Posted on 06/05/2004 11:18:02 PM PDT by adam_az
ping
Somebody posted a few weeks back that the only friends the Israelis have are the Israelis. I believe it.
It's going to take a lot more than mere evidence - no matter how powerful - to convince the tinfoilers and enemies of Israel of that. It's going to take a miracle -- their blind hatred will have to be disgarded.
My question is, why was there no American flag flying on this ship?
................
"I'm sorry for the mistake. In war mistakes happen," Spector said. "But it wasn't my mistake."
He added he remained baffled that the conspiracy theories live on that Israel deliberately attacked the US intelligence ship. He suggested it might be due to anti-Semitism, or anti-Israeli sentiments. He has never in the past 37 years ever met with any of the Liberty survivors, but had no qualms about doing so now.
"These people never, ever spoke to me. Perhaps they are anti-Semites? Or these guys feel hurt and are looking for guilty parties, maybe to get compensation, or money? I am not afraid to meet them. Anyone who wants to meet with me is welcome. I don't have any claims against them. I don't want any compensation from them or anything. If they want they can look me up. And they best not deal with lies and deception since it won't help. It's best they tell the truth."
"They must understand that a mistake was made here," Spector said. "The fool is one who wanders about in the dark in dangerous places, so they should not come with any complaints."
.................
I am a friend to Israel - but these remarks are hateful. This man killed MANY Americans, and he has no apologies, only "anti-semitism" smears against the survivors of the Liberty. Outrageous statements fuel outrageous theories; Israel would do well to tell Spector to shut his mouth.
Can you imagine the outcry if Americans bombed an Israeli ship, killed 34 soldiers, wounded 171, then spoke this way? It is wrong to speak this way, no matter how right Israel may be in this world - for they have had no finer friend than America. It makes me sad to hear this.
Fifteen years after the attack, an Israeli pilot approached Liberty survivors and then held extensive interviews with former Congressman Paul N. (Pete) McCloskey about his role. According to this senior Israeli lead pilot, he recognized the Liberty as American immediately, so informed his headquarters, and was told to ignore the American flag and continue his attack. He refused to do so and returned to base, where he was arrested.Later, a dual-citizen Israeli major told survivors that he was in an Israeli war room where he heard that pilot's radio report. The attacking pilots and everyone in the Israeli war room knew that they were attacking an American ship, the major said. He recanted the statement only after he received threatening phone calls from Israel.
The pilot's protests also were heard by radio monitors in the U.S. Embassy in Lebanon. Then-U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Dwight Porter has confirmed this. Porter told his story to syndicated columnists Rowland Evans and Robert Novak and offered to submit to further questioning by authorities. Unfortunately, no one in the U.S. government has any interest in hearing these first-person accounts of Israeli treachery.
Taken from here. Some interesting differences.
Reference to Evans and Novak's story can be found here:
http://wwwhttp://www.us-israel.org/jsource/History/liberty.html.us-israel.org/jsource/History/liberty.html
According to this report, Evans and Novak took liberties with some of the sources - not difficult to imagine.
"In 1991, columnists Rowland Evans and Robert Novak trumpeted their discovery of an American who said he had been in the Israeli war room when the decision was made to knowingly attack the American ship.4 In fact, that individual, Seth Mintz, wrote a letter to the Washington Post on November 9, 1991, in which he said he was misquoted by Evans and Novak and that the attack, was, in fact, a "case of mistaken identity." Moreover, the man who Mintz originally said had been with him, a Gen. Benni Matti, does not exist."
All things considered, the case is intriguing, but far more damage is done by unapologetic statements from Spector (calling the men of the Liberty "fools"), than from any historical fact which has come to light.
Dang it - story found HERE:
http://www.us-israel.org/jsource/History/liberty.html
Ah well, there's always Roswell.
Thanks for that.
"I am a friend to Israel - but these remarks are hateful. This man killed MANY Americans, and he has no apologies, only "anti-semitism" smears against the survivors of the Liberty."
Gosh, ALMOST as bad as accusing people of deliberate murder who actually made a mistake, huh?
I agree with you 100%.
No.
Uh, yes. Especially considering the propensity of evidence.
With heros like Spector it's no wonder israel finds little sympathy. When I read this guy's quotes I was utterly disgusted. Sounds like those folks were quite trigger happy and had no compunctions about murdering a wounded unidentified "foe".
And yeah, I'm sure the survivors wake up every god damn day thanking jesus that schmuck wasn't armed with a bomb. Wow, thanks for small miracles.
According to this guy he didn't make a mistake. It's all the fault of the people who died...
And anyone that dares call him on it must be an "anti-semite".
That makes his "apology" less than worthless.
While this guys comments are insensitive, he is a private citizen and his tone is not that of the government of Israel.
Secondly, like mentioned earlier, this insensitivity PALES in comparrision to 4 decades of smearing an ENTIRE NATION with the INTENTIONAL murder of numerous Americans.
Accidents happen in war, even to the most advanced, trained, and well-meaning armies. Americans know this better then anyone.
Adam_az is defending Spector...
"And yeah, I'm sure the survivors wake up every god damn day thanking jesus that schmuck wasn't armed with a bomb. Wow, thanks for small miracles."
They should wake up every day and wonder why their ship was there in the first place, and why the US didn't notify Israel that it had a ship in the warzone.
Also I don't think you can blame Israel for Spector being a putz. Blame his electorate.
As for the pilots being trigger happy, this was in the middle of a freaking war.
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