In times of war or other calamity in foreign countries, one of the most pressing concerns for Western governments and multinational corporations is getting their people out safely. In recent times, U.S. and Western citizens were evacuated from war-torn Sierra Leone in 1997 and 2000, Cote d'Ivoire in 2002 and 2004, and from Indonesia and other parts of Southeast Asia in the aftermath of the December 2004 tsunami. The recent escalation in violence in Lebanon has again raised the evacuation question. Because of the relative peace and stability in Lebanon since the end of the civil war in 1990, many U.S. citizens and other Westerners in the country could be ill-prepared for such a contingency. In most scenarios, staying put is the best option unless conditions in the immediate area are untenable or appear to be rapidly deteriorating — or an evacuation is ordered by an embassy or local government. If remaining in the country is too dangerous, however, there are several things to consider. The most common difficulty faced by Western civilians in an evacuation situation is finding out where the evacuation point is, and then getting to it. Most people do not think to have this information on hand until the need arises — often during a time when conditions are chaotic and communication with embassies is difficult, if not impossible. Registering with the U.S. Embassy upon arrival in any country is important because it allows the embassy to know where its citizens are, and thus allow authorities to try to include them in any evacuation plans. If Hezbollah believes a full-scale Israeli invasion is imminent, militants in Beirut could take Westerners hostage in order to deter a direct Israeli attack against the city. If this happens, having registered with the embassy will make it easier for the Western countries to begin efforts to secure their release. U.S. citizens who are not registered with their embassy should stay in close contact with those who are. Being proactive and coordinating with the embassy is critical — evacuation teams cannot and will not search an embattled or destroyed city for individual evacuees. Every U.S. Embassy has contingency evacuation plans in place in case of emergency, but might not implement them as quickly as multinationals decide to extract their people. When the embassy does implement its plan, it might have to wait until adequate resources such as helicopters and naval vessels can be brought in to facilitate the evacuations. Most embassy evacuation plans will allow evacuees to take one small bag, and will not allow pets. The small bag should include:

• Key papers, identification cards and passports, all kept in plastic sealable bags, as they could get wet.
• One change of clothes and toiletries.
• Something warm to wear, windbreaker.
• Small valuables such as jewelry.
• Medications and prescriptions.
• Any/all cash on hand; U.S. dollars can be spent anywhere.
• Credit cards.
• Baby needs, if applicable.
• Something to read, as a great deal of waiting will ensue.

Israeli military forces are unlikely to interfere with any evacuation of Westerners from Lebanon — provided the plan has been coordinated with them and they are sure no wanted militants are trying to use the evacuation to slip out of the country. However, Lebanon only borders two countries: Israel and Syria. Leaving Lebanon though Israel is not advisable. Southern Lebanon is a war zone, with airstrikes, rocket attacks and plenty of militants, soldiers and other armed groups in close proximity to one another. Even without fighting going on, landmines and unexploded ordinance leftover from Lebanon's previous wars make travel in the southern part of the country dangerous. Evacuating through Syria has its risks as well. Getting from Beirut to Syria involves a long drive on the road to Damascus. During such a journey, Westerners could be threatened by locals or other refugees from Arab countries who could associate them with Israel. In addition, the Israeli air force already has attacked the main Beirut-to-Damascus road, and could do so again at any time. Rather than leaving though Syria, a better route could be to go north from Beirut along the coastal road toward the predominantly Christian enclave of Jounieh — if the roads remain safe. From Jounieh it could be possible to get to Cyprus aboard a ferry — if they continue to operate. The availability of safe, coordinated transportation should be verified with a Western embassy before trying to utilize it. Because of the Israeli naval blockade around Lebanon, ferries leaving Jounieh are subject to Israeli interdiction. Western embassies might be able to arrange passage on chartered boats after coordinating with the Israeli Foreign Ministry. This is critical because Israeli naval and air units could mistake unidentified vessels and aircraft for Hezbollah operations, thinking the group is trying to smuggle militants out or weapons in to Lebanon. Therefore, attempting to leave Lebanon on chartered vessels or aircraft that are not coordinated with Israeli diplomatic and military authorities is very dangerous. Multinational corporations should coordinate their actions with their respective embassies, if possible, though Westerners should bear in mind that the areas around embassies, particularly the U.S. Embassy in the Awkar suburb of Beirut, will be under heavy guard by nervous, possibly trigger-happy Lebanese security forces and soldiers. If the security situation continues to deteriorate, remaining in Beirut in secure locations will be the only safe option short of military extraction by a friendly government. Although they have attacked Beirut International Airport and other targets in and around Beirut, the Israelis are unlikely to carry out a mass attack on the entire city — at least in the near term. Because of this and the difficulties and dangers associated with traveling in Lebanon, the best advice — at the moment — is for Westerners in Beirut to stay put. The city's major hotels are equipped with generators, allowing for a relatively reliable flow of electricity. In addition, because of Israel's reluctance to cause accidental casualties among Western civilians, it is unlikely the hotels would come under attack. Deciding whether to evacuate a dangerous or hostile situation in a foreign city — and when — depends on a variety of factors. The best way to make this situation as easy to deal with as possible is through preparation and coordination with the embassy.