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USS 'Liberty' hit was unintentional, says CIA
JPost ^ | 01-13-04 | JANINE ZACHARIA

Posted on 01/13/2004 6:29:49 AM PST by veronica

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To: Valin
I've yet to see any credible reason ...

My theory is because the ship was picking up all sorts of traffic and relaying it raw, on open channels, back to US spooks.

Happens all the time.

The Chinese embassy was probably accidently bombed because they were feeding intercepts directly to the Serbs.

Released Stasi documents revealed France was intercepting and decoding US military traffic in Europe. The French
encryption and relay of that info was then intercepted by the East Germans, who couldn't crack the US ciphers, but
could the French.

IMO, the real crime is, yet again, not using military force to defend the ship.

61 posted on 01/13/2004 1:52:22 PM PST by Calvin Locke
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To: veronica
It would not be unusual for Arabs to sail under a false flag.
62 posted on 01/13/2004 2:27:23 PM PST by JimRed (Disinformation is the leftist's and enemy's friend; consider the source before believing.)
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To: Valin
According to Body of Secrets, Isreal butched some Eyptians on the sinai because the ISrealis did not have the manpower to handle prisoners.

Isreal wanted this hushed up, so she attacked the america spy ship.

The author is a flaming lib, although many parts of the book are factually correct. So I do not know what to beleive, although it does not look good for Isreal.
63 posted on 01/13/2004 4:00:22 PM PST by fooman (Get real with Kim Jung Mentally Ill about proliferation)
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To: fooman
According to Body of Secrets, Isreal butched some Eyptians on the sinai because the ISrealis did not have the manpower to handle prisoners... Isreal wanted this hushed up, so she attacked the america spy ship.

Since Israel generously, with a hard poke from Jimmy Carter, returned the Sinai to Egypt I look forward to their eventual discovery of the remains.

64 posted on 01/13/2004 4:15:21 PM PST by SJackson
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To: JimRed
It would not be unusual for Arabs to sail under a false flag.

No, they'd never do that.

Israel has acknowledged that her standing orders were to destroy any unidentified vessel near the shore.

A mistake, from the perspective of 4 decades, maybe, maybe not, I'd like to think our forces would do the same thins, though the USS Cole showed us we won't.

The first pilot on the scene has acknowledged that "unidentifed" meant look for Israeli markings, if none, attack. Foolish, with Russian ships in the vicinity, probably.

I won't know with certainty what happened, but how so many dismiss the possibility that this action on the third day of the six day war could have been an accident is beyond me.

65 posted on 01/13/2004 4:21:07 PM PST by SJackson
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To: B4Ranch
How would the Israelis have found the ship without recon?
An Israeli plane investigated a ship that should not have been in those waters. Sound normal to me.
Compare the Liberty incident to that between the Vincennes and an Iranian airliner.
66 posted on 01/13/2004 7:42:58 PM PST by rmlew (Peaceniks and isolationists are objectively pro-Terrorist)
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To: B4Ranch
See post 66
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1056949/posts?page=66#66
67 posted on 01/13/2004 7:44:32 PM PST by rmlew (Peaceniks and isolationists are objectively pro-Terrorist)
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To: rmlew
I am not going to compare the attack on the Liberty with any other tragedy. Stop changing the subject

We are talking about a US warship that was known to be in the area by the Israelis. It was attacked by Israel air (jet fighters) and Israel sea (torpedo boats).

The Vincennes and the Iranian airliner are totally different situations.

I solidly believe that the Israeli's knew who, what and why they attacked the USS Liberty. You and I may never know the answers to these questions.

By the way, I'm not a Jew hater or do I speak constant derision of Israel. Every government screws up once in a while. Being a former USN member I never could understand the possible "why" of this situation.

68 posted on 01/13/2004 8:00:14 PM PST by B4Ranch (Wave your flag, don't waive your rights!)
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To: B4Ranch
I am not going to compare the attack on the Liberty with any other tragedy. Stop changing the subject
I'm not changing subject. I'm proving that mistakes are made in conflicts, that become clear in 20/20 hindsight, but not always when at risk.

We are talking about a US warship that was known to be in the area by the Israelis. It was attacked by Israel air (jet fighters) and Israel sea (torpedo boats).
No, it was a barely armed intelligence ship, designed to look like a merchantman. Israel attacked a spy ship.

The Vincennes and the Iranian airliner are totally different situations.
Oh please. Context is always important.

I solidly believe that the Israeli's knew who, what and why they attacked the USS Liberty. You and I may never know the answers to these questions.
We were not there, we will not know.
I believe that the Israelis deliberately attacked a ship they misidentified.

By the way, I'm not a Jew hater or do I speak constant derision of Israel. Every government screws up once in a while. Being a former USN member I never could understand the possible "why" of this situation.
I see no reason why a country, invaded by virtually the entire Arab world (which was backed up by the USSR) would attack an American ship. It defies logic.
I suppose, I could understand hitting it with a few cluster bombs to silence the radio equipment, but the attempt to sink it with Torpedo boats is too bizare for anything but an error.

I don't beleive that all or even most people who care about the USS Lberty are anti-Semites. I care about the attack. I want the truth to come out. I want to know what the ship was doing there and why the US lied to Israel and failed to use a Naval liason. I want the officer who ordered the attack on the Liberty to be punished.

69 posted on 01/13/2004 8:49:52 PM PST by rmlew (Peaceniks and isolationists are objectively pro-Terrorist)
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To: rmlew
"I care about the attack. I want the truth to come out. I want to know what the ship was doing there and why the US lied to Israel and failed to use a Naval liason. I want the officer who ordered the attack on the Liberty to be punished. "

Bingo!

