[spookie]

A pile of BS. The liberty had a TRSS antenna system along with a number of sleeve antennas which completely changed its physical appearance from an ordinary vessel. Typically you strike for the bridge or engineering spaces when possible. For the liberty they struck the forward cargo area repeatedly and never the engineering. Why because that was were their operational equipment was located and operated by CTs.
No other ship had a huge tower with a X-band disk antenna mounted aft of the bridge.

[Little Ray]

Ummm, what does the antenna system have to do with the fact that the USS Liberty was not supposed to be there? You have a suspicious ship in a war zone - An American flagged ship where no American ship is supposed to be. What do you? Invite the captain for tea? Hell, no; you sink it.

[montag813]

No other ship had a huge tower with a X-band disk antenna mounted aft of the bridge.

I used to think as you do, but I did extensive research. The Ambassador's denial was critically responsible for this incident, in a war zone where Egyptian vessels routinely false-flagged. Also, look into it and see how low-tech the Israeli forces were in 1967. They did not have the sophisticated U.S. technology they possess today.

[USN40VET]

I agree with you. I am not sure what motivated the attack. I am pro Israel,and have always been puzzled by this.

One of my best friends (CTR) was on the Liberty when it was attacked, and he was transferred to my duty station when it was over. He does not believe it was a mistake.

USN40VET ex CTR

[rmlew]

Because we all know that the Soviets did not have intel ships in the region. And for that matter teh Soviets not only pushed the Arabs to war, but also threatened to attack Israel, when Israel was winning.
So there is just no wayt the Israelis would have attacked a foreign intel ship that they thought was Egyptian or Soviet.