The WaPo ain’t buying Charles Freeman’s talk of the "lobby" pulling the strings that led to his withdrawal as chairman of the National Intelligence Council. This is from an editorial to appear in its Thursday editions:
It wasn’t until Mr. Freeman withdrew from consideration for the job, however, that it became clear just how bad a selection Director of National Intelligence Dennis C. Blair had made. Mr. Freeman issued a two-page screed on Tuesday in which he described himself as the victim of a shadowy and sinister "Lobby" whose "tactics plumb the depths of dishonor and indecency" and which is "intent on enforcing adherence to the policies of a foreign government." Yes, Mr. Freeman was referring to Americans who support Israel — and his statement was a grotesque libel.
For the record, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee says that it took no formal position on Mr. Freeman’s appointment and undertook no lobbying against him. If there was a campaign, its leaders didn’t bother to contact the Post editorial board. According to a report by Newsweek, Mr. Freeman’s most formidable critic — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — was incensed by his position on dissent in China.
This a kind of AIPAC two-fer for the Post; on Wednesday, its editorial page called on the Obama administration to drop the classified information charges against former staffers, Steve Rosen and Keith Weissman.
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