It is not the individual cases of who did what to whom. That already happens, one young Marine video taped having gay sex claimed he could remember nothing and may have been the victim of date rape drugs, and then again he may not. Everyone needs to take a more expansive view. Even Krauthammer is taking a narrow view. Here are some questions that need to be answered:
1. Is homosexuality a genetic issue or a life style issue? If it is a life style can the military restrict homosexual behavior on military installations while simultaneously allowing gays to serve?
2. If it is a life style issue, can the military then continue to legally deny enlistment opportunities to reformed criminals, drug addicts, or obese people? In some case these were life style choices. What about people over 45?
3. If the military cannot restrict gay sex on installations, will straight members be able to request alternative quarters. In other words, junior military members are generally in two to four man rooms, it is one thing for young people to say they have no problem with gays; it is another to live with a gay person involuntarily. Or to come in and find a group of gay men/women are drinking and talking about gay sex or finding your roommate having gay sex in your shared head. If straights are allowed to request straight berthing, will this create segregation and disrupt unit cohesion.
4. In 2009 the United States Navy alone had nearly as many personnel as the entire British armed forces (between 400K to 500K) That total includes Reserve Forces. How can the UK Forces be an example of integrating gays into the military it is a far smaller force from an extremely secular country?
5. Will personnel currently serving who are not willing to serve with gays be given Honorable discharges early or early retirement?
6. Will Chaplains be required to perform gay unions if the military recognizes them?
7. Will gay members that want to live as women be allowed to do so off duty.
8. Will transsexuals be given dependency status and be allowed to live on the base as a woman. If a doctor approves will gay members be allowed to live as transsexuals and will DOD pay for sex change operations.
9. Will gays be allowed to claim a “spouse” from civil unions of gay marriages from states like MA? Is there a legal basis for deny these benefits if gays are allowed to serve openly?
10. Will gay members be allowed to claim there partners as dependents live in base housing.
11. Will the military allow openly gay behavior in the base clubs and facilities?
12. Can the military prevent gay affectionate behavior while wearing the uniform?
13. With the number of military suicides on the rise related to stress of war, how will the military address a young gay suicide rate anywhere from 30-40% higher than among straights?
14. Male gay sex is high risk for HIV and STDs, what will be the cost to the DOD, how many personnel are currently diagnoses with HIV from gay sex under don’t ask, don’t tell.
15. Can don’t ask, don’t tell be maintained in such a way as to prevent third part accusations, allow gays to serve? In other words, is it possible to specify what gay activity will result in discharge vice simply being gay as sufficient grounds for discharge.
I have long said that what works in countries no larger than an individual state in the United States, cannot work in America. If we were only talking about Missouri or Rhode Island, we might have more options, but we've got a lot of territory to apply the one-size-fits-all mentality.