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Earlier, on March 3, WorldTribune reported that the Center for Security Policy had identified Freeman as part of the 'Iran lobby'.
Criticism escalated on March 9 after Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) cited his “concern” about “statements that [Freeman] has made that appear either to be inclined to lean against Israel or too much in favor of China,” Politico reported.
Freeman was reported to have described “Israeli violence against Palestinians” as a major obstacle to Mideast peace, and cited violence in Tibet last year – widely reported as an uprising against Chinese occupation – as a “race riot.”
The NIC is responsible for the National Intelligence
Estimate, said to reflect the assessment of the 16 agencies in the U.S.
intelligence community.
In 2007, NIE asserted that Iran had terminated its
nuclear weapons program in 2003, a claim later renounced by senior officials
in the Bush administration.
Although Democratic congressmen and blog sites such as the Huffington Post rallied to his defense, Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), said Freeman's nomination ultimately was doomed by the fact that he sat on the board of a Chinese state oil company and his involvement with an institute funded by Saudi royalty, according to Politico.
"The administration made yet another mistake not doing its homework before nominating someone to a senior position of unique sensitivity, and then learned from the press further and further embarrassing details," Kirk said.
In a March 5 letter, House Minority Leader Rep. John Boehner and
party whip Rep. Eric Cantor said Freeman served on an international advisory board of the
China-owned CNOOC.
In 2007, the Chinese firm
signed a $16 billion agreement with Iran to develop an oil field.
Since 1997,
Freeman was president of the Middle East Policy Council, which he
acknowledged had received funds from Saudi Arabia.
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