It's an interesting day when Robert Kagan, now at Brookings, is praising the President for his foreign policy and national security achievements.

Noting Obama's success (and I should add John Kerry's and Joe Biden's) in pushing through ratification of the New START agreement with Russia, Kagan writes:

The Senate's passage of the resolution of ratification of the New START treaty should be greeted as good news by sensible people interested in a sound American foreign and defense policy. The administration's willingness to accommodate Republican concerns on missile defense and modernization of the aging nuclear force has significantly strengthened the original modest agreement. In exchange for Republican acceptance of relatively small cuts in nuclear weapons, President Obama is now on record supporting missile defense in a way that he had not been before and has committed more than $80 billion to modernizing the nuclear arsenal. Republicans ought to be delighted with the deal.

Some Republicans are delighted, others feel mediocre but supported it -- and some just fought tooth and nail, mostly over petty topics rather than what was in the best interest of the nation's security.

I'll have more on Obama's roll these past few days. His successes have just kept mounting. Hawaii will no doubt feel good after all of this.

One thing no one has raised as Obama's team has pulled off one coup after another is what or who is responsible for some of this shift.

My bet is that the hidden hand of interim White House Chief of Staff Pete Rouse vs. the very visible hand of Rahm Emanuel has made a significant impact on sequencing and flow around the President.

Good job Pete (and the rest of the WH and Senate Foreign Relations teams).

-- Steve Clemons

Good article today in USA Today by Desmond Tutu and former US President Jimmy Carter, on behalf of The Elders who recently wrote about this same subject.

Key lines for me were these:

We urge a renewed effort, firmly based in international law and respect for human rights that first aims to define boundaries between Israel and a new Palestinian state and address security issues. Without such focus, we will see the possibility of a two-state solution slipping even further away.

This approach sets challenges for Israelis and Palestinians, for their regional neighbors, for the international community -- especially the U.S. government -- and for each of us as concerned global citizens.

Applying international law and human rights principles means that the occupation must end, and the focus of negotiations should be on the boundaries of a future Palestinian state based on 1967 borders,with its capital in East Jerusalem. Such an accord could entail, if agreed, a one-to-one land swap to allow for minor adjustments. Initial negotiations should also aim at security arrangements in which both Israelis and Palestinians have confidence.

Defining the boundaries of Israel and Palestine solves much. There is a growing consensus that a borders/security portal back into peace talks is the only plank left to walk.

-- Steve Clemons

Winter Wonderland from MEA Digital on Vimeo.

Next year, I'm gonna try and beat this. And if I can't beat them, I want to join in the beach fun.

But wow, this holiday e-card is great.

Happy holidays in advance folks.

-- Steve Clemons

Vice President Joe Biden meets with U.N Special Representative for Iraq Ad Melkert, second from left, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Jan. 5, 2010. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)

Remember Iraq? Well, for the moment, it is not blowing up or engaged in a raging civil war -- and thus is not at the height of the news. Which is sad.

Iraq, for the time being, is stabilizing -- and after a long 9 months of standoff between various political parties -- not only between Al-Maliki and Allawi but between Barzani, Talabani, al-Hashemi, al-Sadr and others -- the government has been formed and is being launched today.

In a remarkable move, Ayad Allawi who won the plurality in the last election but couldn't assemble a majority government has agreed to support the emerging government deal even though his own position as head of a "security and strategy council" has not been finalized.

The behind the scenes movers on this -- the key ones -- have been Vice President Joe Biden and UN Special Representative for Iraq Ad Melkert. They have worked assiduously every other day and every week together with other key players to get the Iraq equation right -- and for all of the attention on key media-hugging protagonists, the real deal was solved in getting Barzani, al-Hashemi and others to show great "strategic restraint" and to be stabilizers of the political equilibrium -- rather than disruptors.

So -- big news today -- even if the news isn't carrying much of it.

Not only has the Obama/Biden administration delivered on DADT, a tax deal compromise, and most likely on New START, but also on Iraq.

There's more to do -- but this is not bad for the tally card.

-- Steve Clemons

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Former National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski yet again demonstrated why he is one of the titans of foreign policy analysis with his unsentimental, clear-eyed discussion of America's course in Afghanistan on Morning Joe this morning.

Brzezinski stated that we need a middle of the road solution in Afghanistan that allows disengagement. He said that as difficult as it is for us, we need to find an accommodation with the Taliban, particularly at local levels. He also said that we need to get our head around the strategic parameters that Pakistan will only accept a pro-Pak Afghanistan. This will have consequences in America's relationship with India.

