This is a hard one Salmo. One of my mothers sisters married a lebanese man, so I have a bunch of cousins that are half lebanese. They still have lots of family that reside there and actually inherited a villa that they visit. They did not visit for years while Lebanon was in civil war, but lately have been visiting almost once a year. They felt that lately it has been very safe to visit, especially since they have family in the area to show them around and protect them. It probably is like some areas around here. During the eighties, there were parts of Tacoma that I would not venture into unless I had to. However, I also had freinds that lived in the heart of the worst area. They had little fear most of the time, as they knew what to expect. This latest event was not expected. Sure the people visiting know that it is a possibility, but they also probably feel they know the area they are in good enough to feel that they were safe at visiting.
I can't say that it the US must evacuate them, but to say they knew better is a stretch. In my opinion thats kind of like telling me not to venture downtown seattle at night, even though my Mom lives there, then refusing to help me when a gang fight breaks out down the street.
The real question, of course, is whether we should be helping people who choose to live there full time. Some of these "Americans" probably are full blooded lebanese who have moved back home, and have saved there US citizenship for moments like this. I have real problems with risking anyones life to help pull them out.
Should the Coast Guard help out people who go out in rough weather unprepared? Should we help poor people who get smoke and then get cancer?
I know that these anologies don't exactly work as we are talking about travel outside the US, but sometimes we need to go outside our required responsibilities to help people in need, rather than just say they were stupid to put themselves in that situation. I know that the times I need help the most are usually the times I brought the trouble on to myself. In someways I feel we pay taxes as a kind of full insurance, that we will be protected against our own faults, as well as those committed by others. Of course I guess every insurance has limitations, and the discussions is where those are. On that I am not fully sure.