Len Mansky provides us with both an opportunity and a curse.
We have the opportunity to once again dispel the myth of the 13 U.S. government investigations of the attack on our ship but in doing so we have to relive the attack in excruciating detail and be reminded once again not only that the U.S. government has allowed Israel to commit war crimes during their attack on our ship with impunity and without remorse but that there are otherwise patriotic Americans who present half-truths and outright lies in an attempt to counter the claim that the attack on our ship was deliberate and against a ship known to be American at the time the attack began and that the U.S. government has never conducted an investigation of the attack on our ship.
Mr. Mansky mentions the U.S. Navy Court of Inquiry.
While it is true that the Court [of Inquiry] is the only time that the U.S. government has accepted sworn testimony from USS Liberty survivors it is not an investigation of the attack.
In his qualified endorsement of the Report of the Court Admiral John McCain tells us the report is based on information available at the time.
What Admiral McCain doesn’t explain is why Lloyd Painter’s testimony was removed from the report.
During his testimony Painter told of his witnessing the torpedo boats machine gun the life rafts we had dropped over the side in anticipation of abandoning ship.
Glenn Oliphant also witnessed the machine gunning of our life rafts in the water and informed the court of that fact but was not called to testify.
Contrary to what Mr. Mansky wants you to believe, there have never been any U.S. government investigations of the attack on our ship.
Not by Congress, not by the NSA, not by the CIA, not by the Department of Defense. None.
Proof is simple enough.
Do what we do. Don’t take an intermediary’s word for it. Ask the source.
While some have prepared reports about the USS Liberty incident none have conducted an investigation of the attack. It is true that some of the reports exonerate Israel of any misconduct, the conduct of Israel during the attack was never investigated.
They could have concluded that the moon is made out of blue cheese and have just as much support in their reports for that conclusion.
Why Mr. Mansky has chosen to rely on the account of a former Israeli Ambassador to the United States for his account of what happened during the attack when USS Liberty survivors – all American citizens – are readily available and have been telling our story publicly for decades is anyone’s guess.
What is telling is that Mr. Mansky takes the without question the word of an Israeli citizen over that of his own countrymen who survived the attack and who are surviving the ongoing cover-up.
If he is interested in getting the story from us instead of from the Israelis there are some places on the internet he can visit.
http://goo.gl/z04YiO a new USS Liberty documentary that includes audio of the Israeli pilots being told by their controller that we were an American ship before they began their attack.
http://goo.gl/SK0bw1 Our open letter demanding the U.S. government investigate USS Liberty survivors for their release of classified information related to the June 8, 1967 Israeli Attack on Our Ship.
If you could sign the letter and ask your colleagues and friends to sign as well would appreciate it.
http://goo.gl/FGyzjo An article asking why investigate the U.S. Navy Seals and not USS Liberty Survivors.
http://goo.gl/YBLq6u Selected Documents about the June 8, 1967 Attack on the USS Liberty.
Joe Meadors
USS Liberty Survivor
Director of Operations, USS Liberty Veterans Association