Brzezinski also poses the apt question: "Who trains the Taliban?" Spending approximately $12 billion on Afghan security force training, he finds himself amused that the Afghans of all people in the world really need training. They are the most hardened fighters in the world.

Great analysis. And that's before Dr. Brzezinski gets to the consequences of not ratifying NEW START.

-- Steve Clemons

Check out this Russian military uniform fashion show. Sharp outfits.

Will post-DADT Pentagon follow suit? Let's hope so.

-- Steve Clemons

Excellent commentary by Michael Shank, senior policy adviser to Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA-15).

Sober, serious, point by point critique of administration's counter-insurgency strategy in Afghanistan.

-- Steve Clemons

Passing DADT repeal is only the beginning of a long process of bringing the Pentagon regulations and systems into conformity with the new law. This will take a while.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates has put out a statement that while sobering also attests to the seriousness with which he is approaching the heavy lifting required to move the Department of Defense in abolishing the vestiges of Don't Ask Don't Tell:

Statement by Secretary Robert Gates on Senate Vote to Repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'

"I welcome today's vote by the Senate clearing the way for a legislative repeal of the 'Don't Ask Don't Tell' law.

"Once this legislation is signed into law by the President, the Department of Defense will immediately proceed with the planning necessary to carry out this change carefully and methodically, but purposefully. This effort will be led by Dr. Clifford Stanley, Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness and himself a retired Marine Corps major general and infantry officer.

"The legislation provides that repeal will take effect once the President, the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff certify that implementation of the new policies and regulations written by the Department is consistent with the standards of military readiness, military effectiveness, unit cohesion, and recruiting and retention of the Armed Forces. As I have stated before, I will approach this process deliberately and will make such certification only after careful consultation with the military service chiefs and our combatant commanders and when I am satisfied that those conditions have been met for all the Services, commands and units.

"It is therefore important that our men and women in uniform understand that while today's historic vote means that this policy will change, the implementation and certification process will take an additional period of time. In the meantime, the current law and policy will remain in effect.

"Successful implementation will depend upon strong leadership, a clear message and proactive education throughout the force. With a continued and sustained commitment to core values of leadership, professionalism and respect for all, I am convinced that the U.S. military can successfully accommodate and implement this change, as it has others in history."

-- Steve Clemons

I have seen Senator Joe Manchin out on the holiday party circuit in Washington and did have a very full conversation with him about DADT at one particularly high powered evening -- but parties are not the same as voting on nationally significant legislation.

This just in from Politico's Ben Smith though. During the vote today on DADT repeal and the Dream Act, Manchin was at a family holiday party scheduled way in advance.

His spokesman, Payne Scarbro said however, that:

"While he regrets missing the votes, it was a family obligation that he just could not break. . .However, he has been clear on where he stands on the issues."

Two things.

First, Senator Joseph Lieberman has been careful not to work on the Sabbath for the many, many years I have known him. He prays, goes to synagogue, and the like -- but he does not do the nation's business on Saturdays because of deeply felt personal religious conviction. I get that and admire it about Joe Lieberman.

AND YET, Joe Lieberman did a masterful job of marshalling Don't Ask Don't Tell forward.

Lieberman had an excuse and didn't use it. Manchin's excuse is not good enough.

And to Senator Manchin's spokesperson, let's just get something straight. Senator Manchin has not been clear "at all" about his views on Don't Ask Don't Tell.

Democratic mega donor Connie Milstein and I both spoke to the Senator and were under the impression that he was still thinking this over.

So, don't sell something that isn't cooked yet. If he feels strongly against DADT, then have him vote that way.

This is a bad punctuation point to his new Senate career - and while there will no doubt be many votes he takes with which I agree with the Senator, this tilt towards perpetuating bigotry rather than service with honor will stain his reputation and his electoral donations for a long time.

