Some information on the USS LIberty. It is being brought back to light as we speak. The crew members have been in touch with G.W. Bush and want an investigation still, so they can go on with their lives. They were secretly given medals, but no mention on them that they were attacked by Israel.
Alk, what you need is a built in crap detector as Sam Clemens would say. Ask silly questions like "Whats really going on here" and "How does this happen" and "What purpose and meaning is this to the bigger picture"?
Without the correct answer there, all your analyses no matter how technically perfect, will avail you naught. Questions like "Why" are usually irrelevant, but are a good starting point. Listen to the story given, then seek out the truth from what scant information can be garnered. Spot deception and act on it.
http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig/margolis12.html
The Israeli attacks killed 34 US seamen and wounded 171 out of a crew of 297, the worst loss of American naval personnel from hostile action since World War II.
Less than an hour after the attack, Israel told Washington its forces had committed a 'tragic error.' Later, Israel claimed it had mistaken 'Liberty' for an ancient Egyptian horse transport. US Secretary of State, Dean Rusk, and Joint Chiefs of Staff head, Admiral Thomas Moorer, insisted the Israeli attack was deliberate and designed to sink 'Liberty.' So did three CIA reports; one asserted Israel's Defense Minister, Gen. Moshe Dayan, had personally ordered the attack.
In contrast to American outrage over North Korea's assault on the intelligence ship 'Pueblo,' Iraq's mistaken missile strike on the USS 'Stark,' last fall's bombing of the USS 'Cole' in Aden, and the recent US-China air incident, the savaging of 'Liberty' was quickly hushed up by President Lyndon Johnson and Defense Secretary Robert McNamara.
The White House and Congress immediately accepted Israel's explanation and let the matter drop. Israel later paid a token reparation of US $6 million. There were reports two Israeli pilots who had refused to attack 'Liberty' were jailed for 18 years.
Why did Israel try to sink a naval vessel of its benefactor and ally? Most likely because 'Liberty's' intercepts flatly contradicted Israel's claim, made at the war's beginning on 5 June, that Egypt had attacked Israel, and that Israel's massive air assault on three Arab nations was in retaliation. In fact, Israel began the war by a devastating, Pearl-Harbor style surprise attack that caught the Arabs in bed and destroyed their entire air forces.
Israel was also preparing to attack Syria to seize its strategic Golan Heights. Washington warned Israel not to invade Syria, which had remained inactive while Israel fought Egypt. Bamford says Israel's offensive against Syria was abruptly postponed when 'Liberty' appeared off Sinai, then launched once it was knocked out of action. Israel's claim that Syria had attacked it could have been disproved by 'Liberty.'
Most significant, 'Liberty's' intercepts may have shown that Israel seized upon sharply rising Arab-Israeli tensions in May-June 1967 to launch a long-planned war to invade and annex the West Bank, Jerusalem, Golan and Sinai.
Surviving 'Liberty' crew members would not be silenced. They kept demanding an open inquiry and tried to tell their story of deliberate attack to the media. Israel's government worked behind the scenes to thwart these efforts, going so far as having American pro-Israel groups accuse 'Liberty's' survivors of being 'anti-Semites' and 'Israel-haters.' Major TV networks cancelled interviews with the crew. A book about the 'Liberty' by crewman James Ennes' was dropped from distribution. The Israel lobby branded him 'an Arab propagandist.'
This is standard procedure for Israel, to claim anti semitism bias as a cover up. It still goes on. When you've been picked on for a thousand years, it is a time worn standby that works. The truth about the Arab Israeli war was kept secret from us in 1967 and we always thought or were fed the information that the Arabs attacked the Israels secretly, when it turned out to be the other way around. I remember our history teacher saying that this is the beginning of an end of the world scenario. The 60's were a naiive time and the information war was in full swing. Whoever owned the information owned the knowledge.
Still holds true.
Always seek an alternate source or voice sympathetic or otherwise.
http://english.pravda.ru/main/2002/07/04/31794.html
Liberty. Mistake, or stab in the back? The truth about America's 'ally.'
On June 8, 1967, 34 American sailors of the USS Liberty lost their lives serving their country. These Americans died when Israel, America’s “ally,” launched a murderous attack on the virtually unarmed American intelligence ship. To this day, many Americans are unaware that this attack even took place. Recently, PRAVDA.Ru had the opportunity to interview Mr. Hrankowski, a survivor and crew member of the USS Liberty.
