SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- Retired General Merrill McPeak, a former member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and an adviser to Barrack Obama's campaign, has acknowledged that his views on women in the military have been rooted in personal, unsubstantiated beliefs, which he held even when they conflicted with the needs of the military. As the Palm Center's Dr. Nathaniel Frank discusses in today's New Republic, McPeak's personal support for the current ban on openly gay troops conflicts with Obama's desire to repeal that policy. In 1991 and 1992, McPeak opposed women in combat, saying in talks with lawmakers ...