[ThreeOfSeven]

This isn't the first time I've heard this story, nor is it the first time I've heard rumours about the attacks being deliberate. I've never understood, however, why they would be - why would Israel attack its biggest supporter, especially when that supporter could crush it in a day?

Unfortunately, history has proven there wasn't much of a downside for Israel in attacking the U.S.S. Liberty. The Israelis only called off the attack after it became clear the U.S.S. Liberty's radio operator had sent off a message identifying the ship's attackers as Israeli.

[luvzhottea]

Tom Clancy in his book The Sum of All Fears:

The key to it, Qati knew, was whether or not the
Americans would put real pressure on the Zionists.
They'd never done so. They'd allowed the Israelis
to attack an American warship and kill American
sailors--and forgiven them before the bleeding
had stopped, before the last victim had died. When
American military forces had to fight for every
dollar of funds from their own Congress, the same
spineless body of political whores fell over itself
giving arms to the Jews.

[uncbob]

Unfortunately, history has proven there wasn't much of a downside for Israel in attacking the U.S.S. Liberty. The Israelis only called off the attack after it became clear the U.S.S. Liberty's radio operator had sent off a message identifying the ship's attackers as Israeli.

And after American planes were FINALLY( after several urgent requests) dispatched from a carrier in the MED