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• Is this could be a legitimate topic for a question? Or Not?
  • My contention is given how many senior people on the US side express doubt on the Israeli position and the age almost 55 years ago. This is a legitimate history question. Granted a controversial one.
• Can I reword my question to make it more legitimate?
• Perhaps someone can make the case this is not a legitimate topic as it's not settled history, given the NSA is still releasing classified information on this event?
• Perhaps it is felt this topic is too controversial for this board?

• Could this topic be a legitimate one for a question? Or Not?
  • My contention is given how many senior people on the US side express doubt on the Israeli position and the age almost 55 years ago. This is a legitimate history question. Granted a controversial one.
• Can I re-word my question to make it more legitimate?
• Perhaps someone can make the case this is not a legitimate topic as it's not settled history, given the NSA is still releasing classified information on this event?
• Perhaps it is felt this topic is too controversial for this board?

Background:
The official Israeli position is that the 1967 Attack on the USS Liberty was a case of mistaken identity. That the American ship was previously identified, but then was later confused with an armed Egyptian ship half it's size. That the American Ship contributed to this Israeli mistake because:

• Joint Chief of Staff's Report of June 1967. Scope limited to Communications failures surrounding the attack.
• CIA Intelligence Memorandums of June 1967. Two memo's one laying out sources of information, the other detailing the Israeli courts findings.
• Clark Clifford Report of July 1967 - says after reviewing all available information, "The unprovoked attack on the Liberty constitutes a flagrant act of gross negligence for which the Israeli Government should be held completely responsible, and the Israeli military personnel involved should be punished."
• Senate Foreign Relations Committee Testimony during hearings of the 1967 Foreign Aid Authorization bill, July 1967. Comments about the attack while the Senate was dealing with other business.
• House Armed Services Committee Investigation of 1971 - "Review of Department of Defense Worldwide Communications". Was not an investigation on the attack. Contained a section describing communications during the attack.
• The NSA History Report of 1981 - reviews the court of inquiry and several other documents but provides no conclusion regarding culpability.

Background:
The official Israeli position is that the 1967 Attack on the USS Liberty was a case of mistaken identity. That the American ship was previously identified, but then was later confused with an armed Egyptian ship half it's size. That the American Ship contributed to this Israeli mistake because: (see below excerpts discussing Israeli Court Enquiry).

• Joint Chief of Staff's Report of June 1967. Scope limited to Communications failures within the US Navy surrounding the attack.
• CIA Intelligence Memorandums of June 1967. Two memo's one laying out sources of information, the other detailing the Israeli courts findings.
• Clark Clifford Report of July 1967 - says after reviewing all available information, "The unprovoked attack on the Liberty constitutes a flagrant act of gross negligence for which the Israeli Government should be held completely responsible, and the Israeli military personnel involved should be punished."
• Senate Foreign Relations Committee Testimony during hearings of the 1967 Foreign Aid Authorization bill, July 1967. Comments about the attack while the Senate was dealing with other business.
• House Armed Services Committee Investigation of 1971 - "Review of Department of Defense Worldwide Communications". Was not an investigation on the attack. Contained a section describing communications during the attack.
• The NSA History Report of 1981 - reviews the court of inquiry and several other documents but provides no conclusion regarding culpability.

• When asked to identify itself the USS Liberty did not do so and acted suspiciously
• It appeared to the DivCom that there was a gun on the foredeck of the USS Liberty which was firing towards MTB's.
• Finally if we add these factors under the circumstances when the ship was completely covered with smoke there was, in fact, apparently a great similarity between it (The 10.7 ton, 455 foot USS Liberty) and the (2.8 ton, 275 foot)El QUSEIR. (Egyptian Gun Boat)

• When asked to identify itself the USS Liberty did not do so and acted suspiciously.
• It appeared to the DivCom that there was a gun on the foredeck of the USS Liberty which was firing towards MTB's.
• Finally if we add these factors under the circumstances when the ship was completely covered with smoke there was, in fact, apparently a great similarity between it (The 10.7 ton, 455 foot USS Liberty) and the (2.8 ton, 275 foot)El QUSEIR. (Egyptian Gun Boat)