President could end military gay discharges by executive order, new study says

A study released this week by a group of military law experts shows that the president has the legal authority to end gay discharges with a single order, according to the Palm Center at the University of California-Santa Barbara.  According to the Palm Center's press release,

Many have argued that only Congress can lift the ban on service by openly gay troops.  But according to the study, Congressional approval is not needed.  Dr. Aaron Belkin, Director of the Palm Center and a study co-author, said “The administration does not want to move forward on this issue because of conservative opposition from both parties in Congress, and Congress does not want to move forward without a signal from the White House.  This study provides a recipe for breaking through the political deadlock, as well as a roadmap for military leaders once the civilians give the green light.”

The full study can be found here.

-SS