Chas Freeman: The flea driving the dog

by
Claudio Grass
My articles My siteMy videosMy books
Follow on:LinkedINTwitter

Part of the upcoming “World War III” documentary

At a time when it takes great courage, and a great appetite for risk, to speak one’s mind freely about the most important issue in the world right now, it sure is reassuring to see that there important voices that still have what it takes to do so. The interview that follows is a prime example of that. Chas Freeman is a highly distinguished retired American diplomat, polyglot, and author with a career spanning over three decades in the US Foreign Service and Department of Defense. He famously served as the principal American interpreter for President Richard Nixon during his historic 1972 visit to China, and he later played a foundational role in the opening to China, participating in every phase of that historic process. Throughout his tenure, Freeman held several high-stakes positions, including that of US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War and he was also Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, involved in removing Cuban troops from Angola and securing the independence of Namibia, which ended the colonial era in Africa. 

If there is anything more impressive than his career, it is his deep, hands-on understanding of how the Washington machine works and his willingness to point out its countless flaws. In this interview, he delivers a scathing critique of Israel’s role in shaping US foreign policy, even when it is against his own country’s interests: “Israel keeps generating new threats that we have to deal with. Now, this is a very weird relationship between a patron and a client state, where the client state makes all the decisions and imposes them on the patron. It’s the case of the flea driving the dog. The flea sucks a lot of blood out of the dog. The flea gives directions to the dog, and the dog moves along. It’s not a joke that Capitol Hill is Israeli occupied territory. It really is.” 

This is also one of the most prescient interviews featured in this documentary, as Freeman clearly and accurately predicted exactly what we are living through right now after the US and Israel started the ongoing war against Iran. Not only did he foresee this attack, but he also anticipated what came next, and perhaps how it will end too: “I think we will watch the next round of fighting between Iran and Israel with great interest. The last round, the so-called 12-day war, ended with Israel basically running out of the ability to intercept Iranian missiles. The Iranians aimed only at military-related targets. They did not target any civilian institutions. And their missiles proved able to penetrate Israeli defenses and strike accurately. The next round, they will not withhold attacking civilian targets because Israel has done that to them. So this is going to be a very bloody lesson for Israel. It will be unpleasant for Iran. But at the end of it, it’s more likely there will be regime change in Israel than in Iran.”

This is essential viewing for everyone right now. It already affects millions directly, and everybody else indirectly, and it has the potential to drastically reshape the geopolitical landscape and the global power balance. This isn’t Iraq, and it isn’t Gaza; Iran had 30 years to prepare for this war, that no American citizen voted for, and the implications of a prolonged conflict or further escalations are bound to be devastating. 

Watch the full interview with Chas Freeman here and help us spread the crucial message behind the “World War III” documentary. Share the film with anyone you know is concerned about the path we’re currently on, but especially with those who aren’t.  

About Claudio Grass

Claudio Grass is a passionate advocate of free-market thinking and libertarian philosophy. Following the teachings of the Austrian School of Economics he is convinced that sound money and human freedom are inextricably linked to each other. He is one of the founders of GoldAndLiberty.com. He is also founder of GlobalGold Switzerland ................. Keeping assets outside of the country you live is key. Switzerland remains the best jurisdiction for private property rights. Why? Because of its federalist structure in combination with direct democracy. It assures that the power of politicians is limited and that the people and not the politicians are the sovereign.

My articlesMy siteMy books
Follow on:LinkedINTwitter

You Might Also Like

“Sometimes, the only winning move is not to play”

2025-11-23

This was the conclusion of the assessment of legendary investor Michael Burry regarding the current market conditions. To be precise, his take as recently posted on X, in full, was “Sometimes, we see bubbles. Sometimes, there is something to do about it. Sometimes, the only winning move is not to play.” The insight behind these words is something that a lot of investors could use at this time. The unrestrained, unjustifiable and unrealistic optimism and exuberance we’re currently seeing in stock markets are setting the stage for a lot of pain in the not so distant future. 

Michael Burry, best known for his prescient bet against the US housing market in the mid-2000s, that was the core theme of the blockbuster movie “the Big Short”, certainly knows a thing or two about bubbles, so when