USS 'Liberty' hit was unintentional, says CIA

JPost ^ | 01-13-04 | JANINE ZACHARIA

[NYFriend]

Wasn't the Liberty still flying the Flag when the Isreali's supposedly machine-gunned the liferafts?

[DainBramage]

Bull

[veronica]

This makes the 12th or 13th investigation/hearing that comes to the same conclusion. Will the usual suspects let it go? Nah.

[B4Ranch]

BULLSH!T!

[veronica]

Brilliant argument and deconstruction of the article/State Dept. forum! ;)

[B4Ranch]

Yes, the Kiberty was flying the American flag and the fighter pilot said so on the radio.

The panel, which was open to the public, became raucous at times when survivors of the Liberty attack and a relative of a sailor killed in the incident yelled out to protest that the panel included two people who represented Israel's position, while survivors were not invited to participate.

Don't allow survivors to participate and you can get any report you want.

Scan the whole page for good reading!
Conservative Debate Handbook

[B4Ranch]

Look at #7

Have you read on this subject? I have done quite a bit.

[davisfh]

"USS 'Liberty' hit was unintentional, says CIA"

I don't remember all of the particulars of this attack but, as I recall, it went on for an hour or so. The length of the attack alone makes it difficult to swallow these excuses.

I would like to believe that the Israelis are our friends and always have been but I find the Liberty incident very disturbing. I've never heard a rational and believable explanation of this occurrence.

[Citizen Tom Paine]

We are talking about the Israeli Air Force not some rag tag third rate power. This is an airforce that could strike and kill aircraft and tanks protected by earthwork fortifications (with one bomb). If it was any US ship that I ever sailed on they were flying the flag from the mast. One qualification for a pilot is exceptional eyesight.

We also know from now declassified traffic that the US Sixth Fleet launched aircraft to support the USS Liberty which were CALLED BACK. Presumably the recall order came from the DC area not the area commander. Once again the message traffic would be useful.

We neet to see the actual message traffic to know. There is a good chance that the NSA may have copies, but try to pry it out of them.

[B4Ranch]

"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.

Flags don't droop at 30 knots!

[B4Ranch]

28 knots equals 32.2mph.

Fix your hair real nice, walk for a hour in a 32 mph wind and see if it still looks nice and undisturbed. Honey, you'll look like you just came out of the dryer.

My previous post with the link came from the JEWISH VIRTUAL LIBRARY not an entertainment newspaper.

[veronica]

I wonder how many investigations, forums etc., it will take for certain folks to accept the facts. 20? 30? 40?

Now the current State Dept. and CIA agree with the other investigations, and yet, the usual suspects are still going on. Not exactly a surprise.

[B4Ranch]

This article is from someone who's starting to get worried about what his reception will be at the gates to Heaven.

[Ancesthntr]

We are talking about the Israeli Air Force not some rag tag third rate power. This is an airforce that could strike and kill aircraft and tanks protected by earthwork fortifications (with one bomb).

They may be good and, given the threat they face and the training they undergo, they may even be the best...but they aren't perfect. Anyone can make a mistake, especially in the fog of war. There have now been many reports by our own government that have concluded that this was a mistake - will anything convince you?

One qualification for a pilot is exceptional eyesight.

True enough. However, omnipotence is not on the qualification list. Remember, we are dealing with human beings. These particular human beings had been fighting a war for several days, after several weeks of extremely high tensions, a war for the very survival of their nation. Don't you think it possible that they might have been tired? Ask our pilots from the latest conflict if they were tired after a few days of multiple sorties, in between which they were debriefed about the old mission and had to prepare for the new one - and being under incredible stress the entire time. The Israelis in '67 had it even worse - remember, this was a war after several weeks of extremely high tensions, during which time the Israeli AF had no choice but to keep large numbers of fighters in the air at all times.

[StonyBurk]

"God and th esoldier all men adore
In time of trouble then no-more
When the fighting is over --
and all things are righted
God is forgotten and the soldier is slighted" anon.
Regrettable attack-only God may know if it was anything
beyond this.Let the dead bury the dead.

[sinkspur]

This article is from someone who's starting to get worried about what his reception will be at the gates to Heaven.

Another non-argument. And a colosally STUPID non-argument as well.

[cpdiii]

I notice that the transcripts are of Israeli rescue pilots. Where in the hell are the transcripts of the fighter pilots that "identified" the ship prior to attack and where are the transcripts of the command to attack the vessel.

[xzins]

Oh boy, another Liberty thread.

It's not like there's new info.

[adam_az]

"We also know from now declassified traffic that the US Sixth Fleet launched aircraft to support the USS Liberty which were CALLED BACK. Presumably the recall order came from the DC area not the area commander. Once again the message traffic would be useful."

Thats because the planes launched were armed with NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

Tapes were released last year, BTW. I'm sure a websearch will turn up transcripts.