Thanks Bush, Siniora: Refugees

"I would like to thank Prime Minister [Fouad] Siniora, and say thanks - really thanks - very much to [US President] George Bush and to (Secretary of State) Condoleezza Rice," said a tearful Suheila Mustafa, standing at the bedside of her 45-year-old sister, Samia.

The sister was terribly wounded by army shellfire in the face that she could neither talk nor focus with her bloated left eye.

"I really want to thank them for these shells and these wounds we are suffering," said Suheila.

At least 20 militants of the shadow Fatah al-Islam group, 32 soldiers and 27 civilians have been killed since fighting erupted on Sunday, May 20.

More than 150 people have been wounded and dozens of homes destroyed, with the narrow alleyways of the coastal camp becoming a horror show of bullets, blasts and bodies.

The US had expressed full support to Siniora's handling of the crisis and is considering to provide him extra military aid.

"Lebanon is doing the right thing to try to protect its population, to assert its sovereignty and so we are very supportive of the Siniora government and what it is trying to do," Rice said.

Pentagon spokesman Lit. Col. Karen Finn confirmed the approval of a 30.4 million dollar package of ammunition, trucks and helicopters spare parts to Lebanon.

"Additional equipment, vehicles, repair and spare parts, maintenance teams, and training will be delivered to the Lebanese Armed Forces in the coming months."

Washington provided 40 million dollars in military aid to Lebanon last year and five million more in 2007.

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