As widely expected, President Obama took Secretary of Defense Gates’ recommendation and nominated Marine General James Amos for the position of Commandant of the Marine Corps. Speculation over why the fighter pilot was chosen over other officers, including the General now nominated to head CENTCOM, General James Mattis, have largely died out.
The Associated Press reported that charges against US Army Lt Dan Choi and former Captain James Pietrangelo had been dropped. The charges were failure to obey police after they chained themselves, in Army uniforms, to the perimeter fence at the White House.
Prosecutor Christine Chang declined to comment on why the government dropped the case. Choi said he believes Obama administration officials didn’t want to draw attention to the policy.
While Pietrangelo would have to be recalled to active duty to face charges from the military, there are no public indications that Choi, who remains in the Army, will be charged for his political protest while wearing a uniform.
Choi had previously indicated his plans to subpoena the President.
As noted by the ADF at Speak Up, World Magazine has a fairly comprehensive article on the topic of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and the opposition to its possible repeal. The article makes two important points: First, that the repeal of DADT is only the “first step:”
Matt Coles, director of the ACLU’s Center for Equality, in a recent essay argued that the military could be the engine for even greater changes. “Getting rid of DADT won’t be enough,” Coles wrote. “There’s another little law called the Defense of Marriage Act that will have to go as well.” Read more
According to Politico, Lieutenant Dan Choi and former Captain James Pietrangelo intend to subpoena President Obama in their defense of their White House protest in March.
The subpoena of the President is necessary for the defense to prove that Defendants were following and obeying lawful orders or directives by their President and Commander in Chief, Read more
President Obama spoke at the US Military Academy commencement at West Point on Saturday. Admiral Mullen will address the US Air Force Academy graduation on Wednesday. The Naval Academy graduation will be addressed by Vice President Biden on Friday.
Obama’s address, which can be viewed at the White House website, contained some interesting quotes. Many focused on his stated “international order” and missed his statements on religion and war: Read more
The Navy announced Vice President Joe Biden will deliver the address at the US Naval Academy graduation at the end of May.
Senior leaders generally rotate through the military academies. Biden spoke at the Air Force Academy last year, and Obama at Navy. This year, Obama will address the US Military Academy at West Point.
Statements released by Osama bin Laden have validated the fears of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation’s Michael Weinstein, whose organization has repeatedly claimed that associations of Christianity with the US military provide “propaganda” and “recruiting tools” to America’s adversaries, endangering US troops and the mission of the nation. Read more
Despite being “disinvited” from the Pentagon’s National Day of Prayer events, Franklin Graham has said he will still go to the Pentagon to pray.
If President Obama fails to intervene to allow controversial evangelist Franklin Graham to lead a National Day of Prayer event Thursday inside the Pentagon, “it will be a slap in the face of all Christians,” Graham said Tuesday.
And invited or not, he’ll stand in front of the Pentagon and pray, Graham said in an interview…
Graham says after he prays at the Pentagon, he’ll join the [NDoP] group on Capitol Hill.
Thirty-six members of Congress have reportedly taken the military to task over the treatment of Graham.