Appeals Court Keeps Military Gay Policy for Now

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - A federal appeals court says the military
should keep in place its "don't ask, don't tell" policy for now.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday granted the
Obama administration's request for a temporary freeze of a
California-based federal judge's order telling the military to stop
enforcing the policy.

  The 1993 law says gays may serve but only if they keep secret
their sexual orientation.

 Government lawyers sought to suspend the ruling while appeals
were pending, arguing that it would pose a major problem for the
military. They said it could encourage service members to reveal
their sexual orientation before the issue is fully decided.

 President Barack Obama says he supports repeal of the policy,
but only after careful review and an act of Congress.

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