The Freeman affair: commentators ask how much longer will the US dance to Israel's tune?

Charles (Chas) Freeman, who was put forward by the Obama administration to be the new chairman of the National Intelligence Council, has now withdrawn after the intervention of what he describes as a "Lobby intent on enforcing the will and interests of a foreign government".

"I regret that my willingness to serve the new administration has ended by casting doubt on its ability to consider, let alone decide what policies might best serve the interests of the United States rather than those of a Lobby intent on enforcing the will and interests of a foreign government.

"The outrageous agitation that followed the leak of my pending appointment will be seen by many to raise serious questions about whether the Obama administration will be able to make its own decisions about the Middle East and related issues." Freeman said.

Since the news was leaked of his nomination, the pro-Israel lobby has been up in arms because of Freeman's perceived history of opposition to Israel's policies in Palestine.

Excellent article by Glen Greenwald on Salon in a wide-ranging survey detailing the weakening of the hold of the neocon/Israel lobby in Washington, despite the mugging of Freeman. For example:

The Atlantic's James Fallows and Daniel Larison both compellingly document that the real issue here is whether the suffocating prohibition on government officials' questioning U.S. policy toward Israel will continue, or whether the range of permissive debate on this vital question will finally be expanded.

US foreign policy is not so much dictated by Israel as coincides with it. Israel is the US's watchdog in the Middle East, keeping the uppity oil-rich Arabs in check, with the help of some local dictators.

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