The Charles Freeman Debacle

The case of Charles Freeman has heated up now that he's withdrawn from consideration for becoming chairman of the national intelligence council, which drafts strategic assessments for the president. In its lead editorial today, the Washington Post lambastes Freeman for, in his words, fingering a nefarious Israel "lobby" that seeks to enforce "adherence to the policies of a foreign government." This, the Post says, "was a grotesque libel."

Is it? There clearly were a number of pro-Israel voices intent on squelching Freeman's appointment. The affair began with postings by Steven J. Rosen, a former AIPAC official, who sounded alarms about Freeman's suitability for the post. Then it migrated to the Wall Street Journal and Washington Times, among others, as neoconservatives depicted Freeman as anti-Israel or a stooge for the Chinese or a mole for Saudi Arab, or all three at the same time. Finally, Capitol Hill got involved, as everyone from Senator Joseph Lieberman to House majority leader Nancy Pelosi looked askance at Freeman.

To call this a coherent "lobby," however, is probably misplaced. Joe Klein may have it right when he says it's more akin to a "mob." The blunt fact is that there are plenty of monsters out there in the Middle East without having to turn Freeman into one. As David Broder puts it today, this is "an ignominious end to one of the most distinguished international careers in American government."

The Obama administration obviously figured that Freeman was too marginal a figure to battle for. But some of his most vociferous critics, particularly among the neoconservatives, may have feared that as head of the intelligence council he would have taken a very hard look indeed at the issue of Iranian nuclear ambitions. Their real complain, then, wouldn't have been that he threatened to politicize intelligence, but would have politicized it enough.

President Obama would do well to ponder the implications of this ferocious battle over a seemingly trivial post. The Freeman dust-up may prove to be a harbinger of future battles over the Obama administration's outreach to Syria and Iran as well as its policies toward Israel. Freeman may be gone, but the rancor left behind by the gutting of his nomination will not go away quickly.

Comments

[jollyelle]

There are very few in our Congress who dare comment on Israeli policy. They are scared to have an opinion, lest they lose their career. That's very, very sad.

[dadw5boys]

If you want to understand how Israel really views Americans.

Read an Israeli Spokenmans words yourself.


http://www.daily.pk/world/americas/9334-israeli-spokesman-says-we-control-stupid-americans.htmll

[dadw5boys]

Written by www.daily.pk
Sunday, 01 February 2009 01:09
"Another Israeli spokeswoman, Tzipora Menache, stated that she was not worried about negative ramifications the Israeli onslaught on Gaza might have on the way the Obama administration would view Israel. She said 'You know very well, and the stupid Americans know equally well, that we control their government, irrespective of who sits in the White House. You see, I know it and you know it that no American president can be in a position to challenge us even if we do the unthinkable. What can they (Americans) do to us? We control congress, we control the media, we control show biz, and we control everything in America. In America you can criticize God, but you can't criticize Israel."

[JacksonJones]

One can find stupid comments by people in any country any day of the week. That does not make them true (as your own comments on this fora demonstrate).

[frontstreet]

For those of you old enough to remember, there was a famous Twilight Zone episode in which a cute six-year-old (Billy Mumy) had special powers he would use to banish into oblivion anyone who dared to think or speak a negative thought about him. All the adults around him were reduced to doing everything he wanted, including sitting around in party hats and singing his favortie songs, and they lavished praised on him out of fear that they might be banished "to the corn field." Listening to politicians talk about Israel always reminds me of that episode.

I am a big supporter of Israel and its security, but the stranglehold that AIPAC has on American politicians drowns out other more reasonable voices in support of Israel, and unfortunately does not serve the long term interests of Israel. Yes, Israel is worried about Iran (with good reason), but even if we were to bomb Iran and destroy its nuclear capability (and kick off WWIII), there would soon be another country in the region that poses a similar threat. We can't play whack-a-mole forever. And we have our own serious threats to deal with, notably Pakistan.

[-0013]

That was the Twilight Zone movie.

[chaos4700]

Way to stay on topic.

