»In which we are profiteering

To get on board a ship or helicopter, Americans must sign a note pledging to reimburse the U.S. government. They will be charged the price of a single commercial flight from Beirut to Cyprus — usually $150-$200, although officials refused to specify.

If they have no money to fly onward, they also will be asked to guarantee reimbursement of the price of an airline ticket from Cyprus to the United States.

$150 is about the amount that Halliburton makes in a fraction of a second. You can see the monetary cost of the Iraq War to the United States in action at Cost of War dot com.