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The attack on the USS Liberty is a shameful chapter in our history. The answers of why the attack occured, and the US

response however are easier to explain. With the most recent Freedom of Information Act documents, and the comprehensive

history of the National Security agency by James Bamford titled Body of Secrets a clear picture is rendered. During the

Six Day War, the Joint Chiefs needed rapid intelligence on the ground situation in Egypt, fearing possible US and

USSR involvement. Remember that the Israeli Military, was then, principally armed by the French, not the US. Land based

stations, like the one in Cyprus were too far away to collect the narrow line-of-sight signals used by air defense radar, fire

control radar and microwave communications. The airborne SIGINT platforms, C-130s and EC_121s were limited to

about 5 hour stints in their "orbit areas" and couldn't provide sustained collection. That left the ships, which were all NSA

vessels. With the USS Oxford, Jamestown, Georgetown, and Belmont in the Pacific, and the USS Muller off Cuba,

that left the USNS Valdez and the USS Liberty. The Valdez was passing Gibraltar, going back to the States and the

USS Liberty was tasked.

By June 8, three days into the war, the Egyptian prisoners in the Sinai had become nuisances with no place to house them,

or enough Israleis to watch them. At El Arish, eavesdropping within eyeshot was the USS Liberty. The crew witnessed

the execution of sixty unarmed Egyptian prisoners, hands tied behind their backs. About 400 more prisoners were executed

in this fashon in El Arish by the Isralei army officers that day. This has been verified by Isralei military historian Aryeh

Yitzhaki, based on testimony from dozens of soldiers who admitted killing POWs. As many as 1000 other Egyptian POWs

were killed this way in the Sinai. Also 14 Indian peacekeepers flying the UN flag were killed in an apparently deliberate

attack. With the killing of the unarmed UN forces, the Israleis had crossed the Rubicon, and committed themselves to no

surviving witnesses. By 10:55 am, Senior Isralei officials knew for certain that an American surveillance ship was in their midst.

It had been positively identified by Isralei naval headquarters and clearly visible to the forces at El Arish. Commander Pinchas

Pinchasy, the naval liason at IAF referenced the "GTR-5" designation ( clearly painted on bow and stern, port and starboard

adjacent to "USS LIBERTY") in Janes Fighting Ships. His report of "an electromagnetic audio-surveillance ship of the

U.S. Navy, named Liberty, whose marking was GTR-5", was received at Isralei Naval Headquarters in Haifa, and survives to

this day.

Here's the kicker: for 35 years the NSA has hidden the fact that one of its planes was overhead during the slaughter,

eavesdropping the attack, A Navy EC-121 ferrett out of Athens. The intercepts from that plane, which answer some of

the key questions about the attack, remain among the NSAs most guarded secrets. All Americans should demand thier

release.

And remember, we Liberals can be patriotic too.
adlaistevenson