Saudi/Manchurian candidate bites the dust

Obama administration DNI Dennis Blair has announced that Charles W. (“Chas”) Freeman, Jr. has requested that his selection to be chairman of the National Intelligence Council not proceed. Director Blair says that he accepted Freeman’s decision with regret. In a sign of his then impending withdrawal, Freeman failed to appear as scheduled at today’s House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence hearing.

Via FOX News.

UPDATE: Bret Stephens and Ronald Radosh both commented on Freeman today with analyses that remain worth reading.

Just a few days ago MIchael Goldfarb wrote: “So far the Washington Post and the New York Times have failed to run a single news story on the controversy surrounding Freeman’s appointment to a key intelligence post.” Have they since Goldfarb wrote on March 5? It strikes me that this is an updated version of the events leading to Eason Jordan’s resignation from CNN, an Internet-only story until the moment Jordan stepped down.

Goldfarb added regarding Freeman: “The AP is busy writing about Sasha and Malia’s new swing set. Perhaps an official investigation, launched with bipartisan support in Congress and involving a steaming pile of political hypocrisy, will be enough to warrant a report.”

MORE: Kevin Williamson credits Eli Lake and the Washington Times for their critical contribution to the Freeman story.

ONE MORE: Mark Steyn adds: “Don’t read all about it!”

THIS JUST IN: Freeman blames “unscrupulous people with a passionate attachment to the views of a political faction in a foreign country.”

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