Advertisement

Leaving Beirut

The USS Nashville is anchored off the coast of Beirut this morning hoping to take some 1,200 of the 8000 Americans stranded in Lebanon, amid continued fighting between Israel and Hezbollah militants.

The effort comes two days after the first Europeans left on ships from Lebanon leading to criticism the U.S. effort has lagged.

Officials say fears about Americans traveling in Beirut, and on roads to Syria led to the delay.

Among those who has made it out of Beirut before the formal U.S. evacuation is Brown University political science professor Melani Cammett. She had been in Lebanon with her husband and two children since April writing a book on the politics of Lebanese social services.

She managed to get to Syria last weekend, and is now back home in Boston.

Click the listen link above to hear Melani Cammett's conversation with Bob Oakes.

This program aired on July 20, 2006. The audio for this program is not available.

Advertisement

More from WBUR

Listen Live
Close