| Author | Message | | Tipper | | Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2008 1:35 pm Post subject: 1967 attack shows how U.S. goes too easy on Israel |
| The purpose of the attack on the USS Liberty was to trick the US into war against Israel's enemies; a practice with a long pedigree.
THE LAVON AFFAIR
IS HISTORY REPEATING ITSELF?
http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/lavon.html
By Ken Molly
June 8, 2008
Today, June 8, marks 41 years since the Israeli attack on a U.S. Navy spy ship, the USS Liberty, during the Six Day War in 1967.
The attack occurred on a clear, sunny day after Israeli forces had observed the Liberty for three hours, during which time the air crews and sailors had waved greetings to each other.
Suddenly and without warning, the ship was attacked by unmarked aircraft of the Israeli Air Force, which strafed the ship several times before departing. At this time the American flag, which had been flying the entire time, was replaced by a larger flag.
Subsequently, three Israeli torpedo boats arrived and proceeded to fire five torpedoes at the Liberty, only one of which actually hit the ship, nearly sinking it. The ship’s crew launched rubber life rafts in preparation to abandon ship. These rafts were then machine gunned by the torpedo boats before they, too, departed. Out of the crew of 210 Marines and sailors, 34 were killed and many were wounded.
Approximately one hour after the attacks, an Israeli helicopter arrived and asked if the Liberty needed any assistance. The crew responded in very rough terms that no assistance would be needed from Israeli forces. U.S. Navy forces in the Mediterranean had launched aircraft to assist the Liberty, but were recalled before reaching the area.
Some have claimed that this attack on a U.S. Navy ship in international waters was a tragic mistake. This scenario is plausible only if you firmly believe the Israeli forces are the military equivalent of the Keystone Cops — a view not shared by the world’s military experts. Not one surviving crew member of the Liberty agrees this was any kind of mistake.
While denying any attack was intentional, the Israeli government paid reparations to the families of deceased crew members. The Israelis’ cover story, that they thought the ship was an Egyptian ship, the El Quseir — a ship one fourth the size of the Liberty and used to transport horses, a ship that was painted white and at the time was in dry dock in Alexandria — is too ludicrous to be considered.
The biggest question is why a “friendly” Israeli force would intentionally attack a U.S. Navy vessel. One plausible theory holds that a peace agreement had already been signed ending the Six Day War, but the Israelis intended to keep fighting until they achieved one of their main objectives, the Golan Heights, which they hold to this day.
No naval board of inquiry was ever called to investigate this intentional attack. The captain of the Liberty, Capt. William McGonagle, was later awarded the Medal of Honor in a private ceremony at a Navy yard — not the White House, as is usual. No photographs were allowed.
I direct the attention of those who find it unthinkable that the Israelis would intentionally attack a U.S. Navy ship to a History Channel DVD entitled “Cover up: The Attack on the USS Liberty.” Further, the second in command aboard the Liberty, Cmdr. James Innes Jr., who survived the attack and now lives in the Seattle area, has written a book “Assault on the Liberty” (1979).
Even the Israelis now admit the Liberty was known to be an American ship (see www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/909552.html) This information has previously been related to columnist Robert Novak by retired Israeli Air Force Maj. Seth Mintz, who was in the Israeli Defense Forces command center at the time of the attack.
So, why is the Liberty attack still relevant after all these years?
While the loss of life is tragic, the total failure of the U.S. government and the U.S. Navy to pursue this matter and assess blame proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that the nation of Israel is free to take any action it deems necessary, and the U.S. government will raise no objection, even when American lives have been lost.
So long as the U.S. government continues to back any and every move by Israel, any peace in that region will be ever harder to achieve. If we truly want peace in the Middle East, we must treat all factions equally — or at least be perceived as doing so.
Ken Molly of Eugene retired from the U.S. Air Force as a colonel in 1979. His final assignment was at the University of Oregon’s Air Force Reserve Officers Training Corps. He received a law degree from the UO School of Law in 1981 and practiced law for 10 years. | |  | | | ©2002-2009 WarWithoutEnd.co.uk |
