Historical Dictionary of United States Intelligence

(Martin Jones) #1
into the Columbia River basin until it reached the Pacific coast in De-
cember 1805. On the way, Lewis and Clark recorded their observa-
tions about the lay of the land and the Native Americans who inhab-
ited it. The Corps of Discovery returned to St. Louis on 23 September


  1. The explorers submitted their report to President Jefferson later
    that year.


LIBERTY INCIDENT. Israeli fighter planes and torpedo boats at-
tacked the U.S. Navy spy ship USS Liberty on 8 June 1967 while the
ship was gathering electronic intelligence(ELINT) off the coast of
Egypt and Israel during the Six-Day War. By the end of the attack, 34
U.S. sailors were dead and 171 injured. Israel subsequently claimed
that the attack was a mistake caused by misidentification of the Lib-
ertyas an Egyptian vessel. Rear Admiral Isaac Kidd was directed to
put together a panel of inquiry that in a short time concluded that the
Libertyincident was in fact a case of mistaken identity.
The findings of the panel, however, were controversial. According
to some experts, the ruling was entirely political, especially since Ad-
miral Kidd was ordered by President Lyndon Johnsonand Defense
Secretary Robert McNamara to conclude that the attack was indeed a
mistake. The critics of the panel’s decision suggest that Israel wanted
to stop the Libertyfrom spying on its military during the Six-Day War.

LIMITED NUCLEAR TEST BAN TREATY (LNTBT).Formally
known as the Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons Tests in the Atmos-
phere, in Outer Space, and Under Water, the treaty was opened for
signature on 5 August 1963 and entered into force on 10 October


  1. The LNTBTwas one of the earliest arms controlagreements
    of the Cold War, initiated by President Dwight D. Eisenhowerin
    October 1958 and concluded by President John F. Kennedyin Au-
    gust 1963. The treaty sought to limit nuclear weapons testing to iden-
    tifiable and verifiable areas of the earth’s surface by excluding at-
    mospheric, space, and oceanic testing as permissible venues. The role
    of U.S. intelligence was to monitor nuclear tests in order to determine
    compliance with the terms of the treaty.


LINCOLN, ABRAHAM (1809–1865). The 16th president of the
United States between 1861 and 1865. President Lincoln apparently

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