Correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought the situation was just too dangerous and the “Son, you’re on your own” hands had already been thrown in the air?

Oh, right. Those were Winken Anthony Blinken and President “Nod Gonna Do Nuthin’s” AMERICAN hands, as Karen filled us in on yesterday.

Apparently, not everyone was cool with the ABANDON SHIP AND EVERYONE ON IT message.

BREAKING: The UK government is contacting British nationals directly with routes for an evacuation out of Sudan, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly says https://t.co/9MNg9OnQZt pic.twitter.com/x4gmX1e2N9

— Bloomberg UK (@BloombergUK) April 25, 2023

What a weird concept in this day and age – a government that still feels some responsibility to its citizens in danger, even to being adroit enough in the face of a tenuous 72-hour ceasefire to take advantage of the lull to get out whomever they can.

It is a desperately dangerous journey for British citizens in Sudan to reach the transport aircraft and they will have to attempt that on their own. But their government is in contact with as many of them as possible, providing guidance as they have it along with updated word and conditions.

The UK government is coordinating an evacuation of British nationals from Sudan.

We have started contacting nationals directly and providing routes for departure out of the country.https://t.co/71LU7TgtCC

— James Cleverly🇬🇧 (@JamesCleverly) April 25, 2023

The British Embassy in Sudan is broadcasting details and directions for those who meet the criteria and choose make the hazardous trek.

We are evacuating British passport holders and immediate family members with existing UK entry clearance.

🔗 https://t.co/t5u82VNKkm pic.twitter.com/ch5AKxxktg

— UK in Sudan 🇬🇧 (@UKinSudan) April 25, 2023

Families with children, the elderly and the infirm are being prioritized for the flights, as long as they can continue to make them.

…Only British passport holders and their immediate family with existing UK entry clearance are eligible, the government has said.

The Foreign Office has told citizens not to make their own way to the airport unless contacted.

An RAF plane has left an airfield north of Khartoum and is heading for a military base in Cyprus, according to a flight tracking site. It is not yet clear whether UK nationals are onboard.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said the government was not able to escort people to the airfield and British nationals would need to “make their own way there”.

He said he had made contact with the military leaders in Sudan but it was impossible to predict how long the evacuation window would remain open.

They would maintain the airhead for “as long as we can”, he added, and the UK was working as quickly as possible to get people out.

For British citizens who cannot make the flights out of the temporary air facilities in Khartoum, there is still an avenue to escape to the Port of Sudan. The route is long and perilous – absolutely fraught with unspeakable dangers.

To their great credit, hamstrung as they are by the very logistics of arranging an evacuation in the middle of Africa, the Brits are pulling out all the stops to provide rescue avenues for as many people as they can.

…But in Sudan there is the logistical challenge. Unlike the US and France, the UK does not have a military base in the region.

Instead, the armed forces are operating out of RAF Akrotiri, a Royal Air Force base in Cyprus, more than 1,200 miles from Khartoum.

The UK will be using its C-130 Hercules transport plane – a much-cherished and reliable aircraft, perfect for operating in austere and dangerous environments but which is going out of service next month to save money – and the newer Airbus A400M for the airlifts. All military aircraft are prone to technical issues so this will be something the RAF and its engineers will be working hard to prevent.

Another option for the UK is to transport British nationals by ship from a port in the east of the country. A team of soldiers flew into Port Sudan on Monday on a reconnaissance mission and a Royal Navy frigate, HMS Lancaster, is in the region and ready to move forward if needed to assist.

However, British nationals will need to make the more-than-500 mile journey from Khartoum to the Red Sea port. It’s a route that takes 13 hours in normal times by car but is now thought to take up to 40 hours because of checkpoints, congestion and – most critically – the need to source petrol along the way.

There are about 4000 U.K. citizens in Sudan and they are hoping to snatch up at least 2000 one way or the other IF the ceasefire holds long enough.

Oh, by the way, even the frickin’ French have managed to get another 500 people out overnight.

…French forces have managed to get a total of 538 people out of Sudan since last night.

Of that number, 209 are French nationals, with the rest hailing from 41 other countries including the UK.

France are operating out of an airstrip north of Khartoum and taking evacuees to Djibouti where they have a military base.

I do not know what our excuse is. I know the Joint Task Force Center in Djibouti is providing support like weather and coordination, etc., for those European relief flights, but. What the hell are WE doing?!

This is the sum of missives from the past 8 hours of the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum‘s account. They basically boil down to, “Hey. Sign up here if you want to leave and we’ll let ya know if something happens.”

VURT DA FURK

What an unconscionable, unforgivable performance in a crisis with lives on the line.

Fill out the form and WE’LL GET BACK TO YOU.

There has not been a new tweet in 12 hours.

This is Secretary of State Blinken’s Twitter account this morning. See how concerned he is about 16K+ Americans in harm’s way? Not ONE PEEP to/about them, about efforts being made to assure their safety during the cease-fire, nor their safe egress from the country if they choose to leave.

Of course, Blinken believes there’s a minimal number who would leave…

…While it’s unclear exactly how many Americans remain in Sudan, Blinken said officials had been in contact with “some dozens” who “expressed an interest in leaving.”

…and they’ll see if they can “fold you in” with some other traveling types if you do.

…While the White House is continuing to advise U.S. citizens still trapped in Sudan to shelter in place, saying it’s not safe to facilitate a mass evacuation, Blinken said American officials have been able to “facilitate Americans being folded into” some convoys.

The State Department is also collecting information from Americans in Sudan through a crisis-intake form that allows citizens to indicate they want to leave the country and need assistance.

Meanwhile, the accounts for the DoD are full of anti-sexual harassment reminders while the accounts for the Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa? Pictures of happy embassy personnel being hugged safe on the tarmac in Djibouti.

Evacuated U.S. Embassy Khartoum personnel embraced after landing at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, on April 23.

Camp Lemonnier played a role in enabling this U.S. operation to safely evacuate embassy staff from Sudan.

📸 @USNavy MC1 Maria A. Olvera Tristán@CJTFHOA @USAfricaCommand pic.twitter.com/gOA4xnVIHa

— Camp Lemonnier (@Camp_Lemonnier) April 25, 2023

They’re “considering” options – could be, should be, might. Pfft.

…American citizens who want to flee the country have limited options at this time, according to Lieutenant General D.A. Sims, director of operations for Joint Staff J3, which coordinated the embassy evacuation.

The U.S. military is eying plans to “potentially make the overland route out of Sudan potentially more viable,” Sims said. The Pentagon is currently “considering actions that may include: use of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities to be able to observe routes and detect threats.”

Naval assets could also be deployed outside the Port of Sudan to help Americans who arrive at that location, Sims said.

Be nice if we get around to it, but don’t count on it. At least you know we thought of it. Almost.

It’s like it’s all over for our side.

I am near weeping with rage and sick to my stomach with disgust. All I can do is pray there’s a super-secret op underway and/or State is furiously “folding” Americans into convoys like paper into origami cranes – as many as you can humanly tuck.

But I do not understand how the British can put planes into a place at a moment’s notice and we cannot.

Will not.

The Biden administration and their praetorian media have to be on their knees, thanking Baby Jesus and lighting candles for the gift of Tucker Carlson yesterday, sucking all the oxygen out of the broadcast air.

How nice to have a ZERO coverage excuse for yet another revolting, potentially deadly dereliction of duty.