As another poster pointed out earlier in the thread, aircraft have occaissionaly misidentified ships & even attacked them in previous conflicts. I also wonder how much training, if any, the IAF had in ship identification when their arab opponents had little or nothing in the way of a Navy. Point is I can still allow the possibility that it was a mistake.
This is why I turn to 'motive'. I wonder if there are any uniformed military men left in either the Israeli or US Armed forces who were actually in the service in '67? Point is, there aren't likely to be plowing any new ground since the principals are long dead.
You revealed the possible motive with your previous post. Israel obviously remembered how the U.S. pulled the plug on its support of Israel just at the time when it had overrun Egypt in 1956.
The U.S. has supported Israel but has also often used its support to restrain Israel from completing its strategic and tactical plans because of ‘Big Power’ politics which may not support a complete victory scenario with Israel in Cairo.
Remember our state department is full of ‘big picture’ proponents of a realpolitik that expresses itself as anti-U.S. and anti-Israel policies.
Preventing any unwanted U.S. intervention that would frustrate the Israeli attack is a good reason to ‘blind’ the U.S. intelligence by removing the Liberty from the scene.
I believe that the attack was intentional for reasons which remain obscure. I have read extensively non-classified material that I could get my hands on. It would be very interesting to see the USS Liberty’s log book for that day.
However, what bothers me most (and what makes me think that there was complicity at the highest levels) was the 6th Fleet actions (or lack there of). I understand (I have not seen the orders or msgs) that our carriers launched aircraft which were called back by orders from Washington. LBJ saying that he did not want to start a war over a stinking shipe). I also understand that six planes which were on the flight line in Italy armed with nuclear weapons, were rearmed and launched to support the USS Liberty, and they were also called by a direct order from Washington.
On a very practical level, ships while under way monitor several standard frequencies. For example, the would be a frequency which no on is supposed to transmit on except in emergencies when aid is required. The USS Liberty must have been transmitting on many frequencies during the extended attack.
Also don’t forget that the Isralis attacked with torpedo boats after the main attack had happened. They were ultimately unsuccessful in sinking the ship, but i believe the got one torpedo hit.
This continued attack, with planes returning, and subsequent torpedo boat attacks show that this was not just some hotshot pilot’s mistake, but a planned sustained operation. The israeli operation center had to know what was going on an the day progressed, long before the torpedo boats were sent out.
The motives for the actions are apparently unable to be determined at the present time for whatever reason.