[skialethia]

nypoet22

"changing the discussion is really the only option, that's the whole bloody point. aipac is an organization, not an individual. for all you know, many aipac members might agree with your positions, but if you lump them all together with anyone who might support some of their positions, then you won't reduce the influence you oppose in the slightest, only strengthen it."

************************************************************

I happen to believe that Aipac is a dangerous organization and should be federally investigated. Now, maybe some members choose to be members because of their support of or allegiance to Israel, that's fine, but the organization as a whole has been too directly involved in pressuring American foreign policy, Iraq war being a prime example, as well as certain U.N. decisions, and they have too much influence over members of Congress; and the lone voices of dissent in Congress are often ridiculed, alienated or silenced when in fact they often voice the opinion of millions of American citizens who unfortunately are powerless because this group manoeuvers to silence them and impose the will of Israel over the will of millions of Americans!

These are strategic times; and not a time to pussyfoot around anymore and allow the same disastrous conclusions to evolve! It is precisely by not speaking out and shouting down the drumbeat that we went to war in Iraq! This can never happen again!

[nypoet22]

Just like our policies toward Iran, our Israel policies (and their consequences) are less about what we say than how we say it. The Left needs to recognize that its Israel rhetoric has taken on the same self-righteous, haughty character as the Right's Iran rhetoric - both have legitimate points, but their manner of phrasing those points is non-productive, and makes needless enemies out of potential allies within both countries. Neither Iran nor Israel is a monolith, and both need to be criticized respectfully. Because Israel has more political clout in the U.S., its domestic allies often try to silence valid criticism because it is phrased disrespectfully. Israel's government ought to be criticized, but diplomats need to make their criticism constructive, not pejorative. The Left's heart is in the right place, but their discourse needs to change.

If not, all that will result is gridlock. Freeman is just another needless casualty of this problem.

[skialethia]

Come on now...since when has the U.S. criticized Israel on anything??? That's the problem; as far as they're concerned any criticism must be shut down; any criticism is too much criticism. Israel has been indulged by the U.S. long enough! I'll go as far as saying that we created a "monster"!

[nypoet22]

People have been afraid to criticize because they don't know how.

You don't call names or make bombastic references to "Israel" or the "Israel Lobby," because (right or wrong) to most Jews that just sounds like you're criticizing all Jews everywhere. Heck, you might as well call us the axis of evil for all the good it does. Almost all of us (not just aipac) will speak loudly and passionately on Israel's behalf, without needing any organized lobby to do so. People on all ends of the political spectrum need to learn to criticize poor leaders without denigrating the nations they happen to be leading. How do you like it when people hold you personally responsible for all the problems George Bush has laid on the rest of the world?

[nypoet22]

many people have not criticized because they don't know the right way to do it. the US should not criticize "israel," it should criticize the individual leaders and their poor decisions. that's a whole country with many diverse opinions; criticizing the country would alienate potential allies, not just the guys leading it.

[skialethia]

nomoredead:

"Thanks to this smear campaign the curtain is being pulled back to expose what has been happening in politics for years."

**********************************************************************

I love this imagery: "the curtain is being pulled back to expose"!

Allow me to use it this way:

Thanks to the lynching of Chas Freeman, the curtain is being pulled back on a lobby group that we have always suspected of being the driving force behind one of the most disastrous foreign policy decisions this country ever made.

(Google Douglas Feith, wiki and note his Israeli ties, his Aipac ties and friends and the power he exerted within the Pentagon during the Iraq war)

No matter how illegal the actions of Israel, the U.S. always votes against U.N. Resolutions destined to correct or sanction those actions. Why??? If you replace Israel by any other country committing human rights violations or breaking International Law, you will see the U.S. backing that Resolution.

.../Part 2

[skialethia]

Part 2.

After Obama had his inauguration I stated right here that unless Obama slays the dragon, AIPAC, he will never own his power or his conscience, it will own him.

