From: dpe@inel.gov (Don Palmrose)
Subject: Re: Schmidling is simply wrong.
Organization: INEL EG&G Idaho
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 92 14:19:47 GMT

In article <1992Aug12.233436.3529@cs.brown.edu>, dzk@cs.brown.edu (Danny Keren) writes:
>
> 
> What makes this story even more illogical is the fact that the Liberty
> was attacked near the end of the war, when a cease-fire has already
> been signed with Jordan, and the war with Egypt was all but over
> (a cease-fire was signed the same evening). There was simply no
> reason for Israel to attack the ship. I have never seen any of the
> "delibarate attack" advocates come up with any motive strong enough
> to justify his theory. 
> 
> 
> -Danny Keren.
> 
> 
> 

I have been following this thread for its seems several weeks.  Because of the
attack of USS Liberty now being raised I feel I must make some points due to
my background as an officer in the US Navy (active and currently reserves).
I am not clear on the real reasons why Israel intentionally attack USS Liberty
but it is clear from all I have heard and read inside and outside Navy circles
that they absolutely *KNEW* that it was an US Naval vessel.  Before she was
attack there were patrol boats and aircraft making fairly close approaches to
the ship.  Close enough to convince me that there is no way what so ever that
a mistaken identification could be made.  I say this with the experience of 
having been a qualified Officer of the Deck on a US Navy warship and having to
identify many ships commercial and military, foriegn and our own.

This was brought out recently (last 6 months) with reports from former Israeli
military personnel who were involved stating that Israel knew it was a US
intelligence-gathering ship.  It seems that Israel was so concerned that if 
the US real knew what they were doing that extra pressure would be brought on 
Israel to stop what ever operation they were either planning, about to begin, 
or underway.

I will leave it to others to determine why Israel did that cowardly and 
irrehensable action of attacking USS Liberty.  Fellow sailors and officers
of the US Navy were killed and it is clear to me that the US administration in 
office at that time let Israel get away with it.  

I do not care how you may view Israel, but remember this, there are a lot of
US Naval officers (active and retired) who still do not feel that justice to 
those killed and wounded on USS Liberty has not been given even to this day.
They are still questioning why Israel did this.  Everything to come out of
all Israeli governments since the attacking of USS Liberty has never even come
close to compensate those whose loved ones were lost.

I give this view out to you for food for thought and not something to be
endlessly debated, flamed, or whatever.

Don Palmrose






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