‘Washington Note’ calls Freeman assailants ‘cabal’ with higher loyalty to Israel

by on March 8, 2009 6

Here's Charles Freeman, a foreign policy guy himself, defending his father Chas Freeman, Obama's pick to head the National Intelligence Council, from the attacks of the Israel-firsters, in a guest appearance at the Washington Note. Notable for a few points:
--Freeman uses the c-word, "cabal," for the Israel lobby and describes Goldberg, Peretz et al as having greater loyalty to Israel than to the US. This stuff used to be radioactive. Now we hear it everywhere.
--There's a suggestion here that Goldberg, Chait, Peretz etc have overplayed their hand. Steve Clemons of the Note is mainstream. Freeman is getting some mainstream backup. The Israel lobby may have overplayed its hand here, and isolated itself. 
--Piece ends with a Yiddish word, schmucks. Bill Kristol once called Walt and Mearsheimer "schmucks." The stuff they said was mild compared to this... And Kristol's history.

About Philip Weiss

Philip Weiss is Founder and Co-Editor of Mondoweiss.net.
Posted in Israel Lobby, Israel/Palestine, Neocons, US Policy in the Middle East, US Politics

{ 6 comments... read them below or add one }

  1. MRW. says:
    March 8, 2009 at 8:14 pm

    Read the comments in the Freeman Fils piece. The dam has broken.

    You're right, Phil: The Israel lobby may have [has] overplayed its hand here, and isolated itself.

  2. Sand says:
    March 8, 2009 at 8:40 pm

    Noticed that Steve Clemons has gone off on vacation to get "recharged", but forgot to post a digital file of the event: Congressional Views on US Approaches to Gaza, as promised :-(

    Congressional Views on US Approaches to Gaza
    with Rep. Keith Ellison, Rep Brian Baird and Daniel Levy!

  3. americangoy says:
    March 8, 2009 at 9:07 pm

    "'Washington Note' calls Freeman assailants 'cabal' with higher loyalty to Israel"

    Holy ****!

    Holy ****!

    Holy ****!

  4. Oscar says:
    March 8, 2009 at 10:19 pm

    Whoa, way to go, Junior! Chas. Sr. himself has refused to dignify the cabal's shrill slanderous chorus — why should he? He is the handpicked choice of Dennis Blair and is not subject to Senate (or AIPAC) approval. But that doesn't mean the son can't speak up for the father. Phil is right — this kind of dialogue was unthinkable in the Bush administration. "Dishonest Abe" Foxman would usually be able to screech like a schoolgirl, "anti-Semitism, anti-Semitism!" which would thoroughly discredit Charles, Jr. in the AIPAC echo chamber. Now it seems like a bunch of hissy-fitter, pantywaisted, Israel-firsters who have been outed by the blogosphere. Strange times indeed.

  5. Rowan Berkeley says:
    March 8, 2009 at 11:07 pm

    I don't find Steven Clemens and his 'Washington Note' very significant, though it does I suppose carry a lot of insider gossip. I get a feeling of excessive controlledness, despite all the rebellious comments found there, just as I do with Joshua Landis' Syria Comment blog, and various others.There are far too many uncritical references in the articles posted there to blatant right wing sources which just pump out CIA disinfo, for instance. In other words, I wouldn't trust these people.

  6. Sand says:
    March 8, 2009 at 11:24 pm

    Rowan:

    Totally agree… but occasionally Clemons slips gives some good insider stuff that correlates with other sites, news articles etc. which can be useful to piece things together — But yes Clemons has been know to 'quickly retreat' and become 'controlled' per se. However, remember he's not a total free agent — The blog is his, but he has his think tank benefactors, and those invites to cocktail parties to consider as well.

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