For nauseating proof of just how much power they wield, remind yourselves of how some (too many) Congressmen(women) reacted to the brutal, barbaric, disproportionate invasion against Gaza:

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1053951.html

And those were just the ones who were brazen enough to go before the mike!

Now that this curtain has been pulled back, we must focus as much attention as possible on Aipac. We must shine the neon light on Aipac. We must dig up everything possible on Aipac.

WE MUST EXPOSE EVERYTHING THAT LIES HIDDEN BEHIND THAT CURTAIN!!!

[nunzia]

Why????
Maybe because it's the only democracy in the Middle East. Surrounded by fundamentalist, women-abusing zealots who want to drive Israel into the sea.

When the Palestinians vote out Hamas, I'll pay attention to what those of you who see some parity between Hamas and Israel.

[skialethia]

Good luck with that! If you go into the World section here you will see an article that states that Hamas is now condemning groups who continue to fire rockets and are trying to sabotage the truce.

Also Hamas is in negotiations with Fatah to form a unity government for the Palestinians.

So what will you do when you no longer have a strawman to use against giving Palestinians a sovereign state and returning all stolen land? What "will" you do???

By the way, I don't see Israel as a democracy right now. I see a fascist/aprtheid state evolving.

[liz]

Interesting --- We should force the Palestinians to renounce their elected leaders, but embrace the right wing neocon militaristic Israeli elected leaders.

[Pippen]

POTUS needs to appoint another CIO that is more outspoken and ardent at voicing opposing views to AIPAC. That way the agenda for AIPAC will again surface to the light of day and weaken their political efforts to control the Intelligence Strategy for U.S. involvement overseas.

[nypoet22]

it's not the outspokenness that matters, it's who you criticize and how you do it. don't knock the whole country, lay the blame on the individuals responsible.

[skialethia]

Where is Pippen knocking "a whole country" I only see him see him criticizing Aipac's power here. Stop trying to change the discussion. He actually IS blaming the individuals responsible....Aipac.

[skialethia]

I don't see where Pippen is knocking a "whole country"? I think you are trying to protect Aipac and trying to deflect the conversation away from Aipac.

[Jezreel]

PTA: "President Obama would do well to ponder the implications of this ferocious battle over a seemingly trivial post. The Freeman dust-up may prove to be a harbinger of future battles over the Obama administration's outreach to Syria and Iran as well as its policies toward Israel. Freeman may be gone, but the rancor left behind by the gutting of his nomination will not go away quickly."

I concur wholeheartedly with the author.

[nomoredead]

Exactly correct.

[SPQR1775]

"Thanks to this smear campaign Freeman's perspective is now being heard about by millions of people that would have never noticed before.
Thanks to this smear campaign the curtain is being pulled back to expose what has been happening in politics for years.
Thanks to this smear campaign things are being discussed around the world that had been considered taboo to talk about until now. Thanks AIPAC."

Agreed, and it will be a good day soon when ISRAEL and the NEO's whether they wear the clothing of Democrats (DINO'S) or are Bushites, NEO-Globalist, Neo-Corporate or those who seek to impose an IMPERIAL WORLD VIEW will be brought tubling down. YES, THE WORLD IS BECOMING VERY AWARE and as Gorbachev said we need our own awakening. The time for CHANGE is now, we all need to "LIFT EVERY VOICE AND DEMAND CHANGE" PRESIDENT O cannot do it alone and his administration is already infiltrated by the NEO'S. Also, Feinstein, Shumer, Lieberman, Rahm, Clinton, and numerous others are the biggest infiltrators of all. Hillary was a Republican, then she switch to DINO's, these people are all strategically place to end the union and imposed a GLOBALIST AGENDA. "UNITE THE UNION-CHANGE WASHINGTON"

[Jimmyboyo]

You are NOT helping

"Israel"

NO

Right wing Likud party leaning JEWS. There are many left leaning Jews in Israel and around the world

Jews are not monolithic. Freeman himself is a JEW

[nunzia]

When it comes to Israel, I watch the posters at this site very carefully.
There is a fine line between ages-old anti-semitic scape-goating and this phoney "left" fervor for Palestine.
Wanna' bet most of 'em don't even know what the hell Hamas is.
This issue becomes a nifty shield for people who need to hate someone, anyone.

