DNI Blair: Controversial Chas Freeman Comments ‘All Been Out of Context’
EmailAt a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing this morning, Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair said that the many quotes of Freeman’s that critics are taking issue with are being twisted.
"As far as the statements that have appeared in the press, I would say that, I would say that those have all been out of context," Blair said. "And I urge everyone to look at the full context of what he was saying."
Every time we’ve written of Freeman’s quotes — "We have paid heavily and often in treasure for our unflinching support and unstinting subsidies of Israel’s approach to managing its relations with the Arabs. Five years ago, we began to pay with the blood of our citizens here at home," he said, for instance — we provided the links to the whole speech, if they existed.
I agree with Admiral Blair: check out the context for yourself.
Congressional Quarterly today reports that Admiral Blair has written a response letter to critics concerned about Freeman, writing that Freeman’s employer, the Middle East Policy Council, received no more than a twelfth of its annual budget from Saudi Arabia, has never been a lobbyist, and would not serve him in any policy capacity, among other things.
– jpt
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If nothing else, Freeman’s son’s imprudent remarks should sink him.
Posted by: Plumber | March 10, 2009, 2:01 pm 2:01 pm
It’s not as if Freeman has been hiding his opinions, so everyone knows where he’s coming from. The job is analysis, and everyone seems to agree he’s good at that. The status quo isn’t working, and we need new ideas. Does anyone actually disagree with that? The last thing we need is a rubber stamp political hack, cherry-picking facts (don’t mention the settlements!) to justify the status quo. We need the facts, the whole facts, and nothing but the facts – then let the chips fall where they may.
Right now, I’m concerned about the growing illegal settlements, now openly bragged about by Israel’s government. The US was told there would be no expansion, but apparently Israel’s government uses a different dictionary. Israel has a right to exist and the US should support it, but ‘Greater Israel’ doesn’t and the US shouldn’t.
The US didn’t treat Japan and Germany, also occupied territories, this way. That method worked, Israel’s method hasn’t. Not for 60 years. How many more years are they going to continue repeating the same mistakes of the past? A hundred? A thousand? And how is the US helping by being an enabler? The best thing we can do is get everyone involved, stick to the facts, and work out a two-state solution that’s fair to everyone.
Posted by: Tom J | March 10, 2009, 2:29 pm 2:29 pm
“As far as the statements that have appeared in the press, I would say that, I would say that those have all been out of context,” Blair said. “And I urge everyone to look at the full context of what he was saying.”
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Is this the new standard? If so, why is the WH focused on four, out of context words by Rush Limbaugh?
Posted by: mad | March 10, 2009, 3:25 pm 3:25 pm
The full monty on Freemen doesn’t help his case at all.
Posted by: mad | March 10, 2009, 3:27 pm 3:27 pm
Well, he’s pulled out now so Israel can feel confident in continuing to expand its illegal settlements. Aboutt half a million people live in them. Think about it.
Posted by: Tom J | March 10, 2009, 11:38 pm 11:38 pm