As Always . . .

. . . we send aid. Even unto our enemies . . .

AP: 1st Shipment of U.S. Aid Arrives in Beirut---

BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) - The first shipment of American aid for Lebanon arrived in Beirut on Tuesday and Israel promised to open vital safe passages as humanitarian groups pushed more convoys of supplies to tens of thousands in the war-torn south.
[. . .]
Military helicopters brought the U.S. shipment into Beirut, the first since President Bush ordered a Navy task force that had been evacuating Americans from Lebanon to shift gears and start bringing in aid.

The shipment included two large-scale medical packages "aimed at meeting the most urgent needs," holding enough medicine and health supplies for 20,000 people for three months, the U.S. Embassy said. The goods were given to the international Red Cross to distribute, it said.

Washington has launched the aid effort in an effort to show it supports Lebanon at a time when many here are furious at it for refusing to press Israel to halt the bombardment that has killed hundreds, driven up to 750,000 people from their homes and demolished infrastructure. Israel launched the assault to rein in Hezbollah after it captured two of its soldiers July 12.

U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman said the shipment was the first in $30 million worth of aid from the United States. "We hope it will address some of the most pressing needs of the conflict victims. The United States remained deeply concerned about the humanitarian situation in Lebanon."

Asked if there were a contradiction between U.S. arms sales to Israel and aid supplies to Lebanon, Feltman said Washington's position was based on "two pillars to how we need to deal with the conflict. One pillar is humanitarian assistance. ... The other is to find conditions for a sustainable cease-fire."

And yet, they will still hate us.

Despite that, we give assistance because it is the right and moral thing to do. God blesses us for that, even if our enemies curse us.

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