Date: Mon, 07 Aug 2006 19:50:31 -0000
Subject: [ERT] Re: I want that god-damned ship going to the bottom

> I recommend this long snippet about the attack on the USS Liberty
> from James Bamford's book Body of Secrets:
> http://historynewsnetwork.org/articles/article.html?id=191
> 
> Bill
> 

I read that article here:
http://www.hnn.us/articles/191.html

"Later that morning, Johnson took the unusual step of ordering the 
JCS to recall its fighters while the Liberty still lay smouldering, 
sinking, fearful of another attack and with its decks covered with 
the dead, dying and wounded. On board the flagship of the Sixth 
Fleet, Rear Admiral Lawrence R Geis, who commanded the carrier force 
in the Mediterranean, was angry and puzzled at the recall and 
protested to the secretary of defense, Robert S. McNamara."


"Geis was shocked by what he heard next. "President Lyndon Johnson 
came on with a comment that he didn't care if the ship sunk, he would 
not embarrass his allies." Geis told Lieutenant Commander David 
Lewis, head of the NSA group on the Liberty, about the comment but 
asked him to keep it secret until after Geis died. It was a promise 
that Lewis kept. 

In the days following the attack, the Israeli government gave the US 
government a classified report that attempted to justify the claim 
that the attack was a mistake. On the basis of that same report, an 
Israeli court of inquiry completely exonerated the government and all 
those involved. No one was ever court-martialled, reduced in rank or 
even reprimanded. On the contrary, Israel chose instead to honor 
motor torpedo boat 203, which fired the deadly torpedo at the 
Liberty. The ship's wheel and bell were placed on prominent display 
at the naval museum, among the maritime artifacts of which the 
Israeli navy was most proud. 

Despite the overwhelming evidence that Israel had attacked the ship 
and killed the American servicemen deliberately, the Johnson 
administration and Congress covered up the entire incident. Johnson 
was planning to run for president the following year and needed the 
support of pro-Israel voters." 


I really don't see too much difference in the story Bill.  Johnson 
did nothing to prevent it or help the Liberty once it was attacked.  
In fact he recalled the aircraft that was sent to help her.  Sounds 
like a setup to me.  They were hoping to sink that ship and blame it 
on Egypt...

"By way of deception, thou shalt do war"

==AC