| Author | Message | | Jefferson Davis | | Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2008 2:07 pm Post subject: SWNews-Herald: McCain Should Explain About Liberty Killings |
| It's about time somebody asked this.
McCain Should Explain About Liberty Killings
October 17, 2008 Southwest News-Herald
http://www.swnewsherald.com/news_inside/2008/10/101708cs_rh_liberty.php
By RAY HANANIA
If Barak Obama’s association with 1960s radical William Ayers is a critical issue in this campaign, then Sen. John McCain’s role in protecting the actions of his father in the deaths of 34 American sailors is an issue, too.
While most Americans know all about the Ayers controversy, few know that McCain’s father, Navy Admiral John McCain Jr., was involved in the cover-up of the Israeli assault on the U.S.S. Liberty on June 8, 1967.
On that day, Israeli fighter jets, torpedo boats and helicopter assault ships killed 34 sailors and wounded 174 others during the Arab-Israeli war.
McCain and pro-Israel activists insist the attack was an “accident.” But eyewitnesses on the ship, American veterans in uniform who went into the Mediterranean Sea as champions of Israel, insist Israel wanted to sink the ship to force the United States to join the war against Egypt, then a Soviet client.
Phillip Tourney was a young officer on the Liberty working in the security and communications room. In an interview on Radio Chicagoland on WJJG last week, which is online at RadioChicagoland.com, Tourney described what really happened.
“The Israeli Air Force had been flying around us for seven hours. They knew exactly who we were,” Tourney said. “The Israeli planes left and a dozen unmarked planes returned and began firing on us.”
Tourney said the planes put more than 800 holes in the ship, dropped napalm and strafed the ship with gunfire, killing 10 sailors.
“We were waving an American flag from the deck that was 7 by 13 feet in size. They knew we were American and they shot at the soldiers carrying the flag,” Tourney said.
The Liberty sent an SOS to Capt. Joseph Tully, the commander of the U.S.S. Saratoga, which was a part of the 6th Fleet. Tully’s order to help was reversed by 6th Fleet Rear Admiral Lawrence Geiss. Geiss received his orders not to protect the Liberty directly from Admiral McCain.
Five clearly marked Israeli torpedo boats returned and one of the torpedoes hit the ship and immediately killed 24 young men.
That means 24 American soldiers died after McCain intervened and prevented the 6th Fleet from responding to help the besieged American soldiers.
As the attack intensified, the Israelis sent several assault helicopters filled with assault soldiers to finish the job.
“They planned to come on board and kill every one of our men. They wanted to wipe us out,” Tourney said. “If they would have sunk our ship and killed all our men, everyone would have thought the ship had been sunk by the Egyptians and the United States would have attacked Egypt. I believe the Israelis wanted to drag the United States into the war.”
The Israeli strike force only withdrew when it became clear that Israel had been identified as the attacking force, not Egypt.
Several books by Liberty survivors were written documenting these events. But Admiral McCain’s son, Senator John McCain, decided a few years ago to endorse a book written by a pro-Israeli activist who insisted the attack was a “mistake.”
If Obama must answer to his friendship with Ayers, doesn’t McCain have an obligation to explain his father’s role in the deaths of 34 American soldiers?
Doesn’t Senator McCain have an obligation to explain his subsequent actions to protect his father’s name, rather than stand up for the dignity of our soldiers?
We need a real, open investigation. The survivors and the families of those who died deserve it. | |  | | Ken Halliwell | | Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2008 6:06 pm Post subject: |
| I agree, McCain's feet should be held to the fire on this one. He claims to be a proponent of veterans' matters and concerns, yet he has turned his back toward and farted in the face of USS Liberty's veterans. Not the type of behavior one would expect from a "maverick" politician, and former Naval officer who has suffered outrageous treatment himself.
Additionally, a bit of fact checking...
| Quote: | | Article quote: "Phillip Tourney was a young officer on the Liberty working in the security and communications room." | Mr. Tourney was a young, junior non-commissioned officer (Navy Petty Officer Third Class). He did NOT work in a security and communications room. Mr. Tourney was assigned to the Damage Control department. Here's a quote by Mr. Tourney: "June 8, 1967 I was a 20 year old 3rd class petty officer in damage control at the time..."
| Quote: | | Tourney quote: "They [troops on the helicopters] planned to come on board and kill every one of our men. They wanted to wipe us out." | There is no evidence to support Mr. Tourney's claim. In fact, just the opposite. SIGINT transcripts of converstations between the helicopters' pilots and ground-control supports they were on a search-and-rescue mission, not an attack mission. | | | | DanielDives | | Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 2:44 pm Post subject: |
| Hi Ken,
Thanks for keeping an eye on what might be seen as minute details in the big picture, but would end up grossly distorting the final 'rendering.'
Keep up the good work. Please, and thank you.
Daniel | | | | Cowboy | | Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 7:07 pm Post subject: |
| | Quote: | | If Obama must answer to his friendship with Ayers, doesn’t McCain have an obligation to explain his father’s role in the deaths of 34 American soldiers? |
Your attempt to create a moral equivalence between Admiral McCain and a terrorist directly involved in the planning and execution of at least 7 bombings on American people and facilities is quite humorous. | | | | Jefferson Davis | | Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 7:49 pm Post subject: |
| | And your moral relativism and your hypocrisy in defending murders while waving your stars and stripes psuedo Zionist/neocon patriotism well known to all. | | | | Alpha | | | | Cowboy | | Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2008 10:28 pm Post subject: |
| | Quote: | | If Barak Obama’s association with 1960s radical William Ayers is a critical issue in this campaign, then Sen. John McCain’s role in protecting the actions of his father in the deaths of 34 American sailors is an issue, too. |
What an absolutely absurd statement. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: | | | | Jefferson Davis | | Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2008 2:26 pm Post subject: |
| McCain brought Ayers, All's fair in politics.
But I can see why you think the subject is absurd. All truth to you as AIPAC's favorite son is absurd. What a surprise.
What's next? Your AIPAC approved lectures on how to be a patriotic American like the Israeli Firster you are? | | | | Cowboy | | Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 2:15 am Post subject: |
| | Quote: | | McCain brought Ayers, All's fair in politics. |
Actually.... Hillary brought up Ayers in the primary... | | | | Jefferson Davis | | Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 3:04 pm Post subject: |
| | Quote: |
Several books by Liberty survivors were written documenting these events. But Admiral McCain’s son, Senator John McCain, decided a few years ago to endorse a book written by a pro-Israeli activist who insisted the attack was a “mistake.”
If Obama must answer to his friendship with Ayers, doesn’t McCain have an obligation to explain his father’s role in the deaths of 34 American soldiers?
Doesn’t Senator McCain have an obligation to explain his subsequent actions to protect his father’s name, rather than stand up for the dignity of our soldiers?
We need a real, open investigation. The survivors and the families of those who died deserve it. |
Keep avoiding the obvious. | | | | | ©2002-2009 WarWithoutEnd.co.uk |
