News for Tuesday, February 15, 2011

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Petraeus Leaving Post? Pentagon Says No

Editor's Note: I've updated and revised this post to reflect the Pentagon's adamant denials to reports Petraeus is leaving. Who knew there are two sides to every story?

General Davis Petraeus, who is in charge of U.S. Forces in Afghanistan, will leave his post by year's end - according to the Times of London. President Obama choose Petraeus to be Commander of U.S. and NATO ...

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Congresswoman Driven to Stop Military Sponsorship of NASCAR

Minnesota Congresswoman Betty McCollum wants to put the brakes on the military's sponsorship of NASCAR. The Virginian-Pilot reports that McCollum has introduced an amendment to the proposed federal budget to stop branches like the Army, Air Force, and National Guard from sponsoring NASCAR drivers. The military apparently uses the NASCAR tie-in as a recruiting tool. Right now...

As it so happens, there's an entertaining back-and-forth going on between ...

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Guantanamo Bay Prisoner Pleads Guilty to War Crimes

Gitmo prisoner Noor Uthman Muhammed of Sudan pleaded guilty today to terrorism charges, admitting he helped train al Qaeda recruits while in Afghanistan, according to Reuters. Because Noor agreed to a plea, he will avoid a life sentence. A jury will decide exactly what sentence he will receive.

The details of the plea remain under wraps (as part of the agreement). But Noor acknowledged today...

Noor is illiterate and signed ...

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Sgt. Lawrence Hutchins has Iraq War Crime Conviction Reinstated

The military's highest court has reinstated the conviction of Sgt. Lawrence Hutchins for killing an unarmed Iraqi man in Hamdania in 2006. The Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces' decision means Hutchins will have to go back to the brig and serve out the five years left on his 11-year term. According to the Associated Press, Hutchins had already served four years when he was released:

Hutchins's ...

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