Obama Gives Free Pass on Ethics, Makes No Comment on Pakistan Bombing

President Obama has waived the ethics order he signed to prevent people from working for the federal government if they have been a federal lobbyist for the previous two years. Last Friday Obama approved a waiver for William J. Lynn to become the undersecretary for defense, who is essentially the manager of the Pentagon. Lynn's former employer Ratheon had US$18.3 billion in contracts with the federal government in 2007. Lynn still owes stock in the company, and will have to sell it. Lynn also will not be prohibited from making decisions about Ratheon, but will be subject to an ethics review for one year.

Obama was also briefed on a CIA bombing in Pakistan from two drone airplanes. He has not commented on the mission, but more than one Pakistani media outlet has reported that the commander-in-chief ordered the strike, citing the Guardian of the UK. The Pakistani government and citizens protested the bombing in Waziristan that killed more than 20 people.