[Israeli Airforce] Pilot who bombed 'Liberty' talks to 'Post

Jerusalem Post ^ | Oct. 10, 2003 | ARIEH O'SULLIVAN

[yonif]

Yiftah Spector (Jonathan Bloom)

[yonif]

Ping.

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[yonif]

"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."

[FreePaul]

Still trying to push that "mistake" BS. It ain't sellin'.

[SpaceBar]

Sounds like it was an honest mistake and not some sinister plot against the US by Israel that the conspiracy theorists would have you believe.

[Leo Carpathian]

Yea, Right!

If it is reapeated enough times, it will become "truth", so wait for more, and more.

[50sDad]

"I'm sorry for the mistake."

Dosen't sound like it to me.

"I'm the last guy who has a problem with admitting mistakes and asking for forgiveness. There was a mistake, but it wasn't my mistake."

Aftur all, he vass only following orders!

Do I read this right? This guy was one of the Israili's who has reufused attack missions in the disputed lands because they might hurt innocent Pali's? Little bit selective about our remorese, aren't we, Pali?

[yonif]

If Israel really planned on bombing that ship, why didn't the planes have bombs capable of sinking the ship? Why did they have napalm? Why? Because they were scrambled there. They were in the heat of war. This was not a planned operation. What's more, I have listened to the broadcasts published by the US Government, in Hebrew (which I understand) and they prove that as well.

Read the book investigating this called "The Liberty Incident" by A. Jay Cristol, a federal judge.

[KantianBurke]

"There was a mistake. Mistakes happen. As far as I know, the mistake was of the USS Liberty being there in the first place," said Brig.-Gen. (res.) Yiftah Spector.

You tell urself that big boy. Whatever helps you sleep at night right?

[wardaddy]

"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."

That quote was a bit arrogant in my view. Given that his mistake killed and wounded over 200 soldiers from a nation without which Israel would probably not exist. No wonder the IDF canned him recently, this guy shoots from the hip a bit.

[msdrby]

ping

Reserving judgement for He who judges.

[Dialup Llama]

>After 36 years Spector, who this week was dismissed by the IAF for signing the pilots' refusal letter protesting the policy of targeted killings,

Sounds like he's a bit of an outlier. Maybe that was a factor in the attack on the Liberty.

[harrowup]

"I'm sorry for the mistake. Years later my mates dropped flowers on the site where the ship was attacked," Spector said. "I'm the last guy who has a problem with admitting mistakes and asking for forgiveness. There was a mistake, but it wasn't my mistake."

..."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."

Speaking of the event 36 years later may have caused Spector to mix what he remembered with what he may have read and his testimony does not always match archival facts.

No matter how we structure his comments I would be so bold as to suggest he never take up diplomacy and never ever visit the United States.

He got one thing right. He is a fool.

[BabsC]

He's right the Liberty was totally out of position. Most of the mistakes were on the American side as far as putting that ship where it should not have been. We had the communications breakdown while Israel is fighting for it's life and put our ship in harms way.

How are you reconciling the killing of Canadians in Afghanastan by our troops? Or is it just that the Jews were on the delivery end of this mistake and that makes it a conspiracy?

[Jackie222]

ping

Where are you? Haven't heard from you lately!

[SJackson]

Sounds like he's a bit of an outlier. Maybe that was a factor in the attack on the Liberty.

Interesting observation.

[harrowup]

...makes it a conspiracy?

There was no conspiracy. Israeli commanders made a decision to attack everything that was of non-Israeli military value. They knew damn well Liberty was there.

Who was to blame and who is lying is up to God.

[skeeter]

From the photos I've seen those holes in the splinter shielding of the Liberty weren't made by 30mm cannon shells. More likely 3 or 5 inch rockets. And another bomb or two wouldn't have sunk her if the torpedo didn't.

I wish they'd just leave this be. I don't want to be angry with the Isrealis but I do when this incident comes up & the excuses start. This guy needs to cop to incompetence, at least.

[LoneRangerMassachusetts]

"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."

As one who generally supports Israel's actions and often thinks they are too restrained in dealing with the Arabs, I find this statement arrogant. Even more, Israel should worry about its citizens who bite the hand that feeds them. I have trouble with pilots who can't distinguish antennae from cannon or missile launchers. What Arab navy had a ship that would look like the Liberty? I can’t explain Israel’s motives. Only they know what they were thinking, but it seems that the incident was more than a simple mistake.