Posted on 07/13/2009 12:04:33 PM PDT by Red Steel
NEW YORK (AP) — When it comes to dealing with gay personnel in the ranks, the contrasts are stark among some of the world’s proudest, toughest militaries — and these differing approaches are invoked by both sides as Americans renew debate over the Pentagon’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.
In the United States, more than 12,000 service members have been dismissed since 1994 because it became known they were gay. Current targets for discharge include a West Point graduate and Iraq war veteran, Army National Guard Lt. Dan Choi.
In Britain, on the other hand, uniformed gay and lesbian service members marched in the annual Pride London parade July 4. Gay Australian soldiers and sailors had their own float in Sydney’s Gay Mardi Gras parade. In Israel, the army magazine earlier this year featured two male soldiers on the cover, hugging one another.
America’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy — which prohibits gays from serving openly — is the target of intensifying opposition, and President Barack Obama says he favors lifting the ban. But he wants to win over skeptics in Congress and the Pentagon, and a fierce debate lies ahead that will inevitably touch on the experiences of allied nations that have no bans.
U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Pa., the first war veteran elected to Congress, has just launched a campaign for a bill to repeal “don’t ask.” He observed British troops in operating smoothly with a serve-openly policy and bristles at the contention that American forces would suffer morale and recruiting problems if they followed suit.
“I take it as a personal affront to our warriors,” he said. “To say that other countries’ soldiers are professional enough to handle this and American soldiers aren’t is really a slap in the face.”
(Excerpt) Read more at gazette.com ...
"Gays in the military
Should openly gay men and women be allowed to serve in the U.S. military?"
Cannon fodder?
How many of those countries are defending the world? How many of them are serving voluntarily?
65/35 YES.....GO VOTE....only 26 have voted so far
The larger question they are avoiding. Are we not capable of deciding for ourselves? The leaders of the free world and we can’t even come to a decision on this issue.
How to handle gays in the military?
Through education, of course, just like we do in grammar school. Have everyone read “Daddy has Two Sergeants.”
I am glad I retired 20 years ago.
they ought to ask lumberjacks - they’re OK...
Let them serve in the EU military.
And there you have it. Militaries that can selectively engage and only on a very limited basis have made the leap to all queers are welcome.
And to all those who let themselves be put down on their knees in mimicry of homosexual behavior, to suck down and swallow this bullcrap, need to be reminded that homosexuals CAN serve in the US military unless they make their homosexuality an issue.
The only homosexuals barred from military service are those who would be openly disruptive in their behavior.
Service in the US military is high enough pressure to deal with without throwing all this useful idiocy social engineering into it.
Really?
And the liberal media wonders why newspapers and news organizations are dying... they don't even know what editing is.
paahleeeze.
Other countries have militaries that are a joke.
They also have CONSCRIPTION rather than volunteer armies.
They also divide their military into a social welfare group (cannon fodder) and a serious military elite group.
There are reasons the US is unmatched in superiority. Being clumsy with the soap in the shower is not one of them.
is this “D” a light in the loafers district congressman?
The US has the finest military force on earth....why can't the natural cowards in our Congress, leave them the flock alone?
We don't need no steenking editors or fact checkers!
What, no barf alert? Sorry, there’s a reason why we have the policies we do, and one can draw a correlation between them and the quality of our military. Ya see, libs? “Good order and discipline” DO mean something!
1) Are other nations actively using their military to help the world?
2) Why is this so hard? The answer is simple: show up, do your job and keep your private R&R business to yourself. But do your damn job!
Yet another biased article from the Associated Press.
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