As is currently known, Charles Freeman withdrew his name as a candidate for Chairman of the National Intelligence Council.

As an FYI and for a differing view of Mr. Freeman’s nomination, read Salon columns by Glenn Greenwald: Charles Freeman, Roger Cohen and the changing Israel debate & Charles Freeman fails the loyalty test and listen to an interview with Greenwald in Hour 2 on the Hugh Hewitt Radio Program (3/12/09)  LISTEN TO MP3. 

Update: Also read Stephen Walt’s response to Freeman’s withdrawal from consideration at ForeignPolicy.com “On Chas Freeman’s withdrawal“:

…”First, for all of you out there who may have questioned whether there was a powerful “Israel lobby,” or who admitted that it existed but didn’t think it had much influence, or who thought that the real problem was some supposedly all-powerful “Saudi lobby,” think again.

Second, this incident does not speak well for Barack Obama’s principles, or even his political instincts. It is one thing to pander to various special interest groups while you’re running for office — everyone expects that sort of thing — but it’s another thing to let a group of bullies push you around in the first fifty days of your administration. But as Ben Smith noted in Politico, it’s entirely consistent with most of Obama’s behavior on this issue.”…. Read the whole differing view

Other articles to consider:

“As many of you may know, Charles Freeman has “has requested that his selection to be Chairman of the National Intelligence Council not proceed.”
   “What you may not know is that Steven J. Rosen of the Middle East Forum was the person who first brought attention to the problematic nature of Freeman’s appointment, in a February 19 blog titled “Alarming appointment at the CIA.” Within hours, the word was out; and three weeks later Freeman has conceded defeat. Only someone with Steve’s stature and credibility could have made this happen.
   Even those who backed the Freeman appointment acknowledge Steve’s leadership in this effort. For example:
    * Andrew Sullivan, former editor of The New Republic, calls Steve “the leader of the anti-Freeman brigade.”
    * The director of policy for the Israel Policy Forum calls him the “quarterback” of the effort.
    * Max Blumenfeld of The Nation Institute calls him “leader of the campaign against Freeman’s appointment.”
   I congratulate Steve and am proud of this early achievement by the Forum’s newly created Washington Project. Yours sincerely, Daniel Pipes”