Three Peas in a Pod

The Reverend Ed Hird, Rector of St. Simon’s Anglican Church in Canada recently wrote: “Many people around us have given up on a search for truth. It just seems too costly, too frustrating, and too ethereal. Many fear that the truth, if we can ever find it, will trap us with rules and regulations, turning us into slaves. Many years ago, the world’s most famous human being said: ‘You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free…’ a radical claim indeed.

The Roman governor Pontius Pilate replied to this claim by cynically saying: ‘What is truth?’ He was probably so used to politicians lying and being lied to, that truth had become a meaningless commodity. All of us crave for politicians that will tell us the truth and stop lying to us. It is so easy to dismiss such yearnings as naïve fantasies. Yet if no one can be trusted in our society, then the foundations of our democratic culture are indeed fragile. True democracy is based on the gift of freedom, and the gift of freedom comes from the knowledge of truth. “You shall know the truth” means that truth is attainable, truth is knowledge, truth matters. “The truth shall set you free” means that truth is not abstract and irrelevant, but powerful and liberating. Truth changes everything. Lies kill everything.”

And republican Senator Chuck Hagel, of Nebraska recently said on the eve of his resignation from public office: “The political reality is that… the Jewish lobby intimidates a lot of people up here.” Hagel then related a meeting he had in New York with a group of supporters of Israel who are pushing the U.S. to attack Iran. When Hagel said it hadn’t worked out that well in Iraq, a couple of members of the group said he wasn’t supportive enough of Israel. Hagel spoke firmly: “Let me clear something up here if there’s any doubt in your mind. I’m a U.S. Senator. I’m not an Israeli senator. I’m a U.S. Senator. I support Israel… But my first interest is I take an oath to the constitution of the United States. Not to a president, not to a party, not to Israel. Gee.”

And Philip Weiss of Mondoweiss recently wrote: “Those who choose to join the Jewish people will enrich us with their ideas, energy and passion. And born Jews who choose to embrace their Judaism in an open marketplace also will enrich Jewish life. It is time to embrace the America in which we live.”

Aye, every fiber in my body tells me John McCain is a sneaky, deceitful (lying), unprincipled human being; unworthy of holding public office, much less the oval office! I say this because: 1. He has a long history of patronizing AIPAC when voting on issues involving Israel (as evidenced by the ex-democratic, independent party senator from Connecticut accompanying a republican candidate for president on his trips to the Middle East), and 2. Because of the things his fellow prison inmates had to say about his conduct while a prisoner of war in Vietnam, and 3. Because of his public comments after reading Judge A. Jay Cristol’ thesis entitled, “The Liberty Incident;” wherein this former naval reserve officer absolves Israel of guilt in its June 8, 1967 attack on the US intelligence ship, USS Liberty (AGTR-5), and 4. Because John McCain elected to not reply to my letter of December 28, 2002 admonishing him for turning his back on the cries of USS Liberty survivors who have been abused

and betrayed by their country for nigh on forty years.

(Note: See a copy of my letter to John McCain which includes the text of his (patronizing) letter to Judge A. Jay Cristol, author of ‘The Liberty Incident’ here):

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December 28, 2002

Dear Senator:

I have read your review of “The Liberty Incident” and am appalled that you, of all people could say: “After years of research for this book, Judge A. Jay Cristol has reached a similar conclusion to one my father reached in his June 18, 1967, endorsement of the findings of the court of inquiry. I commend Judge Cristol for his thoroughness and fairness and I commend this work. Senator John McCain.”

I say this because US Navy officers, including Captains and Admirals should be the last people on earth (unless they have a self-serving political agenda) to fall prey to such dupery… especially when it involves those brave young uniformed warriors who ‘we the people’ of this great country depend on to protect our freedoms… Shame on you, Senator… I am appalled at your unwillingness to look for and expose truth!

Surely you can see from the enclosed e-mail that I am not as inclined to be swindled by ideologically inspired zealots as you are. You see identifying the design, model, type and origin of ships and aircraft was my job in the navy. As a Quartermaster/Signalman I was schooled in and worked hard at it full time- and I can tell you that I know of no one that had as much experience or was as good at ship/aircraft identification as I was. NO ONE… Not even veteran ship Captains or Admirals… And all those whom I worked with in the navy knew it… including the now deceased ex-Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral William M. Fechteler. I was his Chief Signalman and Signal officer prior to and during the recapture of the Philippine Islands in WWII… Just how you can be led to believe such politically inspired bullshit is beyond me!

Senator, do what you can to right this terrible wrong carried out against the Liberty crew and the American people now… Before it’s too late! Don’t let your conscience become as burdened with guilt as Captain William L. McGonagle’s was when he died… While he felt a need to speak out about it before he died, and he did, he still departed this world with a confused heavy heart. He knew he had betrayed his shipmates but it was too late for him to set things straight… Oh, what a terrible burden to carry with you to your grave!

