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"Betrayal behind Israeli attack on U.S. ship" by Admiral Thomas Moorer USN (Ret.)
Houston Chronicle ^ | Jan 8, 03 | Admiral Moorer

Posted on 01/13/2004 10:40:22 PM PST by churchillbuff

After State Department officials and historians assembled in Washington, D.C., last week to discuss the 1967 war in the Middle East, I am compelled to speak out about one of U.S. history's most shocking cover-ups.

On June 8, 1967, Israel attacked our proud naval ship -- the USS Liberty -- killing 34 American servicemen and wounding 172. Those men were then betrayed and left to die by our own government.

U.S. military rescue aircraft were recalled, not once, but twice, through direct intervention by the Johnson administration. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara's cancellation of the Navy's attempt to rescue the Liberty, which I personally confirmed from the commanders of the aircraft carriers America and Saratoga, was the most disgraceful act I witnessed in my entire military career.

To add insult to injury, Congress, to this day, has failed to hold formal hearings on Israel's attack on this American ship. No official investigation of Israel's attack has ever permitted the testimony of the surviving crew members.

A 1967 investigation by the Navy, upon which all other reports are based, has now been fully discredited as a cover-up by its senior attorney. Capt. Ward Boston, in a sworn affidavit, recently revealed that the court was ordered by the White House to cover up the incident and find that Israel's attack was "a case of mistaken identity."

Some distinguished colleagues and I formed an independent commission to investigate the attack on the USS Liberty. After an exhaustive review of previous reports, naval and other military records, including eyewitness testimony from survivors, we recently presented our findings on Capitol Hill. They include:

· Israeli reconnaissance aircraft closely studied the Liberty during an eight-hour period prior to the attack, one flying within 200 feet of the ship. Weather reports confirm the day was clear with unlimited visibility. The Liberty was a clearly marked American ship in international waters, flying an American flag and carrying large U.S. Navy hull letters and numbers on its bow.

Despite claims by Israeli intelligence that they confused the Liberty with a small Egyptian transport, the Liberty was conspicuously different from any vessel in the Egyptian navy. It was the most sophisticated intelligence ship in the world in 1967. With its massive radio antennae, including a large satellite dish, it looked like a large lobster and was one of the most easily identifiable ships afloat.

· Israel attempted to prevent the Liberty's radio operators from sending a call for help by jamming American emergency radio channels.

· Israeli torpedo boats machine-gunned lifeboats at close range that had been lowered to rescue the most seriously wounded.

As a result, our commission concluded that:

· There is compelling evidence that Israel's attack was a deliberate attempt to destroy an American ship and kill her entire crew.

· In attacking the USS Liberty, Israel committed acts of murder against U.S. servicemen and an act of war against the United States

· The White House knowingly covered up the facts of this attack from the American people.

· The truth continues to be concealed to the present day in what can only be termed a national disgrace.

What was Israel's motive in launching this attack? Congress must address this question with full cooperation from the National Security Agency, the Central Intelligence Agency and the military intelligence services.

The men of the USS Liberty represented the United States. They were attacked for two hours, causing 70 percent of American casualties, and the eventual loss of our best intelligence ship.

These sailors and Marines were entitled to our best defense. We gave them no defense.

Did our government put Israel's interests ahead of our own? If so, why? Does our government continue to subordinate American interests to Israeli interests? These are important questions that should be investigated by an independent, fully empowered commission of the American government.

The American people deserve to know the truth about this attack. We must finally shed some light on one of the blackest pages in American naval history. It is a duty we owe not only to the brave men of the USS Liberty, but to every man and woman who is asked to wear the uniform of the United States.

Moorer was chairman of the joint chiefs of staff from 1970 to 1974. He is joined in the independent commission of inquiry by Gen. Ray Davis (recently deceased); Rear Adm. Merlin Staring; former Judge Advocate General of the Navy and Ambassador James Akins.


TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Government
KEYWORDS: investigation; thomasmoorer; ussliberty
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1 posted on 01/13/2004 10:40:23 PM PST by churchillbuff
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To: churchillbuff
USS 'Liberty' hit was unintentional, says CIA

A few research links over on this thread.

2 posted on 01/13/2004 10:43:11 PM PST by B4Ranch (Wave your flag, don't waive your rights!)
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To: churchillbuff
U.S. military rescue aircraft were recalled, not once, but twice, through direct intervention by the Johnson administration. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara's cancellation of the Navy's attempt to rescue the Liberty, which I personally confirmed from the commanders of the aircraft carriers America and Saratoga, was the most disgraceful act I witnessed in my entire military career.

