93 – The USS Liberty Incident

 On this episode, we are talking about a subject Matt has wanted to cover since the day we started this podcast.  The assault on the USS Liberty and the subsequent cover-up by the Lyndon B. Johnson administration.  It was attacked by the Israeli Air Force and Israeli Navy while off the coast of the Gaza Strip, monitoring radio traffic from the Egyptian military.  A total of 34 personnel were killed and 170 were injured.  Heroic damage control efforts by the crew stopped the Liberty from sinking.  It is the most decorated Navy ship for a single action in US history, yet her story is largely untold and unknown.  The Pentagon brass swept the whole incident under the rug; they forced the crew to keep their mouths shut about their ordeal, under threat of court-martial.This is our humble attempt to do their story justice, and also to use it as an object lesson in how America treats those who fight its wars.Matt rants on history and statues for a few minutes in the beginning, and then we share the story of the day that Israel attacked the United States.Best full write-up of the Liberty attack.  Timelinehttps://www.chicagotribune.com/chi-liberty_tuesoct02-story.htmlIncriminating quotes from Menachem Begin, former Israeli PMhttps://www.wrmea.org/1994-july-august/begin-s-admission-in-1982-that-israel-started-three-of-its-wars.htmlOfficial Liberty Survivors' website, lots of resourceshttp://www.gtr5.com/  Write-up of 2007 NSA release of audio transcriptshttps://www.mintpressnews.com/evidence-proves-israel-attack-uss-liberty-orders-kill-americans/198757/FacebookTwitter This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit statistquo.substack.com