A retired Foreign Service Officer and frequent American Diplomacy contributor who, like the subject of this essay, frequently offers “contrarian views in … glittering, memorable prose,” examines the aborted nomination of Chas Freeman (also an American Diplomacy contributor) to be Director of the National Intelligence Council. He finds the abortion to be appropriate. – Ed.

"Chas" Freeman is not my friend.  Honestly, other than sharing the same profession in roughly overlapping periods, we are barely colleagues.  Thus, should he sit down beside me and introduce himself, my reaction would likely be "Oh, you're Chas Freeman.  Pleased to meet you.  I've heard a lot about you."

And indeed I have; we all have heard a lot about Chas – especially recently.  In one sense, that &…