Israel Deliberately Attacked US Ship

[PhillyKev 0]

This is interesting....

>>> In the following article, a former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff accuses Israel of intentionally attacking the USS Liberty. This conclusion was reached by an independent commission comprised of the following:

Admiral Thomas Moorer: former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (under President Nixon)

Four-Star General Ray Davis: former Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps, and the most-decorated living Marine until his recent death (his honors include the Purple Heart, two Silver Stars, a Bronze Star, two Legion of Merit awards, and the Congressional Medal of Honor)

Rear Admiral Merlin Staring: former Judge Advocate General of the Navy

Admiral James Akins: former United States Ambassador to Saudi Arabia

This essay originally appeared in the Houston Chronicle, 09 Jan 2004. [Link] The official findings of the commission are located here.

Betrayal behind Israeli attack on U.S. ship

By ADM. THOMAS MOORER


After State Department officials and historians assembled in Washington, D.C., last week to discuss the 1967 war in the Middle East, I am compelled to speak out about one of U.S. history's most shocking cover-ups.

On June 8, 1967, Israel attacked our proud naval ship -- the USS Liberty -- killing 34 American servicemen and wounding 172. Those men were then betrayed and left to die by our own government.

U.S. military rescue aircraft were recalled, not once, but twice, through direct intervention by the Johnson administration. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara's cancellation of the Navy's attempt to rescue the Liberty, which I personally confirmed from the commanders of the aircraft carriers America and Saratoga, was the most disgraceful act I witnessed in my entire military career.

To add insult to injury, Congress, to this day, has failed to hold formal hearings on Israel's attack on this American ship. No official investigation of Israel's attack has ever permitted the testimony of the surviving crew members.

A 1967 investigation by the Navy, upon which all other reports are based, has now been fully discredited as a cover-up by its senior attorney. Capt. Ward Boston, in a sworn affidavit, recently revealed that the court was ordered by the White House to cover up the incident and find that Israel's attack was "a case of mistaken identity."

Some distinguished colleagues and I formed an independent commission to investigate the attack on the USS Liberty. After an exhaustive review of previous reports, naval and other military records, including eyewitness testimony from survivors, we recently presented our findings on Capitol Hill. They include:

· Israeli reconnaissance aircraft closely studied the Liberty during an eight-hour period prior to the attack, one flying within 200 feet of the ship. Weather reports confirm the day was clear with unlimited visibility. The Liberty was a clearly marked American ship in international waters, flying an American flag and carrying large U.S. Navy hull letters and numbers on its bow.

Despite claims by Israeli intelligence that they confused the Liberty with a small Egyptian transport, the Liberty was conspicuously different from any vessel in the Egyptian navy. It was the most sophisticated intelligence ship in the world in 1967. With its massive radio antennae, including a large satellite dish, it looked like a large lobster and was one of the most easily identifiable ships afloat.

· Israel attempted to prevent the Liberty's radio operators from sending a call for help by jamming American emergency radio channels.

· Israeli torpedo boats machine-gunned lifeboats at close range that had been lowered to rescue the most seriously wounded.

As a result, our commission concluded that:

· There is compelling evidence that Israel's attack was a deliberate attempt to destroy an American ship and kill her entire crew.

· In attacking the USS Liberty, Israel committed acts of murder against U.S. servicemen and an act of war against the United States

· The White House knowingly covered up the facts of this attack from the American people.

· The truth continues to be concealed to the present day in what can only be termed a national disgrace.

What was Israel's motive in launching this attack? Congress must address this question with full cooperation from the National Security Agency, the Central Intelligence Agency and the military intelligence services.

The men of the USS Liberty represented the United States. They were attacked for two hours, causing 70 percent of American casualties, and the eventual loss of our best intelligence ship.

These sailors and Marines were entitled to our best defense. We gave them no defense.

Did our government put Israel's interests ahead of our own? If so, why? Does our government continue to subordinate American interests to Israeli interests? These are important questions that should be investigated by an independent, fully empowered commission of the American government.

The American people deserve to know the truth about this attack. We must finally shed some light on one of the blackest pages in American naval history. It is a duty we owe not only to the brave men of the USS Liberty, but to every man and woman who is asked to wear the uniform of the United States.


Moorer was chairman of the joint chiefs of staff from 1970 to 1974. He is joined in the independent commission of inquiry by Gen. Ray Davis (recently deceased); Rear Adm. Merlin Staring, former Judge Advocate General of the Navy; and Ambassador James Akins.

[Nightingale 0]

there's more to the story:

http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-news/1056604/posts


State Department finds Israel negligent in 1967 ship attack that killed 34 Americans (USS Liberty)
Bakersfield Californian ^ | 1/12/04 | Barry Schweid - AP


Posted on 01/12/2004 5:25:29 PM PST by NormsRevenge


WASHINGTON (AP) - Reviewing documents covering 36 years, the State Department concluded Monday that Israel's attack on the U.S. spy ship Liberty during the 1967 Six Day War was an act of Israeli negligence.

