Gates agrees to proposal to repeal gay ban

[WestVirginiaRebel]

My Way News:

WASHINGTON (AP) - Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Tuesday gave lukewarm support to a new White House-backed plan for a vote in Congress to immediately repeal the law that bans gays from serving openly in the military.

Even though the plan would let Gates decide when to implement repeal of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, he has said he would have preferred more time to study the issue before Congress acts.

Gates "continues to believe that ideally the DOD review should be completed before there is any legislation" changing the law, Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said. Gates has previously said he didn't want to change the policy until the study is finished in December.

The House was expected to vote as early as Thursday on repeal of the 1993 law, which prohibits the military from asking service members whether they are gay, bans homosexual activity and requires that gay troops not discuss their sexual orientation.

In a compromise worked out Monday between the White House and some Democrats, the Defense Department's personnel policies wouldn't have to change until the president, defense secretary and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff agree that the military was ready.

Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Pa., an Iraq war veteran, was expected to introduce the legislation as an amendment to a defense policy bill. Sen. Carl Levin, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, was expected to offer the bill in the Senate as part of the same defense policy bill.

The bill's chances of passing Congress are unclear, as Republicans would oppose it and many Democrats say they aren't sure.

Murphy said in an interview Tuesday that he and other lawmakers have been working the issue for months and were confident it could pass both the House and the Senate.

"We need to get this done, and we need to get it done now," Murphy said. "We are moving forward.

Gates had asked Congress repeatedly to hold off until after Dec. 1, so he could have time to study the issue. He was backed by President Barack Obama.
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I actually agree with lifting don't ask, don't tell, but it should be done because the military feels it's the right time, not because of politics.

[spikeytx86]

My Way News:

 

WASHINGTON (AP) - Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Tuesday gave lukewarm support to a new White House-backed plan for a vote in Congress to immediately repeal the law that bans gays from serving openly in the military.

 

Even though the plan would let Gates decide when to implement repeal of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, he has said he would have preferred more time to study the issue before Congress acts.

 

Gates "continues to believe that ideally the DOD review should be completed before there is any legislation" changing the law, Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said. Gates has previously said he didn't want to change the policy until the study is finished in December.

 

The House was expected to vote as early as Thursday on repeal of the 1993 law, which prohibits the military from asking service members whether they are gay, bans homosexual activity and requires that gay troops not discuss their sexual orientation.

 

In a compromise worked out Monday between the White House and some Democrats, the Defense Department's personnel policies wouldn't have to change until the president, defense secretary and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff agree that the military was ready.

 

Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Pa., an Iraq war veteran, was expected to introduce the legislation as an amendment to a defense policy bill. Sen. Carl Levin, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, was expected to offer the bill in the Senate as part of the same defense policy bill.

 

The bill's chances of passing Congress are unclear, as Republicans would oppose it and many Democrats say they aren't sure.

 

Murphy said in an interview Tuesday that he and other lawmakers have been working the issue for months and were confident it could pass both the House and the Senate.

 

"We need to get this done, and we need to get it done now," Murphy said. "We are moving forward.

 

Gates had asked Congress repeatedly to hold off until after Dec. 1, so he could have time to study the issue. He was backed by President Barack Obama.

________

 

I actually agree with lifting don't ask, don't tell, but it should be done because the military feels it's the right time, not because of politics.

 

Great news! I hope it goes through. And I agree that the Military should take the lead, and I believe part of the deal is that full repeal will not take place until the Military Study Group is done and has a new operating policy to put in place. It might be "Repealed" this week, but it largely will be in force for about another year or so until the Military Brass is done with it's own review and has it's new policy in place.

[Argyle58]

Great news! I hope it goes through. And I agree that the Military should take the lead, and I believe part of the deal is that full repeal will not take place until the Military Study Group is done and has a new operating policy to put in place. It might be "Repealed" this week, but it largely will be in force for about another year or so until the Military Brass is done with it's own review and has it's new policy in place.

 

I have a lot of friends in the military, both male and female, and they are unanimous in their opposition to a repeal of "don't ask, don't tell". This will be bad for morale, and will be the cause of a lot of senior NCO's taking early retirement.

 

The military is an institution steeped in tradition and, as such, generally resists change. To force this issue in order to gain favor with a minority block of voters is insane.

 

The last time we, as a country, made a "feel good" decision, we ended up with the Zero.