70 posted on 01/13/2004 9:29:14 PM PST by B4Ranch (Wave your flag, don't waive your rights!)
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Comment #71 Removed by Moderator

To: B4Ranch; rmlew
I have to weigh in on the side that this was an accident.

I have spent a career in maritime patrol aviation and much of that time was spent flying patrols in a low (200') slow (less than 300kts) P-3 "rigging" ships attempting to identify their nationality, name, etc. In peacetime and in a non-hostile environment this is very difficult. Flags can usually NOT be seen and it usually takes a couple of passes to get a decent idea of the name of the ship. Again, this is during peacetime and flying a low, straight track within 1000' of the ship. Try it when you are worried that the ship may start firing on you! Good luck!

I think that the "takeaway" from this incident is that it was STUPID policy to send slow, barely armed spy-ships into hostile waters!!! That is what is responsible for the attack on the Liberty and the later capture of the Pueblo.
72 posted on 01/15/2004 1:25:29 PM PST by NFOShekky (Freedom Is Never Free.)
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To: NFOShekky
Please read my comments in #'s 11, 12, 32, & 45. Take note of the pictures in #45 with the captions below them.

"This is what Israel says they thought they were attacking)" & "USS Liberty".

A horse hauler (freighter) cannot do 28 knots..period. No freighter of the time could.

I am quite sure that the Israeli reconnaissance airplane that circled the ship about an hour before the attack recognized this was a warship. I know our P-3 crews would. I am positive that the torpedo boat crew knew this also before attacking.

I think these facts show that your statement of "I think that the "takeaway" from this incident is that it was STUPID policy to send slow, barely armed spy-ships into hostile waters!!!"

"slow, barely armed spy-ships" are not slow, they are barely armed though.

I resent our gov't LYING to the American people and I resent the Israel officials who wish to continue the LIE.

The only thing I see as being the reason for continuing this LIE is that some of these people are still alive and would go to jail.

73 posted on 01/15/2004 5:11:33 PM PST by B4Ranch (Wave your flag, don't waive your rights!)
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Comment #74 Removed by Moderator

To: NYFriend

WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES THAT MAKE? In the Battle of the Bulge, German commandoes wore AMERICAN UNIFORMS and drove jeeps with AMERICAN FLAG MARKINGS.

Did that make them Americans?????

How unbelievably naive you people are! I guess whem someone really wants to tear down their country, the facts really don’t matter.

In the middle of a war, do you honestly think that a ship attacking Israel might not be flying an American flag? How silly are we?

Nevertheless, the radio traffic among the fighter pilots clearly tells us THAT THEY SAW NO FLAG.


75 posted on 06/16/2007 6:41:57 PM PDT by Moseley (http://www.ColdPeace.com)
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To: veronica

How do you not see a giant American flag? or USS Liberty painted on the side of the ship.

Not buying it.


76 posted on 06/16/2007 6:43:40 PM PDT by part deux
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To: B4Ranch

HOW THE HELL would someone on board the ship — a surivivor — know what Isael’s INTENTIONS were in undertaking the attack?

This is the stupidest thing imaginable.

THe only way you could know WHY Israel’s jets attacked would be review evidence INSIDE Israel’s headquarters, intercepted radio traffic, and diplomatic cables with the USA.

From their perspective on board the ship, THEY COULD NOT POSSIBLY KNOW ANYTHING about Israels INTENTIONS.

What they COULD figure out is why the radio operator on the ship FAILED, LIED, and COVERED UP for his failure.

THE SURVIVORS SHOULD HAVE BEEN COURT-MARTIALED FOR DISOBEYING ORDERS, not coddled or treated like anything special.

The survivors are anti-American traitors who are intentionally tearing down the United States and the USA’s strategic relationships, RATHER THAN ADMIT THEIR OWN DERELICTION OF DUTY IN DISOBEYING ORDERS TO WITHDRAW FROM TEH REGION.


77 posted on 06/16/2007 6:47:40 PM PDT by Moseley (http://www.ColdPeace.com)
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To: Citizen Tom Paine

OH, BULLSHIT!

The United States bombed CANADIANS in Afghanistan. WAS THAT INTENTIONAL????

The United States bombed BRITISH TROOPS in Iraq. WAS THAT INTENTIONAL?

Your double standard shows that you are an anti-semitic, anti-American, racist.

If the USA bombs Canadian and British troops, HEY, that’s okay. So, sorry!

But if Israel makes a mistake in the middle of a war, you take a completely different approach. WHY? You’re a bigot.

And let’s not forget! The USS Liberty was ORDERED OUT OF THE AREA, AND VIOLATED ITS ORDERS. How could the USS Liberty make such a gigantic mistake? How could the greatest Navy in the world, make such a stupendous blunder?

Yet, you are unwilling to apply the same standard to Israel? WHY IS THAT?


78 posted on 06/16/2007 6:53:03 PM PDT by Moseley (http://www.ColdPeace.com)
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To: veronica

Yes , lets let it go only 32 dead American servicemen. (sarc)


79 posted on 06/16/2007 6:55:15 PM PDT by Plains Drifter (If guns kill people, wouldn't there be a lot of dead people at gun shows?)
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To: davisfh
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.

NO, it does not. You are of course misrepresenting history. First, jet fighters flew past and attacked. THEN THERE WAS A LONG PAUSE while boats came up. The boats tried to signal the USS Liberty with a light signal, and got no response. THEN THE USS LIBERTY STARTED FIRING ON THE APPROACHING BOATS, and then the Israeli boats SHOT BACK. There was a long period of time in between.
80 posted on 06/16/2007 6:56:29 PM PDT by Moseley (http://www.ColdPeace.com)
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