Israeli Attack on USS Liberty - Conclusion
Speedy
2012/07/12 05:12:53
What happened to the USS Liberty during the Six Day War?
USS Liberty 1967
Early in the afternoon of June 8, 1967, during the Six Day War, Israeli jets and missile boats opened fire on the USS Liberty, an American intelligence ship operating off the coast of Gaza. Israeli torpedo boats quickly converged to join the attack, then abruptly ceased fire and offered assistance to the USS Liberty crew. Struck by rockets, cannons and torpedoes, the vessel suffered extensive damage and over 200 casualties: 34 Americans dead, and 171 injured.
Early in the afternoon of June 8, 1967, during the Six Day War, Israeli jets and missile boats opened fire on the USS Liberty, an American intelligence ship operating off the coast of Gaza. Israeli torpedo boats quickly converged to join the attack, then abruptly ceased fire and offered assistance to the USS Liberty crew. Struck by rockets, cannons and torpedoes, the vessel suffered extensive damage and over 200 casualties: 34 Americans dead, and 171 injured.
The Israeli attack on the USS Liberty was a grievous error, largely attributable to the fact that it occurred in the midst of the confusion of a full-scale war. Ten official United States investigations and three official Israeli inquiries have all conclusively established the attack was a tragic mistake. Israel compensated the injured sailors and the families of those killed. Over time, newly declassified documents haveall supported the Israeli explanation. All investigations have concluded the same thing:the attack was an accident caused by miscommunication and command blunders in boththe American and Israeli military.
The accidental attack, though tragic, is one of many common in war. In 1967 alone, “friendly fire” killed 5,373 Americans fighting in Vietnam. Unfortunately, this incident has attracted conspiracy theorists who have generated a series of “exposes”, but in the end all of the exposers havebeen themselves exposed as hoaxes. Most tragic of all, some of the surviving crew havetaken up the issue claiming a deliberate attack, contradicting their own sworn testimonyduring the investigations immediately after the event. A documentary on the HistoryChannel, broadcast August 9, 2001 was very poorly researched and gave furtherdistribution to some of these long debunked claims. Despite those who want to keep thisincident alive as a “cover up”, the fact is that all available evidence is fully consistent with the original explanations: the attack was an accident of war.
Read More: http://www.palestinefacts.org/pf_1948to1967_uss_li...
If they were so intent on sinking that ship, why did they stop halfway thru, not finishing the job.
I really don't see the point in claims of this being a deliberate act. How in the hell would the sinking of a friendly allied ship be in any way beneficial to Israel...it makes no sense!
Can you imagine Obama doing anything in secret?
Numerous mistakes were made by both the United States and Israel. For example, the Liberty was first reported — incorrectly, as it turned out — to be cruising at 30 knots (it was later recalculated to be 28 knots). Under Israeli (and U.S.) naval doctrine at the time, a ship proceeding at that speed was presumed to be a warship. The sea was calm and the U.S. Navy Court of Inquiry found that the Liberty’s flag was very likely drooped and not discernible; moreover, members of the crew, including the Captain, Commander William McGonagle, testified that the flag was knocked down after the first or second assault.