Critics have long complained that top U.S. officials are not held accountable for charges of detainee abuse committed by soldiers. But the charges may have caught up with Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal.

The Wall Street Journal’s Yochi J. Dreazen reports that McChrystal’s promotion to director of the Joint Chief of Staff is stalled in Congress. Lawmakers are reviewing whether the special operations forces McChrystal oversaw in Afghanistan and Iraq abused detainees in their pursuit of Islamic militants. McChrystal is considered a rising star in the military. His trouble in getting promoted may suggest the Pentagon will face closer scrutiny in how it’s conducted the “war on terror.”  Read Dreazen here.  MB

The Washington Post’s Juliet Eilperin reports that several White House offices, including Vice President Dick Cheney’s office, are involved in an effort to block rules to protect endangered North Atlantic right whales. 

They are only 300 such whales left and the death of one pregnant female could eliminate the entire species.  National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientists have found that the whales can be protected if ship speeds are low. But the White House says ship speeds don’t matter. It’s a scientifically dubious position, but perhaps the White House is afraid of coddling the whales. Read Eilperin here.  MB

Persistent inquiries by the Senate Judiciary Committee have prompted the Justice Dept. to turn over documents on the CIA’s interrogation strategies. The Washington Post’s Carrie Johnson reports that limited, though unredacted memos by Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel will be sent to interested members of Congress.

Lawmakers like Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wisc.) are unimpressed, saying that the process to obtain legal documents is moving too slowly. Indeed, with nine months left in the Bush administration, it would appear the Justice Dept. may be running out the clock.  Read Johnson here.  MB