[Lafinurbis]

I agree. It is not the Jews, but the right wing parties (Likud, Israel Beitenyu and Shas) of the great State of Israel and the consequent attitude of its Representatives, Senators and geverment officials such as Shummer, Lieberman, Hartman, Emanuel among others

[nomoredead]

Thanks to this smear campaign Freeman's perspective is now being heard about by millions of people that would have never noticed before.
Thanks to this smear campaign the curtain is being pulled back to expose what has been happening in politics for years.
Thanks to this smear campaign things are being discussed around the world that had been considered taboo to talk about until now.
Thanks AIPAC.

[TribunusPlebis]

Charles Freeman's independent perspective and willingness to challenge conventional wisdom is what the National Intelligence Council needed, as Obama's DNI was aware. That speaks well of Dennis Blair's perspective -- if not of Obama's political persistence, for abandoning Freeman to the never-criticize-Israel lobby. Why did the White House do that? Why decline to defend the guy you believed in? Here's a hypothesis: If Netanyahu insists on taking military action against Iran -- which everyone knows is possible -- and Obama wants to block it, he will need all the political capital he can muster vis-a-vis congressional politicians who otherwise apologize for all Israeli actions. He's done a favor to people like Schumer for not doubling down on Freeman. So they will listen with more respect to any case he may have to make that the U.S. will have to part ways with Israel if it tries to start a war with Iran. The latter would have this horrendous side effect: It would send oil prices back up into the stratosphere and extinguish any chance of a global economic recovery starting this year, as well as damage the U.S. effort to correct the drift of Afghanistan back into chaos (because a war with Iran would inflame Islamists, empower al Qaeda, and make our European allies even less willing to contemplate helping the U.S. in Afghanistan). Much more is at stake than who sits in chairs on the National Intelligence Council.

[BiggerBiggerPicture]

Need a congressional hearing on this: why is he so scare? and scared of what?

[JeffKolakowski]

In mentioning that Steve Rosen is the one who started the campaign against Freeman, Heilbrunn failed to mention that Rosen is currently on trial for spying on the U.S. for Israel. How is it that such a person has any credibility at all? The word of a spy is good enough for most of the American government and press as long as the spy works for Israel.

[bobwalters]

'Twas ever thus! Until this country puts Israel in its proper place in the over-all scheme of things in the world, AIPAC et al, will continue to dictate US foreign policy -- and do so with impunity, recognizing that they have sufficiently laid the groundwork to brow-beat anyone who opposes ANYTHING Israel does/wants/says as anti-Semitic. Clearly, not all Israelis support the Israeli government, as a quick perusal of their local press will demonstrate. But woe be unto anyone in the US -- Jew or non-Jew -- who presumes to criticize Israel, its government or its policies. It's LONG past time for that to change, as this flap so clearly illustrates.

[DesertDogAlpha]

I am an admirer of Freeman, but we may be in a perfect triangle in terms of normalizing the US relationship with Israel such that they get treated like only an ally (perhaps along the lines of Turkey for instance) Reasons:

1) Steve Rosen of AIPAC is accused of passing along classified US material to Israel (not as bad as Pollard but it is manna that Rosen led Freeman critics). And now Rosen is now suing AIPAC for defamation!
2) Netanyahu will take extremist actions against the Palestinians, that will violate human rights - plus he won't act against the illegal settlements. Add the racist Russian Lieberman's statements in Israel, and the case makes itself.
3) Thinking Americans will be furious at the railroading of Freeman.

We will see in stark relief who is American or Israeli. Nothing wrong with being an Israeli but recognize that the US is not your country and that US national interests will, as with Turkey, not always line up with those of your country.

The withdrawal of Freeman from the NIC job is a loss to the nation. Meanwhile the kibbutznick, Dennis Ross, continues as special envoy to Iran and the Persian Gulf -- no bias there I suppose?