Patriot Paradox

AP – A federal appeals court has issued an order asking the U.S. government to state whether it will defend the constitutionality of the military’s 17-year ban on openly gay troops. Read the rest of this entry »

AFP – US forces are carrying out operations against Shiite insurgents, almost a year after the military announced a formal end to its combat operations in Iraq, US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta said on Monday. Read the rest of this entry »

Reuters – The head of the Cypriot navy, a navy base commander and six firefighters were among 12 people killed early on Monday by a blast at a munitions dump which knocked out the island’s biggest power station, police said. Read the rest of this entry »

AFP – Newly appointed US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta told American troops in Baghdad on Monday that 9/11 was the reason they were in Iraq, before he was quickly corrected by his spokesman. Read the rest of this entry »

AP – U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is huddling with the top U.S. military and diplomatic representatives in Baghdad before meeting with Iraqi leaders to discuss the possibility of keeping some U.S. troops in Iraq beyond 2011. He will also press Iraq for stronger action to stop stepped-up attacks on U.S. forces. Read the rest of this entry »

AFP – US fighter jets have intercepted three small planes in separate incidents this weekend over Camp David, the US presidential retreat, the North American Aerospace Defense Command has said. Read the rest of this entry »