-Caveat Lector-
http://www.salon.com/news/wire/2005/06/10/probe/print.html
Vets seek probe of alleged Israeli war crimes against U.S.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
William Mann
June 10, 2005 | WASHINGTON (AP) -- Survivors of a U.S. spy ship attacked
by Israeli fighters and torpedo boats 40 years ago are pressing the Pentagon
for a full investigation into alleged Israeli war crimes for a strike that
caused 205 casualties, including 34 killed.
The attack on the USS Liberty occurred in international waters during the
Six-Day War in 1967 between Israel, Egypt and other Arab nations. The
survivors claim the attack itself was a violation of the Geneva Conventions
regulating conduct of war and that further crimes occurred when Israeli
sailors fired at rescuers and firefighters on the ship's bullet-riddled deck
and into rubber life rafts thrown into the water to pick up survivors.
Gary Brummett, president of the USS Liberty Veterans Association, said the
appeal to the Defense Department is nothing more than an appeal for justice
for his shipmates. Brummett was a boiler tender aboard the Liberty.
"Politicians will not touch this issue," Brummett said. "All the presidents
we have will not touch this issue. It's politically incorrect. All we are
trying to do now is to follow the rule of law."
Their new action, a 35-page, heavily footnoted report demanding a
full-scale, new investigation, quotes the laws of war in alleging that
Israel didn't honor them.
On the afternoon of June 8, 1967, two days into the Six-Day War, Israeli
warplanes began circling the Liberty as its nest of antennas collected
intelligence in international waters between al-Arish, Egypt, in the Sinai
near the Israeli border, and the Gaza Strip west of Israel. The 7,725-ton
Liberty, a former civilian cargo ship refitted into one of the era's top
intelligence-gathering vessels, was flying the U.S. flag and bore U.S. Navy
markings.
When the attack began, jets made six strafing runs, killing at least 10 and
wounding others with gunfire, rockets and bombs. Three torpedo boats joined
the fray, firing machine guns and cannon. One fired a torpedo, which missed
the maneuvering ship. Another boat loosed its torpedo, which struck on the
starboard side, forward of the command areas, caused more casualties, and
Liberty began to list to the right. Those left among the crew of 294
officers and men kept her afloat.
Israel said its personnel mistook the ship for an Egyptian Navy vessel. U.S.
officials said that ship was far smaller than Liberty and had none of the
antennas the intelligence-gatherer had.
Previous official U.S. and Israeli investigations have found Israel guilty
of nothing more than making a mistake, possibly by misidentifying the U.S.
ship. A contentious State Department-sponsored conference of historians and
other experts last year failed to reach consensus. Israel apologized and
paid damages of close to $13 million, some to families of the victims. David
Siegel, spokesman for the Israeli Embassy in Washington, repeated the
Israeli position that the attack was in no way premeditated.
``I can state categorically that the Liberty incident was a tragic mistake,
a case of mistaken identity,'' Siegel told The Associated Press. ``These are
old allegations, discredited years ago by successive U.S. administrations
following numerous official investigations, including by the official
historians of the State Department, the National Security Agency and other
federal agencies.''
The latest move by the Liberty survivors, who have pressed for decades to
have the official record changed, was submitted to Army Secretary Francis J.
Harvey, who acts as executive agent for Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld
for such cases.
Col. Thomas Collins, Harvey's spokesman, said he could not discuss the
matter because the secretary had not received it as of Thursday. The
document, shipped Tuesday by courier service, was dated Wednesday, the 38th
anniversary of the attack.
Brummett, of Grand Cane, La., said the association has no idea what Harvey
will do.
"He will look at this and will say, `Hey, OK, we've got to investigate it.'
Or he will turn it down. Whatever they want to do.
"If future is like the past, if politicians get involved, they will
certainly turn it down."
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Sound Off
Send us a Letter to the Editor
www.ctrl.org
DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER
==========
CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic
screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are
sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis-
directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with
major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought.
That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and
always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no
credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply.
Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector.
========================================================================
Archives Available at:
http://www.mail-archive.com/ctrl@listserv.aol.com/
<A HREF="http://www.mail-archive.com/ctrl@listserv.aol.com/";>ctrl</A>
========================================================================
To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email:
SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email:
SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Om
