Apparently Chas W. Freeman, president of the Middle East Policy Council (MEPC), really has been appointed chair of the National Intelligence Council (NIC).
It's Obie's first interesting appointment if so; Freeman is an old diplomatic hand who formerly served as ambassador to Saudi Arabia, and he and MEPC have been strikingly severe critics of Israel.
Needless to say the Israel lobby and its noise machine have been going crazy.
Just a gesture toward the Saudis, maybe? Or will Freeman actually have some influence on policy? It would be fun to see him and Rahm Emmanuel in the same room; Freeman is no dope and has a sharp tongue in his head.
This will be interesting to follow. There have been some recent indications that Israel and its advocates are beginning to wear on the nerves of at least some elite elements in US society. I would love to believe that this is another straw in the wind.
Comments (11)
Jim Lobe has some interesting details.
http://www.ips.org/blog/jimlobe/?p=229
I wouldn't be surprised if his appointment was at least in part a reaction to the Israeli elite's arrogant personal style, even if it means no serious change in policy.
Posted by Al Schumann | February 24, 2009 3:51 PM
Posted on February 24, 2009 15:51
We can dream, can't we!
Who are these elite elements for whom the Israeli line seems to be wearing thin? If true, the appointment of Netanyahu could be the final straw.
Posted by seneca | February 24, 2009 5:08 PM
Posted on February 24, 2009 17:08
Israeli elite's arrogant personal style? Whacya talking about? Dont' you remember what happened to brother Andy Young?
Posted by sk | February 24, 2009 8:26 PM
Posted on February 24, 2009 20:26
Gotta agree with sk, and point out that, if true, this would be a chicken in the fox-house.
But it ain't.
This is not the guy in charge of the policy or the negotiations. If it means anything, it's probably a sign that Obama wants to market the coming Israeli unilateral "two-state settlement" to the Saudis.
As a preface to his tame observations about basic facts, this guy claims "we've given up our role as peacemakers." When was that?
MJS, I think you've been slightly infected with the low expectations that SMBIVA exists to save from the Memory Hole.
Posted by Michael Dawson | February 24, 2009 10:30 PM
Posted on February 24, 2009 22:30
As to which elite elements might be getting impatient with The Light Of The Nations(tm), I dunno. I thought the appearance of the Mearsheimer/Walt book was a straw in the wind; ditto Jimmy's Carter's less substantial but more inflammatory book (he said the A-word!).
And then, of course, in spite of the all the Dershowitz clones running around and baying at the moon, it has gotten easier and more acceptable in respectable circles to say harsh and caustic things about TLOTN.
So I can't identify the elements in question -- I haven't been invited to a meeting of the ruling class in, Christ, it's years now. But I have a sense that they're out there -- though maybe it's just wishful thinking.
Michael D certainly has a point -- my expectations are indeed so low that this appointment actually surprised me.
Posted by MJS | February 24, 2009 10:49 PM
Posted on February 24, 2009 22:49
Well, we don't do much analysis of the US-Saudi alliance here on the left, do we? IMHO, the Saudi "royals" are just about as interested in letting the I-P fight die down as is our own overclass.
If it ever happened, the next item on everybody's agenda would be petro-politics.
The next package will be "offering" the Ps a waterless, Jerusalem-less bantustan patch as a "new" solution, then, 1-2-3 ready-or-not-here-we-come, another 20-year license for war by the Is, after the Ps say no, one way or another.
Posted by Michael Dawson | February 24, 2009 11:10 PM
Posted on February 24, 2009 23:10
I guess we shot that little fantasy full of holes!
Anyway, what is the NIC? If it's that new "Intelligence Czar" stuck on top of all the Intel agencies, then it could be totally powerless.
Posted by seneca | February 25, 2009 10:35 AM
Posted on February 25, 2009 10:35
It seems like the man is old-school, perhaps signaling a return to a pre-mutant era of foreign policy stylings. The real test will be Iran, and he doesn't seem particularly disposed to carry the Likud's water for that noble cause.
And yeah, he and Rahm should make quite a team. All we need is Dorothy Lamour.
Posted by Peter | February 25, 2009 7:43 PM
Posted on February 25, 2009 19:43
"US-Saudi alliance " ???
my dear md ...
the saud family
is uncle hyjacks
painted whore
"alliance" is way to nice a word
for
what's barely more then
a bent over the cannon fuck fest
Posted by op | February 26, 2009 10:42 AM
Posted on February 26, 2009 10:42
True dat, op-san.
Funny how tough it is to comprehend the depth of the ME clusterfuck "we've" done.
Posted by Michael Dawson | February 26, 2009 2:29 PM
Posted on February 26, 2009 14:29
Two points that come to mind:
a) That a principled shift in policy is do to public pressure not Freeman nor Carter nor kindred others.
b) If this simply reflects the a shift in elite priories nothing to do with public pressure we have little to celebrate. It simply means the terror will be focused somewhere else, on some other people.
Posted by Peter Ward | February 27, 2009 8:19 PM
Posted on February 27, 2009 20:19