The Chicago Tribune yesterday printed an expose on the lies regarding the Israeli attack on the USS Liberty in 1967. John Crewdson’s article makes clear that the U.S. government knew that the Israeli planes had clearly identified the USS Liberty as an American ship before they began strafing and bombing it. Three Israeli torpedo boats attacked and almost sank off the American ship. Thirty-four Americans were killed and 171 wounded in the Israeli attack. But the Johnson administration buried the evidence and pretended that maybe it was just an accident.
The fate of the USS Liberty is a reminder that the US government will not hesitate to betray and abandon its own servicemen.
Politicians try to lull people to sleep by promising them that truth will out. But it took 40 years before key details on the attack on the Liberty surfaced. (The National Security Agency declassified a heap of documents for the 40th anniversary of the attack; they are available here).
How many decades will it be until we learn of similar official lies regarding Iraq, Iran, and elsewhere in the Middle East?
Jim,
The Israelis didn’t quite finish the ship off, but that wasn’t due to lack of effort. They really tried hard. The torpedo that hit it ripped a big hole into it and it was only with great effort that the crew members who weren’t shot up all to hell were able to keep it floating. Interestingly enough, a Soviet destroyer heaved to and asked if they could assist.
I hope it won’t be decades before the other lies are declassified, otherwise I doubt if the US will be a free country. What I really hope is that the fact that this story even made it into print means that the Israelis lobby is finally going to become an issue. If that happens I believe it could cause a flood of major proportions concerning the other documents that show the latest lies.
That’s why we visit Antiwar.com. So we can learn tomorrow’s lies, today. 😀
Ryan – thanks for the post – I have clarified my original post.
Lawhobbit – that’s a hoot! AWC should use that as their motto.