Today, June 8, marks 41 years since the Israeli attack on a U.S. Navy spy ship, the USS Liberty, during the Six Day War in 1967. The attack occurred on a clear, sunny day after Israeli forces had observed the Liberty for three hours, during which time the air crews and sailors had waved greetings to each other. Suddenly and without warning, the ship was attacked by unmarked aircraft of the Israeli Air Force, which strafed the ship several times before departing. At this time the American flag, which had been flying the entire time, was replaced by a larger flag. Subsequently, three Israeli torpedo boats arrived and proceeded to fire five torpedoes at the Liberty, only one of which actually hit the ship, nearly sinking it. The ship’s crew launched rubber life rafts in preparation to abandon ship. These rafts were then machine gunned by the torpedo boats before they, too, departed. Out of the crew of 210 Marines and sailors, 34 were killed and many were wounded. Approximately one hour after the attacks, an Israeli helicopter arrived and asked if the Liberty needed any assistance. The crew responded in very rough terms that no assistance would be needed from Israeli forces. U.S. Navy forces in the Mediterranean had launched aircraft to assist the Liberty, but were recalled before reaching the area. Some have claimed that this attack on a U.S. Navy ship in international waters was a tragic mistake. This scenario is plausible only if you firmly believe the Israeli forces are the military equivalent of the Keystone Cops — a view not shared by the world’s military experts. Not one surviving crew member of the Liberty agrees this was any kind of mistake.