Appeals court orders end to 'don't ask, don't tell' -
A federal appeals court in San Francisco has barred further enforcement of "don't ask, don't tell," which has barred gays from serving openly in the military.Update at 5:13 p.m. ET: The Pentagon says it will comply with the court order and is "taking immediately steps to inform the field of this order," Pentagon spokesman Marine Col. Dave Lapan said in statement, the National Journal reports.
The Pentagon and the Justice Department are reviewing the order, he said, adding that the certification required to fully lift DADT is "proceeding smoothly" and is just weeks away, the NJ writes.
Update at 4:40 p.m. ET: With today's order, the appeals court lifted the injunction it granted in November after the Obama administration appealed a decision by U.S. District Judge Virginia Phillips, who ruled "don't ask, don't tell" unconstitutional.
A federal appeals court in San Francisco has barred further enforcement of "don't ask, don't tell," which has barred gays from serving openly in the military.Update at 5:13 p.m. ET: The Pentagon says it will comply with the court order and is "taking immediately steps to inform the field of this order," Pentagon spokesman Marine Col. Dave Lapan said in statement, the National Journal reports.
The Pentagon and the Justice Department are reviewing the order, he said, adding that the certification required to fully lift DADT is "proceeding smoothly" and is just weeks away, the NJ writes.
Update at 4:40 p.m. ET: With today's order, the appeals court lifted the injunction it granted in November after the Obama administration appealed a decision by U.S. District Judge Virginia Phillips, who ruled "don't ask, don't tell" unconstitutional.