The Volokh Conspiracy - The Chutzpah of Chas. Freeman:

Freeman, who was to be appointed to chair the National Intelligence Council, has withdrawn his name from consideration, following criticism of his candidacy, including on this blog.

Freeman first drew negative attention for what were perceived to be his anti-Israel views, but that's not what ultimately killed his candidacy. Rather, bloggers and journalists (outside the MSM) discovered that he has been a paid shill for the Saudi dictatorship (as president of a Saudi-funded think tank), and served on the board of a company owned by the Chinese government, while also acting as an apologist for the brutal repression by that government in Tianamen and Tibet (the protests last year in Tibet, according to Freeman, were but a "race riot").

So, here we have a former high-level U.S. official who has cashed in on his connections by being a paid p.r. rep. for the Saudis, and sitting on the board of a company owned by a Chinese government whose intentions, especially with regard to espionage, are hardly always friendly to the U.S. And he then expects to be appointed to a high-level, sensitive, intelligence position.

And who's to blame for his withdrawal? Surely, pro-Israel individuals played a significant role in forcing Freeman's withdrawal. But they wouldn't have gotten anywhere if he wouldn't have given them plenty of ammunition. So perhaps he might notice that his choice of paymasters wasn't exactly conducive to a future career in intelligence? Why, no, it's all the fault of the nefarious "Israel Lobby," which he defined today as "a Lobby intent on enforcing the will and interests of a foreign government."

Ironically, the members of the so-called Israel lobby are Americans, who do not take money or orders from any foreign government (and indeed often disagree among themselves as to whether specific Israeli policies are wise), and who believe that what they are doing is in the best interests of the United States, on moral grounds, practical grounds, or, usually, both. Unlike Freeman and other members of the "Saudi Lobby," they are not paid by a semi-hostile, repressive, dictatorial foreign government to be a de facto propaganda agent, nor would the vast majority of them want to take money from the likes of Saudi Arabia and China. The chutzpah of someone who has been paid by such foreign governments to promote their political and business interests in impugning the integrity and patriotism of those who have not is something to behold.

[Sorry, I'm not opening comments. I've pretty much had it with comments until we solve a technical issue: how to keep banned commenters from returning with new URLs. Life is too short to spend my time consistently policing the same commenters.]

	[David Bernstein, March 10, 2009 at 10:11pm] Trackbacks The Chutzpah of Chas. Freeman: Freeman, who was to be appointed to chair the National Intelligence Council, has withdrawn his name from consideration, following criticism of his candidacy, including on this blog. Freeman first drew negative attention for what were perceived to be his anti-Israel views, but that's not what ultimately killed his candidacy. Rather, bloggers and journalists (outside the MSM) discovered that he has been a paid shill for the Saudi dictatorship (as president of a Saudi-funded think tank), and served on the board of a company owned by the Chinese government, while also acting as an apologist for the brutal repression by that government in Tianamen and Tibet (the protests last year in Tibet, according to Freeman, were but a "race riot"). So, here we have a former high-level U.S. official who has cashed in on his connections by being a paid p.r. rep. for the Saudis, and sitting on the board of a company owned by a Chinese government whose intentions, especially with regard to espionage, are hardly always friendly to the U.S. And he then expects to be appointed to a high-level, sensitive, intelligence position. And who's to blame for his withdrawal? Surely, pro-Israel individuals played a significant role in forcing Freeman's withdrawal. But they wouldn't have gotten anywhere if he wouldn't have given them plenty of ammunition. So perhaps he might notice that his choice of paymasters wasn't exactly conducive to a future career in intelligence? Why, no, it's all the fault of the nefarious "Israel Lobby," which he defined today as "a Lobby intent on enforcing the will and interests of a foreign government." Ironically, the members of the so-called Israel lobby are Americans, who do not take money or orders from any foreign government (and indeed often disagree among themselves as to whether specific Israeli policies are wise), and who believe that what they are doing is in the best interests of the United States, on moral grounds, practical grounds, or, usually, both. Unlike Freeman and other members of the "Saudi Lobby," they are not paid by a semi-hostile, repressive, dictatorial foreign government to be a de facto propaganda agent, nor would the vast majority of them want to take money from the likes of Saudi Arabia and China. The chutzpah of someone who has been paid by such foreign governments to promote their political and business interests in impugning the integrity and patriotism of those who have not is something to behold. [Sorry, I'm not opening comments. I've pretty much had it with comments until we solve a technical issue: how to keep banned commenters from returning with new URLs. Life is too short to spend my time consistently policing the same commenters.]