USS Liberty: The Fix Was In Before The Blood Was Dry
Joe Meadors
USS Liberty: The Fix Was In Before The Blood Was Dry
Before the blood was dry on the deck of the USS Liberty, long before any Sixth Fleet ships arrived to assist us, and very long before the US government investigated the attack, then-Senator Jacob Javits (R-NY) took to the floor of the Senate to declare the attack to be a “tragic error.”
by Joe Meadors
One of the proud members of the 535 strong “Conditionally Patriotic American Caucus” in Congress, Senator Jacob Javits (R-NY) took to the floor of the Senate on June 8, 1967, while the blood on the USS Liberty was still wet and before any rescue ships from the Sixth Fleet had arrived to help us.
He was obviously expressing the sentiments of every then-serving and current Member of Congress since none have disavowed his comment.
To be clear, this is not under “Extension of Remarks” where a Member of the “CPA Caucus” can “mail it in.”
Javits actually made these comments on the floor of the US Senate:
Former US Senator Jacob Javits (R-NY)
“I wish to make some remarks in connection with the situation in the Mideast which is now approaching a new phase in which the policy of the United States will be critically important. Before I make those remarks I wish to join with all of my fellow Americans in expressing deep sorrow over the tragic error which resulted in the bombing of a U.S. Navy communications ship off of Sinai this morning, with a reported loss of four American lives and 53 wounded.
“The Government of Israel has already stated that this was an erroneous attack by Israel forces. The Government of Israel has apologized. I am sure that it will do everything that one would expect by way of compensation and other appropriate measures.
“The incident is one of those tragic fallouts of the dreadful situation in the Middle East, and the terrible pressure placed on pilots and naval people in that Area.“Mr. President, I must say that it is a great tribute to the valor of the troops of Israel that this morning I have heard Senator after Senator say that while they were terribly dismayed and saddened by this accident, they understood how it could take place under the terrible stress which the forces of Israel have been under in these last few weeks.”
Source: Vol. 113 of the Congressional Record, 90th Congress, 1st Session, page 15261 (Senate, June 8, 1967)