-- Steve Clemons

Those in favor of cloture and opposed to Don't Ask Don't Tell (63):

Akaka (D-HI) Baucus (D-MT) Bayh (D-IN) Begich (D-AK) Bennet (D-CO) Bingaman (D-NM) Boxer (D-CA) Brown (D-OH) Brown (R-MA) Cantwell (D-WA) Cardin (D-MD) Carper (D-DE) Casey (D-PA) Collins (R-ME) Conrad (D-ND) Coons (D-DE) Dodd (D-CT) Dorgan (D-ND) Durbin (D-IL) Feingold (D-WI) Feinstein (D-CA) Franken (D-MN) Gillibrand (D-NY) Hagan (D-NC) Harkin (D-IA) Inouye (D-HI) Johnson (D-SD) Kerry (D-MA) Kirk (R-IL) Klobuchar (D-MN) Kohl (D-WI) Landrieu (D-LA) Lautenberg (D-NJ) Leahy (D-VT) Levin (D-MI) Lieberman (ID-CT) Lincoln (D-AR) McCaskill (D-MO) Menendez (D-NJ) Merkley (D-OR) Mikulski (D-MD) Murkowski (R-AK) Murray (D-WA) Nelson (D-FL) Nelson (D-NE) Pryor (D-AR) Reed (D-RI) Reid (D-NV) Rockefeller (D-WV) Sanders (I-VT) Schumer (D-NY) Shaheen (D-NH) Snowe (R-ME) Specter (D-PA) Stabenow (D-MI) Tester (D-MT) Udall (D-CO) Udall (D-NM) Voinovich (R-OH) Warner (D-VA) Webb (D-VA) Whitehouse (D-RI) Wyden (D-OR)

Those opposed to cloture and in favor of maintaining Don't Ask Don't Tell (33):

Alexander (R-TN) Barrasso (R-WY) Bennett (R-UT) Bond (R-MO) Brownback (R-KS) Burr (R-NC) Chambliss (R-GA) Coburn (R-OK) Cochran (R-MS) Corker (R-TN) Cornyn (R-TX) Crapo (R-ID) DeMint (R-SC) Ensign (R-NV) Enzi (R-WY) Graham (R-SC) Grassley (R-IA) Hutchison (R-TX) Inhofe (R-OK) Isakson (R-GA) Johanns (R-NE) Kyl (R-AZ) LeMieux (R-FL) Lugar (R-IN) McCain (R-AZ) McConnell (R-KY) Risch (R-ID) Roberts (R-KS) Sessions (R-AL) Shelby (R-AL) Thune (R-SD) Vitter (R-LA) Wicker (R-MS)

Not Voting (4)

Bunning (R-KY) Gregg (R-NH) Hatch (R-UT) Manchin (D-WV)

This delightful reflection on the coming demise of Don't Ask Don't Tell was sent in to me just now by Georgetown University professor JP Singh:

DADT sat on a wall

DADT had a great fall

and all Palin's horses and all McCain's men

could not put DADT back together again.

Final vote at 3 pm in the US Senate. Will Senator Joe Manchin be there?

-- Steve Clemons

There has been so much not going well in America as of late that this success in repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell that will happen with a historic vote in the Senate today is a tremendous lift. Senators Harry Reid, Joseph Lieberman, Carl Levin, and many others deserve enormous credit in shaking this piece of bigoted legislation out of America's profile.

The Obama administration delivered -- and the hardworking people at Service Members' Legal Defense Network and the Human Rights Campaign deserve huge credit.

Here is President Obama's statement on the Senate action today achieving cloture with 63 votes.

Statement by the President on the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010

Today, the Senate has taken an historic step toward ending a policy that undermines our national security while violating the very ideals that our brave men and women in uniform risk their lives to defend. By ending "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," no longer will our nation be denied the service of thousands of patriotic Americans forced to leave the military, despite years of exemplary performance, because they happen to be gay. And no longer will many thousands more be asked to live a lie in order to serve the country they love.

As Commander-in-Chief, I am also absolutely convinced that making this change will only underscore the professionalism of our troops as the best led and best trained fighting force the world has ever known. And I join the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as well as the overwhelming majority of service members asked by the Pentagon, in knowing that we can responsibly transition to a new policy while ensuring our military strength and readiness.

I want to thank Majority Leader Reid, Senators Lieberman and Collins and the countless others who have worked so hard to get this done. It is time to close this chapter in our history. It is time to recognize that sacrifice, valor and integrity are no more defined by sexual orientation than they are by race or gender, religion or creed. It is time to allow gay and lesbian Americans to serve their country openly. I urge the Senate to send this bill to my desk so that I can sign it into law.

-- Steve Clemons

Don't Ask Don't Tell is gone. Today at 3 pm, a roll call vote will be held in the US Senate.

A simple majority is needed to pass -- and that we have.

Big question is whether newly minted US Senator from West Virginia Joe Manchin will show up to vote.

Turns out he needs some on the job training after all -- and wasn't prepared for the tough decisions he was going to make in the US Senate given his comments that he didn't know enough yet to move one way or another on this vote.