Call on your colleagues in congress to appoint a ‘special prosecutor’ to look for the naked truth NOW… Not for the sake of punishing Israel but for mitigating the agony and defending the honor of the United States Navy and all those who were killed, injured and betrayed that day… and for the the sake of a proud nation that stands ready everyday to sacrifice its blood for freedom and truth…

You’ll be amazed at what you learn… I’ll bet my life on it!

There is little doubt Senator John McCain felt Judge Cristol’ book, ‘The Liberty Incident’ provided him an excellent opportunity to defend the actions taken by his father on June 18, 1967; when he, Admiral John S. McCain, Jr., Commander Naval Forces Europe announced to the press on the president’s orders that a US Naval Court of Inquiry found the attack on the USS Liberty to be an accident… Note: By any criteria embodied in the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) – this was an unlawful order and should not have been obeyed… PERIOD!

The fact that Admiral John S. McCain felt a need to lie to the American people and those under his command (including USS Liberty survivors) to appease a conscienceless traitor; Lyndon Baines Johnson boggles my mind…. never, ever would senior officers whom I served with in the navy before, during and after WWII betray their shipmates or countrymen to accommodate the selfish interests of a crooked commander-in-chief. Aye, there are fundamental principles of honor, duty, sacrifice and loyalty among men of the sea that are sacrosanct or inviolable… a standard of conduct and or code of ethics that transcends (all) others!

William Hughes, a prominent Baltimore attorney, former city solicitor, champion of the underdog and gifted American writer described the nature of John McCain’s personality best when he said in an editorial he wrote for Baltimore Indy Media on July 10, 2004 … For a copy of “Liberty Cover-up and John McCain’s Conscience” by William Hughes go to:

(http://baltimore.indymedia.org/newswire/display/7539/index.php

This is the best narration of the source and dangers inherent in narrow interest’s rule you will ever read. So, if you really care about your children and your country and want both to survive lawmaker’s unethical relationship with corrupt (narrow) interests you’ll go to this website and read every single word of it… and you’ll then print out a copy for an occasional reminder of what could have, should have, might have been… The ugly truth is war disfigures, maims and kills… just how many of us it maims and kills in this world depend on what objective minded peace loving people in (this) country do about it today!

Indeed, I too have read Judge Cristol’s long-winded thesis entitled, “The Liberty Incident,” and in the end am persuaded it is not only a sinful distortion of truth but his conclusions are the work of a prejudiced American Jew going to great lengths to discredit the experience and wisdom of experienced seamen who know the truth. I say, ‘know the truth’ because there are some things in life that come from years of experience and sacrifice on the navigation and signal bridge of warships at sea that leave no doubt about the intentions of the Israeli military forces attacking USS Liberty , June 8, 1967. And such is also the case with others who would attempt to malign and discredit the much talked-about recollection of events in paperback and hardcover book form entitled, “Israeli Assault on USS Liberty” by James M. Ennes, Jr.; especially when they pretend to have inside knowledge of the attack but avoid interviewing (all) who were brutalized in the attack - (or) refuse to undergo a polygraph examination with USS Liberty survivors and their shipmates in search of truth!

Old sea-going sailors with much more experience in the art and science of ship/aircraft identification on the bridge of warships in all kinds of weather in combat and peacetime conditions than twenty Judge Cristol’ feel his conclusions as set forth in “The Liberty Incident” are the work of a neophyte, a prejudiced ideologue (or), are a colloquy of lies. We see it as a polished, albeit shameless attempt to discredit a conflux of wounded voices in order to cover the hides of those ordering the attack… Such behavior is so foreign and unbecoming an American citizen and retired US Naval Reserve officer that it leaves many of us questioning the measure and state of his experience/loyalty!

And lastly, USS Liberty survivors and the writer of this essay stand ready to defend our claim that the attack (was deliberate) while undergoing a polygraph examination on primetime network television with Senator John S. McCain III, Judge A. Jay Cristol- and any other Israeli apologists to find and disclose the truth. It’s high time media and lawmaker’s come clean with the American people and those who were killed and wounded that day. So I beg of you, Senator to encourage Judge A. Jay Cristol and any other Israeli apologists to join us in this effort… And let all who witness the results of our polygraph examination feel the ‘beef’ in your bid for the presidency!

In fact, I am so convinced the three Americans I talk about in this essay would fail the one question central to the people’s need for the polygraph test… (I. e) “Do you honestly believe the Israeli Assault on USS Liberty (AGTR-5), June 8, 1967 was a case of mistaken identity?”

We can only hope and pray there is enough patriotism left in the heart and soul of a corrupt (spineless) * congress to search for its version of ‘truth’ before USS Liberty survivors and their shipmates die. Indeed, if John McCain has true/unmixed fidelity, backbone, courage and integrity he will put his own selfish ‘vote-hungry’ mania aside long enough to insist congress search for and disclose the USS Liberty (American) truth… his sworn oath of allegiance to THIS country when taking office and human dignity demand it.

@ “Of four former NSA/CIA seniors with inside knowledge, none was aware of any agency official who dissented from the position that the attack was deliberate.” - Naval Institute Proceedings

*Considered by many to be one of the most corrupt institutions in the industrialized world!

An old sailor,

US Navy (Retired)