Michael Young, the opinion editor of the Beirut Daily Star, has a terrific commentary on Chas Freeman in today’s National, Abu Dhabi’s English-language newspaper. Something tells me pieces like this won’t make it into Walter Pincus’ next trend story on Arab public opinion:

It has become increasingly difficult for leaders of Western democracies to avoid mentioning human rights and democracy in rationalising their overseas behaviour. Political realism will not die. States won’t suddenly become moral Leviathans. However, the stripped down realism of a Mr Freeman, without an ounce of human sympathy or humour, is a thing of the past – as he himself, and much to our relief, has become.