Comments on: A Botched Hit On Chas Freeman http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/03/09/a-botched-hit-on-chas-freeman/ Thu, 26 Nov 2009 16:42:01 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: M. Duss http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/03/09/a-botched-hit-on-chas-freeman/comment-page-1/#comment-121165 M. Duss Wed, 11 Mar 2009 20:51:06 +0000 http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/03/09/a-botched-hit-on-chas-freeman/#comment-121165 Let's try again: <em>The real crux of Kramer’s argument is the shift itself. Of course Islamic extremism has something to do with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.</em> That’s simply false. Kramer charges Freeman with saying one thing before 9/11, and with offering a completely contradictory analysis afterward, and then theorizes — based on no evidence — that this was because the Saudis cut Freeman a check. Let’s try again:

The real crux of Kramer’s argument is the shift itself. Of course Islamic extremism has something to do with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

That’s simply false. Kramer charges Freeman with saying one thing before 9/11, and with offering a completely contradictory analysis afterward, and then theorizes — based on no evidence — that this was because the Saudis cut Freeman a check.

]]> By: M. Duss http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/03/09/a-botched-hit-on-chas-freeman/comment-page-1/#comment-121164 M. Duss Wed, 11 Mar 2009 20:49:43 +0000 http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/03/09/a-botched-hit-on-chas-freeman/#comment-121164 <em>The real crux of Kramer’s argument is the shift itself. Of course Islamic extremism has something to do with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.</em><em> That's simply false. Kramer charges Freeman with saying one thing before 9/11, and with offering a completely contradictory analysis afterward, and then theorizes -- based on no evidence -- that this was because the Saudis cut Freeman a check.</em> The real crux of Kramer’s argument is the shift itself. Of course Islamic extremism has something to do with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

That’s simply false. Kramer charges Freeman with saying one thing before 9/11, and with offering a completely contradictory analysis afterward, and then theorizes — based on no evidence — that this was because the Saudis cut Freeman a check.

]]> By: Kevin http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/03/09/a-botched-hit-on-chas-freeman/comment-page-1/#comment-120212 Kevin Mon, 09 Mar 2009 21:01:15 +0000 http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/03/09/a-botched-hit-on-chas-freeman/#comment-120212 This post doesn't really reconcile Freeman's conflicting statements. All you've manged to do here is explain how you, Freeman and Osama bin Laden might argue for a change in American-Israeli policy. Not very compelling stuff. The <em>real</em> crux of Kramer's argument is the shift itself. Of course Islamic extremism has something to do with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I believe that, you clearly believe that, and yes, so does Osama bin Laden. But according to Chas Freeman, it has <em><strong>nothing</strong></em> to do with Israel. But then, after 9/11, it did. Freeman's views on the attacks changed with the Saudi embassy's. Saudi Arabia - which does its part to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by serving as the Islamic world's distribution center for antisemitic text books - was in a PR scramble, since several of their own citizens were implicated, including the figurehead/mastermind. Freeman's mind changed with their fax machine. So the question then is why? This post doesn’t really reconcile Freeman’s conflicting statements. All you’ve manged to do here is explain how you, Freeman and Osama bin Laden might argue for a change in American-Israeli policy. Not very compelling stuff.

The real crux of Kramer’s argument is the shift itself. Of course Islamic extremism has something to do with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I believe that, you clearly believe that, and yes, so does Osama bin Laden.

But according to Chas Freeman, it has nothing to do with Israel. But then, after 9/11, it did. Freeman’s views on the attacks changed with the Saudi embassy’s. Saudi Arabia – which does its part to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by serving as the Islamic world’s distribution center for antisemitic text books – was in a PR scramble, since several of their own citizens were implicated, including the figurehead/mastermind.

Freeman’s mind changed with their fax machine. So the question then is why?

]]> By: Alex http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/03/09/a-botched-hit-on-chas-freeman/comment-page-1/#comment-120198 Alex Mon, 09 Mar 2009 20:44:15 +0000 http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/03/09/a-botched-hit-on-chas-freeman/#comment-120198 Fair enough. I agree with you there. Fair enough. I agree with you there.

]]> By: M. Duss http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/03/09/a-botched-hit-on-chas-freeman/comment-page-1/#comment-120149 M. Duss Mon, 09 Mar 2009 16:47:12 +0000 http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/03/09/a-botched-hit-on-chas-freeman/#comment-120149 I don't defend his comments on Tiananmen Square, nor do I subscribe to his brand of realism, but I am interested in pushing back on unfair attacks on him that are clearly intended to police the debate on Israel. I don’t defend his comments on Tiananmen Square, nor do I subscribe to his brand of realism, but I am interested in pushing back on unfair attacks on him that are clearly intended to police the debate on Israel.

]]> By: Alex http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/03/09/a-botched-hit-on-chas-freeman/comment-page-1/#comment-120142 Alex Mon, 09 Mar 2009 16:21:22 +0000 http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/03/09/a-botched-hit-on-chas-freeman/#comment-120142 I'm not sure defending Chas Freeman is such a good liberal cause. Have you read <a href="http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2009/02/the_realist_chas_freeman.asp" rel="nofollow">his comments on Tiananmen Square</a>? I’m not sure defending Chas Freeman is such a good liberal cause. Have you read his comments on Tiananmen Square?

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