Mr. Hrankowski- There is no doubt in my mind that the Israeli attack on the USS Liberty was deliberate. Israel has claimed that it was a mistake and that they were firing upon an arab horse freighter. The El Quesir was the name of the Arab ship. It was tied up and not sea worthy during the Six Day War, and the Israelis knew this.
As for our Flag. All American ships fly the flag. Ours was flying until the Israelis shot it down and within seconds another was put up. It was our holiday Ensign, sized 9 feet by 13 feet.
As for the slow moving aircraft. Planes started flying over us and checking us out at 5:30am and did so 9 to 13 times until the attack at 2:00PM. There is no doubt in my mind that they knew who they were attacking.
A message from the USS Liberty got to the USS Saratoga 9 minutes into the attack. The USS Saratoga launched a flight of fighters immediately and they were called back. This happened three different times throughout the attack. Robert MacNamara called them back twice, and President Johnson called them back once, saying his thoughts were not for the USS Liberty. He did not want to embarrass his ally Israel. That act did leave us to get murdered, and what it actually is called is abandonment.
What prompted the Israelis to terminate their assault?
I'm not sure what caused them to terminate the attack, but after 2 hours, they could not sink us. I would think that their time had run out.
How long did it take for American help to arrive?
It took 16 hours for the American fleet to get to us. But that night, while we were sailing to the sixth fleet, a Soviet ship offered help to us. They said that they would stay just at the horizon and if our ship was going to go down, they would help us.
In a recent letter to President Bush, survivor Phillip F. Tourney claimed that the crew of the USS Liberty were “ordered to remain silent under threat of court martial, imprisonment, or worse, and we all know what worst meant.” Did you yourself experience such threats?
Admiral Kidd was the one who ordered us silent. That was a direct order to all of the crew. I heard it myself that day.
You ask if the USS Liberty attack was covered up. My answer is simple: yes, it was. The question still remains today as to why. And with a Congressional Investigation, all the facts should be laid out and the reasons known.
Do you keep in contact with fellow Liberty survivors? If so, do they express hope that American will reinvestigate the attack?
We USS Liberty survivors are always in contact. We all fight for the same thing. They want the investigation to happen soon, so we can all go on with our lives.
Is there anything else that you would like to add?
I thank PRAVDA.Ru for the time to express my views of the June 8, 1967 attack on my ship, the USS Liberty. I do hope your country will be able to see the new film by the BBC Dead in the Water by Mr. Christopherer Mitchell. There is also a new book that goes along with the new film. It was written by Pulitzer Prize winner Mr. Peter Hounam and is due to come out very shortly. The film and book open the incident up very well.
Questions compiled by Justin Cowgill
Heres a book about secrets that the government covers up. it includes the USS Liberty story.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ ... 83-3627358
The attack on 'Liberty' was fading into obscurity until last week, when intelligence expert James Bamford came out with Body of Secrets, his latest book about the National Security Agency. In a stunning revelation, Bamford writes that unknown to Israel, a US Navy EC-121 intelligence aircraft was flying high overhead the 'Liberty,' electronically recorded the attack. The US aircraft crew provides evidence that the Israeli pilots knew full well that they were attacking a US Navy ship flying the American flag.
A member of President Johnson's staff believed there was a more complex reason for the cover-up: Johnson offered Jewish liberals unconditional backing of Israel, and a cover-up of the 'Liberty' attack, in exchange for the liberal toning down their strident criticism of his policies in the then raging Vietnam War.
Israel, which claims it fought a war of self defense in 1967 and had no prior territorial ambitions, will be much displeased by Bamford's revelations. Those who believe Israel illegally occupies the West Bank and Golan will be emboldened.
Much more important, the US government's long, disgraceful cover-up of the premeditated attack on 'Liberty' has now burst into the open and demands full-scale investigation. After 34 years, the voices of 'Liberty's' dead and wounded seamen must finally be heard.
Good starting point. Why does America spy on its ally Israel? Why does Israel spy on its ally America? Why don't they trust each other?
Get out your crap detector and get busy. Send me your report by tomorrow AM.
