“I’m in a position to redefine my life and to press the “reset button“, and you don’t get that very often,” an angry Charles W. Freeman said, as he withdrew his name from consideration to the position of Chairman of the National Intelligence Council. As the Chairman of NIC he would have overseen the production of what are supposed to be policy-neutral intelligence assessments destined for the president’s desk. But, he volunteered to withdraw his name when his critics asked for Congressional investigation of his “past and current activities on behalf of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
He is a former ambassador to Saudi Arabia under the first President Bush and he charged that he had been the victim of a concerted campaign by what he called “the Israel lobby.”
He has been credited with numerous anti Israeli utterances. On the Middle East, his critics said- Mr. Freeman’s views are “what you would expect in the Saudi Foreign Ministry,” rather than from someone who would become essentially the government’s top intelligence analyst.
On Tiananmen Square crackdown his views were more pronounced, he said it was not “acceptable for any country to allow the heart of its national capital to be occupied by dissidents intent on disrupting the normal functions of government, however appealing to foreigners their propaganda may be.”
He has been credited with lopsided views on the countries that really matter to America today. But he offers to be a turn-coat when he was presented with an opportunity to occupy an Intelligence position, that could put the reports directly on the desk of the President. That is something incomprehensible to a layperson like me. You cant change so suddenly, what you have acquired throughout your life.
Hillary Clinton, presented Russians with an option of “Reset Button”, it was accepted by the Russians. A complete change in the foreign policy is possible on that front, as the people at the helm change. Reset and start with some freshness. But how can a person, whose views are shaped by his thinking throughout life, can change so suddenly?
Forcing his withdrawal is a real triumph to the right thinking people of America.
Tags: China, Freeman, NIC, Reset, Saudi Arabia
March 17, 2009 at 10:18 pm |
The troubling thing is the very nomination by Obama of this racist Arabist man for such an important post… to begin with…
March 23, 2009 at 4:05 pm |
The selection itself was flawed, done without much thinking. Good, that democracy, and reasoning triumphed.