Gen. Stanley McChrystal “was ordered back to Washington” today “after a magazine article portrayed him and his staff as openly contemptuous of some senior members of the Obama administration.” McChrystal is expected to appear at the White House tomorrow to answer for his interview that appears in an upcoming Rolling Stone article.
“The U.S. military is funding a massive protection racket in Afghanistan, indirectly paying tens of millions of dollars to warlords, corrupt public officials and the Taliban to ensure safe passage of its supply convoys throughout the country,” says a new congressional report. The report says the security arrangements “violate laws on the use of private contractors, as well as Defense Department regulations.”
“The Senate approved a trio of district court nominees” last night, “making a small amount of headway in a nominations logjam that could get far greater attention this week.” Additionally, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) indicated that “an agreement might be reached on clearing a package of as many as 60 nominees,” which “would represent almost half of the more than 130 pending nominations.”
57 percent of residents in Fremont, NE voted Monday to “banish illegal immigrants from jobs and rental homes,” overturning an earlier decision by city leaders. “Within minutes” of its passage, the A.C.L.U Nebraska “pledged to file a lawsuit” against the ordinance on grounds that it would “cause discrimination and racial profiling.”
Under orders from President Obama, the Labor Department is set to “expand the rights of gay workers by allowing them to take family and medical leave to care for sick or newborn children of same-sex partners.” Those who work for a company with 50 or more employees are entitled to 12 weeks of unpaid leave “to care for a newborn or for a spouse, son or daughter with ‘a serious health condition.’”
Seeming to respond to the latest round of U.N. Security Council sanctions, Iran yesterday barred two U.N. nuclear inspectors from returning to the country. The head of Iran’s Atomic Energy organization claimed the inspectors published ³false and unreal² information in a report suggesting Iran was using equipment with application to nuclear weapons development.
Sixty-five percent of Americans support President Obama’s temporary moratorium on drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, a New York Times/CBS News poll found. “Overwhelmingly, Americans think the nation needs a fundamental overhaul of its energy policies, and most expect alternative forms to replace oil as a major source within 25 years,” the poll suggested.
“White House budget director Peter Orszag has decided to leave the Obama administration, likely in the next few weeks,” which would make him the first member of President Obama’s Cabinet to leave. “As head of the Office of Management and Budget, Orszag has been one of Obama’s top lieutenants” in passing the Affordable Care Act and the stimulus. Orszag is likely to join a think thank.
In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court upheld a law that bars Americans from providing “material support” to organizations deemed terrorist groups by the U.S. government. Justice Stephen Breyer read a dissent aloud in the courtroom that noted the decision will even prevent individuals from providing “instruction and advice about the terror groups’ lawful political objectives.”
And finally: Desperate to have Lady Gaga appear on his show, Fox News host and culture warrior Bill O’Reilly pleaded that he would even allow her to drink whiskey on air.
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