The Mystery of USS Liberty: Debunking the Conspiracy Theories
The USS Liberty incident remains one of the most controversial episodes in U.S. naval history. The ship was attacked by Israeli aircraft and ship-based missiles in the Mediterranean Sea on June 8, 1967, during the Six-Day War. Nevertheless, many conspiracy theories exist regarding the involvement of U.S. strategic assets, including the Polarisk submarine. Let's delve into the facts and dispel these myths.
Polaris Submarines and the USS Liberty
The claims that the USS Polaris submarine Andrew Jackson was stationed near the USS Liberty to take out Israeli long-range missile sites during the Six-Day War are completely unfounded. The Polaris submarines were primarily designed for strategic deterrence and possession of nuclear weapons, making them unsuitable for tactical strikes, especially against specific targets in the Negev.
According to the declassified information and academic research, the Polaris submarines were not equipped or positioned for such operations. Submarines of this type were required to remain largely hidden and undetected to ensure their effectiveness in strategic nuclear deterrence. The idea of a U.S. submarine engaging in such an operation would be a severe violation of international law and naval protocol.
The CIA and Department of State
Secondly, it is important to note that the U.S. Department of State and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) had the Israeli military bases’ positions and were transmitting this information to the British and subsequently to the Arabs. This intelligence had already been leaked, making the purported U.S. substation near the USS Liberty near superfluous. Efforts to pin responsibility on the U.S. military or its submarines are therefore misguided and unsupported by evidence.
The U.S. government, including anti-Semitic elements in the Department of State, attempted to cover up the incident. However, the exact motivations behind such cover-ups are still debated. Nevertheless, it is evident that these actions were not related to any submarine operations or missile strikes against Israeli targets.
Israel's Missile Capabilities in 1967
Another common conspiracy theory suggests that Israel had long-range missiles in 1967. However, this is a clear exaggeration. At that time, Israel did not possess missiles capable of reaching strategic targets like those in the Negev. The development and deployment of such missiles did not occur until several years later following the Six-Day War.
Efforts to claim that the U.S. was aware of Israeli missile capabilities and deliberately allowed the USS Liberty to come under attack lack concrete evidence. Such claims serve more as an attempt to shift blame or gain sympathy rather than to address the historical realities of the incident.
The USS Liberty Incident Revisited
The USS Liberty itself, despite its non-compliance with orders to avoid the eastern Mediterranean, was not near any U.S. strategic submarines. If the U.S. had had any assets in the Mediterranean capable of taking out Israeli targets, it would have made more sense to direct those assets elsewhere, reducing the likelihood of the ship's involvement in a confrontational situation.
The question often posed by conspiracy theorists is why the USS Liberty remained in the eastern Mediterranean despite being warned to clear the area. The most plausible explanation is that the Liberty was operating independently and did not receive the order to clear the area or misunderstood its nature.
It is important to note that the Liberty conspiracy theorists continue to push their narrative. However, without substantial evidence, these theories remain speculative and contribute to a distorted view of history.
In conclusion, conspiracy theories surrounding the USS Liberty incident are unfounded and unproven. The involvement of U.S. strategic submarines, including the Polaris, is not supported by historical evidence. The incident remains a mystery, but it is essential to separate facts from speculations in understanding the full context of the event.