either.

Oh, the irony, the delicious irony!

-- Nick