Typical actions of the Johnson administration. I can't figure out DemocRATS who want to consult with McNamara about defense policy. He's a weasel.

3 posted on 01/13/2004 10:44:58 PM PST by Paleo Conservative (Do not remove this tag under penalty of law.)
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To: churchillbuff
How does one unintentionally hit a US warship? Is this the same as Jonathan Pollard 'unintentionally' spying on the US?
4 posted on 01/13/2004 10:47:40 PM PST by cyborg
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To: Paleo Conservative
I don't think Reagan or Bush would have called back the rescuers. Johnson and his cronies had a habit of putting American boys in harms way and denying them the right to defend themselves.
5 posted on 01/13/2004 10:48:33 PM PST by churchillbuff (?)
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To: churchillbuff
Thanks churchillbuff for pointing out that it is the terrorist supporters in the US State Dept
who continue this nonsense from decades ago.

WAKE UP AMERICA


6 posted on 01/13/2004 10:50:03 PM PST by Diogenesis (If you mess with one of us, you mess with all of us)
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To: cyborg
Nah. It's more like the way we unintentionally shot down an Iranian civilain airliner back in the 1980s.
7 posted on 01/13/2004 10:50:36 PM PST by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge.)
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To: piasa; cyborg
Nah. It's more like the way we unintentionally shot down an Iranian civilain airliner back in the 1980s.

I think the Iranians were at fault for flying a commercial passenger plane through a war zone.

8 posted on 01/13/2004 10:53:06 PM PST by Paleo Conservative (Do not remove this tag under penalty of law.)
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To: piasa
oh okay then... but why cover it up even if it was a mistake?
9 posted on 01/13/2004 10:53:48 PM PST by cyborg
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To: piasa
The "betrayal" that Moorer talks about is by our own government, for never formally and openly investigating this incident. Talk about NOT supporting our troops! The lives of the Liberty dead apparently don't mean much to our "leaders"
10 posted on 01/13/2004 10:55:06 PM PST by churchillbuff (?)
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To: Paleo Conservative
I agree.
11 posted on 01/13/2004 10:55:16 PM PST by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge.)
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To: Paleo Conservative
I'm sure it wasn't an error in making flight plans either!
12 posted on 01/13/2004 10:55:57 PM PST by cyborg
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To: churchillbuff
This is a favorite topic for anti-Semites. They'll never let it go.
13 posted on 01/13/2004 10:58:07 PM PST by claudiustg (Go Sharon! Go Bush!)
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To: churchillbuff
The truth, whatever it is, needs to come out.
14 posted on 01/13/2004 10:58:07 PM PST by winner3000
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To: churchillbuff

Idiot warning.

No amount of investigation will satisfy the Jew haters.

15 posted on 01/13/2004 11:08:25 PM PST by zarf (..where lieth those little things with the sort of raffia work base that has an attachment?)
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To: churchillbuff
Sorry to say but we were playing both sides in this war and that is why the ship was hit. We were feeding some info to the egyptians and the isrealis stopped it. Thats the truth as ugly as it is. Not justifying it, cadoning it, just explaining it.
16 posted on 01/13/2004 11:22:57 PM PST by Walkingfeather
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To: seamole
ping
17 posted on 01/13/2004 11:34:52 PM PST by DeuceTraveler
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To: zarf
"No amount of investigation will satisfy the Jew haters."

You must have a difficult life wandering around with that "continually persecuted" feeling.

Grow up. These people are looking for the truth, no matter how ugly it is.

18 posted on 01/13/2004 11:45:54 PM PST by B4Ranch (Wave your flag, don't waive your rights!)
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To: Walkingfeather
Or the Israelis were trying to make it look like an Egyptian hit so that we would intervene and it went wrong... Who knows…
19 posted on 01/13/2004 11:49:48 PM PST by DB (©)
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To: B4Ranch
---You must have a difficult life wandering around with that "continually persecuted" feeling.

Grow up. These people are looking for the truth, no matter how ugly it is.---

It isn't the truth, but it is ugly. That's enough for "these people". You'll notice the Admiral makes the lineup and what a lineup it is.

http://www.thebirdman.org/Index/Others/Others-Cat-Jews.html
20 posted on 01/14/2004 12:03:38 AM PST by claudiustg (Go Sharon! Go Bush!)
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