Israel stance was undoing of nominee for intelligence post.
12 March 2009: WASHINGTON: When Dennis Blair, the director of national intelligence, announced that he would install Charles Freeman Jr. in a top intelligence post, the decision surprised some in the White House who worried that the selection could be controversial and an unnecessary distraction, according to administration officials.
Just how controversial the choice would be became clear on Tuesday, when Freeman, a former ambassador to Saudi Arabia under the first President George W. Bush, angrily withdrew his name from consideration and charged that he had been the victim of a concerted campaign by what he called "the Israel lobby."
Freeman had long been critical of Israel, with a bluntness that American officials rarely voice in public about a staunch American ally. In 2006, he warned that, "left to its own devices, the Israeli establishment will make decisions that harm Israelis, threaten all associated with them and enrage those who are not."
He did not soften his tone even on Wednesday, saying in an interview that "Israel is driving itself toward a cliff, and it is irresponsible not to question Israeli policy and to decide what is best for the American people." More >>>
One has to question the reason for which a state has intelligence analysts. Presumably, it is to give their best analysis of a particular situation. In the case of Charles Freeman Jr, he appears to have one of the few clear views, inside the beltway, of the Israeli policies in the Middle East, however these apparently do not mesh with the objectives of the country. Editor.
