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| Home Front: Culture Wars |
| Army to oppose immediate suspension of gay firings |
| 2010-02-23 |
| WASHINGTON -- The Army's top uniformed officer said Tuesday that he has "serious concerns" about efforts to overturn a 17-year policy that bans gays from serving openly in the military and supports a yearlong study into the matter before any changes are made. The carefully crafted comments by Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey to the Senate Armed Services Committee indicate reluctance by some within the military's senior ranks to President Barack Obama's plan to repeal "don't ask, don't tell." Obama says the policy is wrongheaded and should change. Defense Secretary Robert Gates agrees but wants to move slowly, and has tasked a lengthy assessment on how to lift the ban without affecting the force. Casey's testimony as a service chief is considered crucial to the debate. As the top uniformed officials in each service, a service chief is in charge of recruitment and preparing troops for deployments. If the policy on gays is overturned, the chiefs would have to decide how to implement the changes. "I do have serious concerns about the impact of a repeal of the law on a force that is fully engaged in two wars and has been at war for eight-and-a-half years," Casey told the Senate panel. "We just don't know the impacts on readiness and military effectiveness." As 17 years worth of discharged Gays file lawsuits charging discrimination and damages you will learn more about the 'impacts.' Casey also said he would oppose legislation being considered by Sen. Carl Levin, the committee's chairman, that would force the military to immediately suspend dismissals. Levin says he wants a moratorium on firings under the law until Congress and the Pentagon can agree on how to repeal the law. Among the questions to be answered through broader legislation is whether the military would recognize gay marriages and extend benefits to gay partners. Don't forget joint domicile. Casey and Army Secretary John McHugh said a moratorium on "don't ask, don't tell" would put existing cases in legal limbo and introduce confusion. Barry and Holder will take care of tghe 'legal limbo' with the stroke of a pen. "This process is going to be difficult and complicated enough," Casey told Levin. "Anything that complicates it more, I think I would be opposed." Sen. John McCain, the top Republican on the committee, agreed. "It flies in the face of what the defense secretary has committed to," McCain said of Levin's proposed moratorium. Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee he thinks the law unfairly forces gay troops to compromise their integrity by lying about who they are. McHugh, a former New York congressman and Republican, said he would support a repeal if that is what the president and Congress decides. "My job is to try to provide" the "best possible information and views from the Army side," he said. "When I first enlisted, homosexuality was illegal. Twenty years into my career no one could talk about it. I'm glad I retired before it became mandatory." -- Anon |
| Posted by:Besoeker |
| #2 ..within 90 days... |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2010-02-23 19:41 |
| #1 Don't forget joint domicile. Wait till all the straights go get the piece of paper just to get out of the barracks. When did you notice you lost control? They can put an end to all this by recognizing that the government is about to break their contracts with everyone else since they are fundamentally altering the terms of service. If the point is the human rights and dignity of gays, then that point equally applies to straights who signed those contracts. Of course, its not about rights, its about power. That's why the military won't allow straights out of their contracts when the government alters it. Put the following into any legislation altering the conditions of service - "Any service member, enlisted, warrant or commission will have the right for one year after the implementation of this change to submit a request for release from service. Said servicemember must be separated from the service within 90s with no holds or delays regardless of operational requirements. Any detention or delay of such servicemember beyond 90 days meets the criteria of kidnapping in accordance with existing federal laws. There will be no waivers. The servicemember will be returned to his or her point of entry on active duty or home of record. The servicemember will be released from all further contractual obligations and based upon exiting condition of service at time of submission of request will retain any and all benefits and entitlement afforded by the Veterans Administration." They won't do it. And as such puts a lie to the precept that its about individual rights and dignity and that it won't effect operational effectiveness. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2010-02-23 19:41 |