The United States also was negligent, a State Department official said, for failing to notify Israel that the electronic intelligence-gathering ship was cruising international waters off the Egyptian coast and for failing to withdraw the Liberty from the war zone.

A daylong conference that studied fresh documents as well as the established record failed to produce a consensus for any of three views voiced most often: Israel intentionally attacked what it knew to be a ship of the U.S. Navy, the attack was accidental, or the attack resulted from faulty judgment.

Thirty-four Americans were killed in the June 8, 1967, attack, and more than 170 were wounded.

Israel long has maintained that the attack was a case of mistaken identity, an explanation the Johnson administration did not challenge formally. Israel said its forces thought the Liberty was an Egyptian horse carrier, apologized to the United States and paid almost $13 million in compensation, some to victims or their families.

Since the United States did not intercept the order to attack the ship with cannon fire and napalm, precise facts of the attack remain elusive, the State Department official said Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity.

He called the Israeli attack and the U.S. actions a classic example of Murphy's law: "If anything can go wrong, it will."

David Hatch, a technical director at the National Security Agency, said, "The good news is that information long sought by researchers is now out, and the bad news is that it does not settle it."

The occasion for the State Department conference was the release of historical documents about the 1967 war in which Israel defeated the combined forces of Egypt, Syria, Jordan and other Arab countries in six days.

Charles Smith, a professor at the University of Arizona, said in his presentation that Israel should have known the Liberty was an American ship.

"If they didn't know, they didn't try hard enough to find out," he said.

James Bamford, an investigative journalist who has written about the incident, demanded further investigation "instead of people getting up here and giving their opinions."

"There were cover-ups," Bamford said, citing a signed affidavit by retired Navy Capt. Ward Boston, who was a leader of a military investigation into the incident.

Boston said in the affidavit in October that then-President Johnson and Defense Secretary Robert McNamara had told those heading the Navy's inquiry to "conclude that the attack was a case of 'mistaken identity' despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary."

Boston, 80, who did not attend Monday's conference, said the Navy investigators were given only one week but still were able to amass "a vast amount of evidence, including heartbreaking testimony from young survivors."

Accusing Israel of a deliberate effort to sink an American ship and kill its crew, Boston said in a legal declaration in Coronado, Calif., that he was certain the Israeli pilots knew the Liberty, which clearly displayed American flags and had markings in English instead of Arabic, was a U.S. Navy ship.

Additionally, Boston said, "Israeli torpedo boats machine-gunned three lifeboats that had been launched in an attempt by the crew to save the most seriously wounded - a war crime."

Jay Cristol, a U.S. bankruptcy court judge who has written about the incident, cited the finding of the Navy's inquiry as proof the attack was a mistake. "There was no indication they had any knowledge they were attacking a U.S. ship," Cristol told the conference.

[Amazon 7]

Those bastards... and they have WMD that intelligence sources believe include nuclear weapons.. and for YEARS they have been thumbing their collective noses at UN resolutions. They have repeatedly attacked the countries that surround them and are enslaving many people in the lands they have occupied. I think its time to invade.


















filtered thru other eyes this might sound a bit hypocritical of our foreign policy over the last 50 years
oh wait.. no OIL.. carry on.
sarcasm off

[benny 0]

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Charles Smith, a professor at the University of Arizona, said in his presentation that Israel should have known the Liberty was an American ship.

"If they didn't know, they didn't try hard enough to find out," he said.

This statement strikes me as odd. How much time do you have to take to find stuff out during a 6 day war??

Never go to a DZ strip show.

[jakee 1,608]

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I think its time to invade.

It might be a good idea to stop giving them money, guns, planes, tanks and missiles before you go making them angry.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[pop 0]

So tell us how you really feel

7 ounce wonders, music and dogs that are not into beer

[Kennedy 0]

well considering they whooped every country surrounding them in just six days, I'd say they weren't too preoccupied. To hell with six days, it takes six minutes to distinguish US from Egyptian hardware. I'd say there's time to tell the difference between enemy ships and others.

Plus that whole tid bit abuot an intel plane checking the Liberty out makes you wonder. The thing that gets me is the machinegunning of sailors in the water. Once you're that close, American ships and sailors hardly resemble Egyptians. Things that make you go "hmmmm."

witty subliminal message
Guard your honor, let your reputation fall where it will, and outlast the bastards.
1*

[benny 0]

For once Kennedy, I agree with you. Really does make you go hmm... my biggest hmmm, is what motive Israel would possibly have for such an attack?

Never go to a DZ strip show.

[Kennedy 0]

I was wondering about that one, too.

But, but, but... you're not allowed to agree with me. you were my new arch-nemesis in training. kallend went and started making sense, and quade just isn't as much fun to mess with anymore [I even agreed with him the other day].

witty subliminal message
Guard your honor, let your reputation fall where it will, and outlast the bastards.
1*

[benny 0]

It's really odd, the only thing I can think of is that they were worried of the United States' learning of their nuclear aspirations, although I thought it was a bit early on the timeline for that.

