President Barack Obama's bid to lift the ban on gays serving openly in the military received another boost Wednesday when retired US general Colin Powell came out in support of the repeal. As the country's highest ranking officer in 1993, Powell had opposed president Bill Clinton's attempt to end a ban on gays in uniform. Instead, Powell backed a controversial compromise still in force -- known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" -- requiring service members to keep quiet about their sexual orientation or face expulsion."In the almost 17 years since the "Don't ask, Don't tell" legislation was passed, attitudes and circumstances have changed," he said in a statement. "I fully support the new approach presented to the Senate Armed Services Committee this week" by Defense Secretary Robert Gates and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike
TPJ: General Powell is one of the most highly decorated and highly respected leaders amongst both Republicans and Democrats but especially with Independents as Powell is fairly independent of parties himself. So, if Powell, (who was the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the time) is ready to end the ban on gays, I don't see how anyone can disagree with him unless they are just plain bigots. But it isn't just disagreeing with Powell. The two highest leaders of our current military, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen and the Secretary of Defense Bob Gates and ready to end the ban.
Yet some on the right of the political spectrum disagree with these experienced leaders of the military. I find this highly ironic because the Republicans party has long held the generals as having the final say on military matters. Under Bush the Republicans told us Democrats and Liberals that we must, "Listen to, and follow the generals on the ground." I agree that a certain amount of deference should be showed to these military leaders but where's that loyalty to the generals now? As further evidence I submit the McCain flip-flop. In it he either shows that he's senile, hypocritical or worst--both:
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James: I could call you cowards who don't support the military as you did with those on the left who opposed the Iraq war but I won't stoop to your level of rhetoric.
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4 comments:
Those Republicans who oppose this are just afraid it will be used against them in an election year.
That and they're dinosaurs.
The rightists don't believe much of what they say. It's pretty much all spin.
I'm with libhom.
They are all lying liars most of the time and can't figure out how not to spin so end up on the wrong end of many issues due to their regular nonthink.
Thanks for your information site.
I'd like to blogroll you if you'd like.
Suzan
Riverwolf:
Yep, they are cowards. I bet a lot of them actually don't care if don't ask don't tell is repealed. They are just playing to the crowd as you said.
Libhom:
Yep, for them it's all a game. The end justify the means for them. To them they'd rather win than be accurate and right in their rhetoric.
Suzan:
Feel free to blog roll me. Glad you like the blog. :)
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