Chas Freeman, the Obama nominee for chair of the National Intelligence Council has withdrawn his name from consideration. As we noted last week, Freeman once said this about China’s 1989 Tiananmen Square protests:

I do not believe it is acceptable for any country to allow the heart of its national capital to be occupied by dissidents intent on disrupting the normal functions of government, however appealing to foreigners their propaganda may be. Such folk, whether they represent a veterans’ “Bonus Army” or a “student uprising” on behalf of “the goddess of democracy” should expect to be displaced with despatch from the ground they occupy.

Freeman had come under heavy attack in recent days for his ties to Saudi Arabia and his criticisms of Israel, as well as his relationship with the Chinese government.