Manchin is running on conventional tracks now -- worried that West Virginia has a lot of military folks who will object to DADT repeal. (But that didn't stop Senator Robert Byrd and Senator Jay Rockefeller from strongly supporting repeal.)

Sadly, what Manchin does today at 3 pm will define him for a long time -- no matter how much good he does on other policy fronts.

-- Steve Clemons

This DADT vote today was historic.

If new US Senator Joe Manchin had shown up to vote and done the right thing, cloture would have been achieved with 64 rather than 63 votes.

But he didn't even vote. Does Manchin have something against the gay community we didn't know about? What's up? An explanation is due.

Manchin has now crossed into that territory of possibly starting his Senate career with the punctuation point of bigotry at a key civil rights moment in American history. Well, Strom Thurmond did the same thing -- and Thurmond, who I knew and liked, became incredibly open and accepting of African-Americans against whom he worked so hard in his early days.

So, maybe there is still hope for Joe Manchin.

This now opens the door to the last phase. Senate debate and a real Senate vote on the underlying legislation. Very quick conference between the House and Senate bills -- easy passage. Revote in both chambers -- largely a technicality -- on the combined bill, and then it goes to President Obama to sign.

We are almost there.

-- Steve Clemons

This morning I sent this note out to about 7,000 people:

Dear Friends & Colleagues: Senator Harry Reid has committed himself to a cloture vote on repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell in the US Senate. The partner stand alone bill has already passed the US House of Representatives. Today, Saturday, could be a historic day when it comes to another notch in America's civil rights history.

I have written some pieces pasted below on the subject that I want to forward to you. I recognize that not everyone is as interested as I am in this subject. Just delete if not your thing -- but today's vote is a big deal and would be a very big score for the nation as a whole, the US military, and for the Obama administration.

Thanks for reading - and all best to you for the holidays!

On the Don't Ask Don't Tell Fight Now:

Chatting with Joe Manchin on DADT

Corker's Price on Nuclear Warhead Safety is Bigotry?

On these issues but written in earlier years:

When Intolerance Kills Christmas II: Why Should Gay US Soldiers Still Fear Saluting Barack Obama?
December 2009

When Intolerance Kills Christmas: My Gay Friend's Holiday Story
December 2007

Steve Clemons
Publisher, The Washington Note
@SCClemons on Twitter

Here are some of the responses that have come in:

Response 1:

Steve,

I agree fully with you on DADT. My generation is the closet generation. When I was in HS (1945-49) we had a group of lower class (no matter their parents' income), thuggish Guys who actually did beat up a homosexual student and got away with it. When I was in the Army (1951-53) there were several homosexuals in our unit. We all knew them and didn't give a damn as long as they did their job.

I have known several homosexual Professors who were good friends and excellent teachers or not, depending . . . But they were friends.

We have many people openly homosexual/lesbian in various professions who are superb at what they do.

Now, as a so called disclaimer, I have an emotional problem with homosexuality, largely due to my cultural background, but also due to being raped by a young man when I was 14.

However, as with any other form of Racism, I cannot allow emotion to rule! I, for the life of me, cannot see what skin color, language, culture, or sexual orientation has to do with what one is worth as a person. I was brought up to suppress prejudice and emotion and to use reason and logic, and usually I am successful. Anyone who holds National Policy hostage to Racism deserves the full approbation of society.

Unfortunately society all too often fosters that behavior.

Well, enough of that.

Thanks again for the help.

Response 2:

Steve: I agree it's a big deal. I'll be glued to the news today. Gates (one of my heroes) has had his task forces, but the remaining implementation details are many and some will require legislative action to get it right. To name one, regulations need to be changed for such everyday, but important, issues as who to notify in case of the death of a soldier -- current regs require notification of a gay soldier's parents as next of kin, even though he/she may be married. There here are many more, some of which will require DOD to change regulations and some of which will require additional legislation. We'll need to keep our attention on this space. I spoke not long ago with a Lt Col. in the army who had been part of one of the Gates task forces on morale and unit cohesion in the field. He'd had responsibility at various levels for troops on the ground in both Iraq and Afghanistan and said that at no point in his army career had he ever been part of a unit, large or small, that did not have at least one gay soldier. He also said that he didn't really know much about the gay political agenda, but that he did know a lot about the military and that the gay soldiers with whom he had served had been patriots and good soldiers and he couldn't personally imagine why the country would not take advantage of their service. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Response 3:

Steve,

Interesting reading, and fingers crossed. And as a small added bonus, nice to be able to feel good again about Joe Lieberman at least for the time being!

