Posted on 05/24/2010 8:59:29 PM PDT by ConjunctionJunction
Gay rights groups met with White House and congressional leaders this morning to discuss a potentially-imminent repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy that bars gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military.
The impetus for the meetings is a push in Congress, which passed the measure under President Bill Clinton, to add a repeal of the policy to the upcoming defense authorization bill.
Repeal "had been on a slow track awaiting completion of a Pentagon study at the end of this year," reports CBS News National Security Correspondent David Martin. "Gay rights proponents and their Democratic allies on Capitol Hill and in the White House have decided it's now or not for a very long time since the elections this fall are expected to bring in a more conservative, more Republican Congress."
On Thursday, as the Washington Post reports, the Senate Armed Services Committee will vote on adding the repeal provision to the bill; the House may also vote on the matter this week.
While repeal could pass via the defense authorization bill, it would reportedly not go into effect under the pending deal until after the president, the secretary of defense and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff review an ongoing Pentagon study into the impact of repeal. That review is set to be completed by December 1st.
The president and military brass must approve moving forward after the review comes back, and implimentation of repeal could take years.
Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen has already called ending the policy "the right thing to do," and President Obama has vowed repeal.
According to the Advocate, a Statement of Administration Policy on the issue is expected this week.
It is not clear that there are enough votes to attach a repeal to the defense authorization bill. Sen. Carl Levin, the chair of the Armed Services Committee, is believed to be at least one vote short of the 15 votes he needs, though up to six senators are reportedly wavering.
"The Pentagon was caught flat footed by this sudden change in the legislative landscape and officials are scrambling to figure out whether they are for or against the compromise - and whether there are enough votes on the Hill to pass it," reports Martin.
Sens. Carl Levin (D-MI), Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) and Rep. Patrick Murphy sent a letter today to Mr. Obama urging him to support their "legislative proposal...that puts a process in place to repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' once the working group has completed its review and you, the Secretary of Defense, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs certify that repeal can be achieved consistent with the military's standards of readiness, effectiveness, unit cohesion, and recruiting and retention."
"It is our firm belief that it is time to repeal this discriminatory policy that not only dishonors those who are willing to give their lives in service to their country but also prevents capable men and women with vital skills from serving in the Armed Forces at a time when our Nation is fighting two wars," they write.
The White House said they support the Democrat's legislative amendment to repeal "Don't Ask" even though it would have been ideal to wait until the review was finished.
"The Administration is of the view that the proposed amendment meets the concerns raised by the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff," Peter Orszag, the director of the Office of Management and Budget for the White House wrote in a letter to Lieberman. "The Administration therefore supports the proposed amendment."
If there is a silver lining it is probably that the fags will all finally find another way out of the service and go home with the win under their belt. “Mission Accomplished”. Their “service” had nothing to do with “service to their country”. If it was, flaunting their fagness would have been unimportant. This was about acceptance of their perverted lifestyle.
So if they “repeal” it doesn’t that mean they GO BACK TO the previous policy? Which was NO gays in the military, right?
I always thought “dont ask dont tell” was just putting into words the existing policy to allow Clintoon to pretend he did something.
Yeah, that whole economic collapse thing can wait....
Um, no.
Why don’t we just lay down our arms now and surrender to China. It’s inevitable.
The larger than life, faggot himself, usurper commie bastard 0bozo!
Just what we need in time for a blow out in Korea- a rainbow brigade
Guess what Brucie? If captured by the enemy- don’t tell
Come on Republicans this is an easy one. Obama and the Democrats are putting fags before national security. This is not only inappropriate but stupid.
They’ll do anything to weaken America. Anything.
Obama and the Democrats are putting Sodomy before national security. This is not only inappropriate but immoral.
Just a couple additions to those statements Maelstorm.
Thanks!
This is going to be a real hit to our national security once the Pentagon’s bottom line takes the hits that the big corporations’ bottom line took. If this is “repealed”, the lawsuits are going to be coming hot and heavy at the Pentagon from the fags and their lawyers. Homosexual harassment this, homosexual harassment that. I recommend that the military beef up its JAG corp. It is going to need it.
Teamwork.;)
Obama is no CIC. He’s SIC.
These seditious SOBs will never satiate their reprobate minds until they have completely destroyed this nation.
At some point, I expect (and pray) that those who believe the oath of affirmation they took “to uphold, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States” will decide the “march to oblivion” has gone far enough, and take serious action to subdue these twisted bastards.
May your disrespect toward the troops — as it results solely because
of political pay-back that you owe to your 2008 election gay supporters —
come back to haunt you ...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.