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Indybay Feature

Does this look like an Egyptian ship?

by Anarchist-Unionist
In 1967, Israeli Air Force attacked an American ship as part of their initiation of the Six Day War. As an anarchist veteran of the US military, I will say that to be attacked by your own government is the worst form of terrorism possible.
agtr5.gif
"Attack one American and you attack all Americans" was recently proclaimed by President Clinton. More recently, an Assistant Secretary for State proclaimed that the U. S. government always protects its citizens. These are damn lies and meaningless words. These words were not true in 1967 (when Israel deliberately attacked the USS LIBERTY,) and unfortunately, and in spite of these beautiful words, they are not even true today. Moreover, there is no such thing as justice.

On that June day in 1967, the weather was beautiful... Clear and sunny, visibility unlimited... the LIBERTY, an elaborate state-of-the art intelligence gathering platform, was in international waters off the Gaza strip and was flying the Stars and Stripes. Israeli reconnaissance planes flew overhead for hours. Pilots and ship's crew waved to each other. Then, inexplicably, unmarked Israeli aircraft began attacking the ship.

The defenseless LIBERTY radioed for help. Two aircraft carriers in the Med responded by launching fighter aircraft. Unbelievably, they were recalled by the White House. RADM Geis, then commanding the carriers in the Sixth Fleet, called Washington personally to confirm the order. SecDef McNamara came on the line, then President Johnson. Johnson indicated to Geis that the aircraft were to be returned, that he would not have his allies embarrassed, and that he didn't care who was killed or what was done to the ship. Geis, like any good sailor, recalled the aircraft.

Read more, hear audio:
http://home.cfl.rr.com/gidusko/liberty/

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Comments (Hide Comments)
by Mike (stepbystpefarm [at] shaysnet.com)
Hey "military anarchist guy", why don't you look up the WHOLE story about how the Liberty got attacked? If you claim to be military supposedly you know the rules for war at sea and that it doesn't matter what a ship "looks like" or what flag it is flying.

Of course it LOOKED like an American ship to the Israelis so they ASKED --- not the ship, of course (whichwould be prepared to claim it was a US ship even if not) but their liason to the US Navy.

But because it was a spy ship, its existence was DENIED -- somebody "followed orders" in a situation where that was inappropriate action. WE (ie: the US Navy ( TOLD the Israelis "ship, what ship? we don;'t have a ship there".

This is NOT the first time in US Naval History that following "secret" orders that failed to explain their purporse led to disaster. In WWII the USS Indianapolis went down maintaining radio silence (no SOS) because those orders forgot to say "after you have delivered the secret packages you can break radio silence in emergencies".

by anon
http://www.ussliberty.org/

If we had any fears for our safety, however, these quickly vanished. Much of this coast area had been captured by Israel only hours before our arrival. Israel was our friend. Israeli aircraft had circled us throughout the night (identified by their radar characteristics), and now, with
daylight, they came closer and we could see the Star of David markings. Often they came so close that we could see the pilots in their cockpits and exchanged friendly waves.

I was the officer-of-the-deck on the bridge during this period, and following each visit our leading intercept supervisor, Chief Melvin Smith, would come up to the bridge and ask if I had seen the aircraft's markings to confirm his own electronic observations: "Not to worry," he would
say, "Each time they circle we can hear the pilot telling his headquarters that we are an American ship."

From http://www.ussliberty.org/about.htm
by Captain Scarlet
I was in charge of the U.S.S. Liberty that fateful day in 1967 when the Israelis attacked our ship.

It really wasn't their fault, though. You see, we were disguised as Mysterions, those invaders from Mars, in an attempt to penetrate the lair of the Mysterion leader, Yasir Arafat.

Yes, that's right. Arafat is really a Mysterion. That's why he wears that scarf. If he took it off, everyone would see his green ears and the jig would be up.

Anyway, the Israeli jets came zooming over the horizon and I called for evasive maneuvers. But I knew we were in trouble when Aarfat shouted over the ham radio, "Don't let them see the greens of your eyes." For heavens sake, Yasir, why don't you just TELL them you're a Mysterion?

And so the Six Day War went on, and Israel beat the Mysterions. Yes, that's right; all the Arab regimes at the time were lead by Mysterions. That's when I realized this Mysterion threat was overblown. If they couldn't defeat the Israelis, how could they hope to take over the world?

After that, the battle for world domination began breaking our way. So even though a tear comes to my eye when I think of the terrible misunderstanding that lead to the tragedy on the USS Liberty, I know that it was a small price to pay for saving the world from the Martians.

And Yasir? He got a gig working for the Palestinians, and, holy cow, what a bungler he's turned out to be. But at least he's not leading his fellow Mysterions in ruling the Earth from their ice-covered castle on Mars.

Yes, that's right. There are still Mysterions walking among us. You see them shuffling through the malls, their downcast eyes only hinting at the terrible sadness that eats away at their green Martian souls. For what is a Martian who has striven for the world, only to lose his only begotten son?

Yes, that's right. Jesus was a Mysterion. But that's a story for another day.....

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