Response 4:

Steve,

As my great grandmother would have said, I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed. ...

A

Response 5:

Dear Steve,

One of my closest and dearest friends is Dixon Osburn, co-founder of SLDN. Today is his birthday and all he has asked for is repeal. It's all I want for him, and the many others who've been removed from their calling to national service by the travesty of a law.

Should this happen, there will soon be a small but heartfelt celebration......and you'll be included.

Keep talking about this your readers are educated by it regardless of they agree....

Your old friend

Response 6:

It will be great if at least one positive thing comes out of the lame duck.

Response 7:

Steve---two years from now, this will be a non-issue. Badly handled from the beginning the issue should have been a matter of standards of conduct under the UCMJ and the repeal of the idiotic sodomy provisions still in it.

But as a good friend and former head Chinese spy here told me years
ago when he was being posted home, "it is good going back to a really
civilized country."

The really big deal is START as DADT will be resolved. If START is
not passed, that will present some real problems and sadly the
Republican opposition over missile defense and warhead reliability is
nonsense too. But this is not a civilized nation.

Amen.

Response 8:

Isn't this exciting!!!

Thanks to everyone for these constructive and interesting comments. They continually flow in.

More soon -- hopefully with historic news.

-- Steve Clemons

This note just in from University of Pennsylvania Professor of Law and administration adviser on DADT Tobias Barrington Wolff:

Senator Jim Webb is speaking on the Senate floor at this very moment in support of repeal, after having voted against it in the Armed Services Committee and after refusing for years to endorse repeal.

It is an extraordinary moment. Heartfelt thanks are due to our friends in Virginia, our national advocates, and the administration for working so long and hard to convince Senator Webb that repeal is both appropriate and workable.

Congratulations and many thanks to my good friend Senator Jim Webb -- who has been a fellow traveler with the New America Foundation and me personally on numerous fronts. This is a most welcome other point of common concern and interest.

-- Steve Clemons

Senator Carl Levin has been along with Senator Joe Lieberman a stalwart, unyielding force supporting the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Levin Floor Statement on Don't Ask, Don't Tell

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, delivered the following floor statement this morning in advance of the cloture vote on legislation repealing "don't ask, don't tell." The text is as delivered.

The Armed Services Committee held two excellent hearings to consider the final report of the Working Group that reviewed the issues associated with the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell." That report concluded that allowing gay and lesbian troops to serve in the United States armed forces without being forced to conceal their sexual orientation would present a low risk to the military's effectiveness, even during a time of war, and that 70 percent of the surveyed service members believe that the impact on their units would be positive, mixed or of no consequence at all. As one service member told the Working Group: "All I care about is can you carry a gun, can you walk the post." And in combat, Mr. President, the troops have told us that what matters is doing the job.

Now we learned also during the course of our hearing that while predictions of problems after repeal were higher in combat units than among other troops, that this commission found that difference disappeared among those who had actual experience serving on the front lines with gay colleagues. That is, experience is a powerful antidote to negative stereotypes about gay service members.

And we learned that when our close allies Great Britain and Canada were preparing to allow open service by gay and lesbian troops, that there were concerns which totally disappeared after they changed their policy to allow service. That level of concerns in our allies' armies was higher than the current level of concern in our troops.

Both of those countries, and other allies like Israel, made the transition with far less disruption than expected, and their militaries serve alongside ours in Afghanistan with no sign that open service diminishes their, or our, effectiveness.

Secretary Gates has assured everybody that he is not going to certify that the military is ready for repeal until he is satisfied with the advice of the Service Chiefs that we had, in fact, mitigated, if not eliminated to the extent possible, risks to combat readiness to unit cohesion and effectiveness. We learned that Secretary Gates, Admiral Mullen and other senior military leaders are concerned that unless we pass this law, without this legislation, that they're going to be forced to implement a change in policy, not when they can certify they are ready, as provided for in this legislation, but when a court orders a change. The only method of repeal that places the timing of the repeal and control of implementation in the hands of the military leaders is enactment of this bill.

So there's a lot of reasons why repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" can and will hopefully happen, and we know can happen without harming our military's effectiveness.

Now those are the reasons why we can do this safely, but there are other reasons why we must end this discriminatory policy. A policy which in Admiral Mullen's memorable words, "forces young men and women to lie," - to lie - "about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens." We should end this policy because it is the right thing to do.

Some have argued that this is social engineering, or this is partisan, even though this change is supported by the overwhelming majorities of the American people. They are grossly mistaken.

