Jane Chastain : Politically Direct

Is the military about to “cut and run” over the issue of allowing open homosexuals to serve in our Armed Forces? The answer is “yes.”More correctly, military leaders and those charged with the oversight of the military are about to cut and run.

When it comes to dealing with controversial issues, the men behind the military’s Oz-like “curtain” are not men at all but scared little boys and girls when it comes to standing up to narrow, vocal special-interest groups – especially those that are the darlings of the mainstream media. Read the rest of this entry »

Deck the halls with boughs of holly! Tis the season to be jolly!Where is the most joyful place on earth these days?

It is Iraq, where, last week, millions of its citizens turned out to vote for the first truly democratic government in the history of the Arab Middle East.

The Kurds and Shiites weren’t the only ones dancing in the streets. The Sunnis joined the party after deciding that ballots are better than bullets when it comes to settling differences with your neighbors.

Perhaps the biggest smiles in Iraq are on the faces of American GIs who have been on the front lines of the struggle to defeat terrorists in that country. Despite all the naysayers here at home, they are re-enlisting in record numbers. Yes, the members of the U.S. military know the meaning of a job well done and want to stay in Iraq until the task is completed. Read the rest of this entry »