Sorry, I'll try to resume nemesis status.

Never go to a DZ strip show.

[kallend 2,174]

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I was wondering about that one, too.

But, but, but... you're not allowed to agree with me. you were my new arch-nemesis in training. kallend went and started making sense, and quade just isn't as much fun to mess with anymore [I even agreed with him the other day].

Maybe it's you

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[Kennedy 0]

me.....? going soft.....?

maybe its because those rednecks made me watch nascar the other day. all those guys turning left all day.....


NAH !!!




.

witty subliminal message
Guard your honor, let your reputation fall where it will, and outlast the bastards.
1*

[winsor 236]

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For once Kennedy, I agree with you. Really does make you go hmm... my biggest hmmm, is what motive Israel would possibly have for such an attack?

Read Bamford's "Body of Secrets."

[meatmissile 0]

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Israel Deliberately Attacked US Ship

Did you deliberately title your thread so that one could gain the first impression that it was a recent event?

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ZZZzzzz....

[mr2mk1g 10]

The most obvious reason that jumps to attention is that they were severely pissed that the ship being the "most advanced survalence ship afloat at the time" was spying on them and what they were up to in the war. Whether they were just worried about security, worried that the international community might not like some ofthe things they were up to, or just plain pissed they were being spied on who knows. Perhaps all the aerial activity that was reported, including being buzzed at 200ft was Israels way of warning to the ship to get out of the area- this was mis-interpreted as them attempting to identifying the ship. Perhaps israel then decided to act when the ship didn't heed their "warnings".

The way israel took the ship out, jammed thier radio, then machine gunned the survivors (according to the report) makes it seem like they thought the ship had uncovered something or had some info they didn't want to get out. If a runner is still alive he still carries the message.

[Tonto 1]

This type of senario is not always a war crime - and falls into a category known as "Operational Nessesity" Never nice - but then when is war nice?

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[nigel99 644]

Funny - yet there doesn't seem to be much outcry about the US deliberately using tank busting A10's to blow up armoured vehicles clearly showing the british flag - and then doing a "finish them all off" pass, or destinguishing Canadians from Afgans and carpet bombing them...

Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

[mr2mk1g 10]

Do the math -
1967 through to 2004 - is 37 years
2003 plus 37... we'll get to argue about those incidents in 2040 when there's a report out about them. Thats how modern democracies work.

[kiltboy 0]

Now I can't blaim the US as a whole for some piss poor vehicle recognition but the pilot of the aircraft is another matter. There were US forces attached to the UK guys to assist in an air support role to try and avoid the friendly fire screw ups.
At the end of the day though if the pilot on the aircraft ignores procedure (as they did in the Canadian bombing incident and if I can find the official report I'll post it) and can't recognise friendly forces then there's sod all you can do until after the fact.

David

[Kennedy 0]

I'm not sure I know what you're talking about with the A10 incident.

And if I remember correctly, the Canadians that went down in friendly fire [I always hated that phrase] were victims of a fighter pilot.

In that, the pilot is guilty of bad judgment, and his chain of command for not being able to correct/prevent it. But do you agree there is a difference between a fighter dropping ordinance and machinegunning sailors in the water?

witty subliminal message
Guard your honor, let your reputation fall where it will, and outlast the bastards.
1*

[PhillyKev 0]

Quote

Quote

Israel Deliberately Attacked US Ship

Did you deliberately title your thread so that one could gain the first impression that it was a recent event?

No, just copied the headline from the source and pasted it.

[meatmissile 0]

Quote

No, just copied the headline from the source and pasted it.

Ah. Then they probably had that idea in mind.

--
ZZZzzzz....

[happythoughts 0]

Quote

Quote

No, just copied the headline from the source and pasted it.

Ah. Then they probably had that idea in mind.

That is pretty much the intent. There is more than a few websites devoted to this event. I think it was wrong, but it just seems like 40 years is enough time to resolve an issue and then let it rest.

[AdD 1]

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Read Bamford's "Body of Secrets."

Can you give us a short version Winsor?

Life is ez
On the dz
Every jumper's dream
3 rigs and an airstream

[kiltboy 0]

There are two A-10 incidents that are very similar.

In GW 1 (Op Granby for the UK) there were two Warrior APC's that were shot up just prior to the cease fire. Casualties were from the Royal Fusiliers and the Queens Own Highlanders. The vehicles were in the correct spot flying UK flags and recognition panels. The controversy has been that the pilot was trigger happy as hostilities were about to end and wanted to get his shots off so didn't check his targets before he let loose.

The second more recent one (Op Telic) involved armoured recce of the Blues and Royals that were overflown by a flight of 5 A-10s when one peeled off and attacked. They were not close to any Iraqi forces and were flying UK flags, were in the correct spot etc. Trooper Finney was awarded the George Cross for his actions during the attack.
The George Cross is equivilent to the Victoria Cross and is the highest award for valour that you can be awarded. The reason it wasn't the VC is that the VC can only be awarded for actions under enemy fire.

David