Mr. President, I'm not here for partisan reasons. I'm here because men and women wearing the uniform of the United States who are gay and lesbian have died for this country, because gay and lesbian men and women wearing the uniform of this country have their lives on the line right now in Afghanistan and Iraq and other places for this country.

One of those is a captain by the name of Jonathan Hopkins. He finished fourth in his class at West Point; commanded two companies, one in combat; and earned three Bronze Stars, including one for valor in combat. And yet that decorated combat leader had to leave the Army because of "don't ask, don't tell."

I am here because of Staff Sgt. Eric Alva, the first ground-unit casualty of the war in Iraq. The first casualty in the war in Iraq was a gay soldier. The mine that took off his right leg didn't give a darn whether he was gay or straight. We shouldn't either.

We cannot let these patriots down. Their suffering should end. It will end with the passage of this bill. I urge its passage today.

###

This is an amazing, historic day.

-- Steve Clemons

The other evening, I spent some time discussing Don't Ask Don't Tell with Senator Joe Manchin and his wife. Democratic super donor Connie Milstein did the same.

While these kinds of conversations are privileged, I will share one comment the Senator, who was extremely open and not defensive at all in the discussion, made to me which is consistent with some of his other public comments.

Senator Manchin said that Don't Ask Don't Tell was complicated for him and said "there were a lot of military in my state."

As I told the Senator, I was a gay man who grew up on US military bases and had a father who served in the Air Force Office of Special Investigations -- which in my dad's time of service regularly sought out, spied on and court martialed gay members of the uniformed services. Fortunately, times have changed -- and so have attitudes in military families, even those from small towns in West Virginia or in places like Bartlesville, Oklahoma.

The late Senator Robert Byrd carried no more of a burden than Senator Manchin with military folk in the State of West Virginia -- which of course the anti-DADT Senator Jay Rockefeller also serves.

But what the Senator needs to know is that the notion that military families are medieval on this subject and opposed to progress is wrong. To say that the military and DoD families are less advanced, less educated, and out of sync with the rest of America is an insult to them that the Senator needs to avoid.

Hopefully, Senator Manchin will realize that this vote is one of the most significant civil rights votes in this era -- and his absence will be a most terrible punctuation point to start his Senate career.

Please reconsider, speak to the military in your state, read the report the Pentagon assembled, listen to the Republican Secretary of Defense as well as to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and ask whether you are going to put West Virginia on the crest of history's wave or put it behind progress.

West Virginia deserves to be with those who are charting a new and better future for this country.

Get this one right, Senator Manchin, and happy holidays.

-- Steve Clemons

The New START Treaty isn't just about a bilateral arrangement with Russians to keep their and our nuclear warheads under tight management. It is really about momentum in reversing the dramatic erosion of controls on a whole range of WMD materials.

If the US does not move START forward and validate so much of the progress that the Nunn-Lugar program has made in decommissioning nukes and getting dangerous materials under control, then those trigger devices and uranium and other paraphernalia become vulnerable to "hijacking" by non-state interests. Very dangerous.

And yet US Senator Bob Corker who had signed on to support START -- to put America's safety at the forefront of his and his constituency's concerns -- is now saying that he's going to drop out and risk putting nukes out into the world untethered and subject to corruption and penetration by terrorist groups unless Senator Reid pulls DADT. Corker wants to make sure that US military men and women -- who are gay and serving -- have to continue to lie and deceive about their status.

His price for securing America's national security: bigotry.

Bad move, Senator Corker.

-- Steve Clemons

This clip captures Julian Assange's recent release on bail from British prison -- and I must say that I'm very impressed by how he is managing his public profile.

While I am not one wildly enthusiastic about the release of documents showing American infrastructure vulnerabilities -- and in fact, have strongly condemned the Wikileaks release of a particular Homeland Security document, I support the right of Wikileaks to pursue classified and sensitive documentation on national security matters and to release these to the public.

We have had too much growth of official secrecy in our government -- and too much of what we are seeing in the Wikileaks material, particularly in what we have learned on Afghanistan and Iraq, is the government covering up its mistakes and errors or hiding the misbehavior of contractors and the like. So much of what we are reading should never have been held back from the public.

I see Wikileaks increasingly as a natural market reaction to the sprawling intelligence apparatus that Dana Priest described earlier in the Washington Post.

And until government gets its act together (don't hold your breath), I support Wikileaks being part of the public response to defend the rights of a free and open civil society.

-- Steve Clemons

See how American culture is spreading around the world today?

-- Steve Clemons