Top uniformed officer: Gay ban should be lifted

[one...two...tree 2,762]

By ANNE FLAHERTY and ANNE GEARAN, Associated Press Writers

WASHINGTON – The military's top uniformed officer on Tuesday made an impassioned plea for allowing gays to serve openly in uniform, telling a Senate panel it was a matter of integrity and that it is wrong to force people to "lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens."

The comments by Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, set the stage for the Defense Department's yearlong study into how the ban can be repealed without causing a major upheaval in the military.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates, appearing with Mullen before the Armed Services Committee, announced plans to loosen enforcement rules involving the "don't ask, don't tell" policy that has been in effect since 1993.

President Barack Obama has called for a repeal of the policy, although he did little in his first year in office to advance that goal. If he succeeds, it would mark the biggest shake up to military personnel policies since President Harry S. Truman's 1948 executive order integrating the services.

"No matter how I look at the issue," Mullen said, "I cannot escape being troubled by the fact that we have in place a policy which forces young men and women to lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens." Noting that he was speaking for himself and not for the other service chiefs, Mullen added: "For me, it comes down to integrity — theirs as individuals and ours as an institution."

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[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I'd like to see bin laden captured by openly gay troops. Jewish would be a bonus.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I'd like to see bin laden captured by openly gay troops. Jewish would be a bonus.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

but seriously - if troops are openly gay will the military have to allow cross dressing?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

but seriously - if troops are openly gay will the military have to allow cross dressing?

I don't see why that would be an issue. Off duty, you can wear what you want.

[luckytxn 2,265]

Figures it would be a Navy guy to endorse this.

[Peikko 1,575]

Figures it would be a Navy guy to endorse this.

Can you think outside of narrow stereotypes ever?

[My Name Is Nobody 3]

Lets hope one of these openly gay service men dont get captured by an anti gay country. It could get ugly.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Lets hope one of these openly gay service men dont get captured by an anti gay country. It could get ugly.

[Peikko 1,575]

That was what I thought too. What else can you do when faced with such ignorance?

[Calypso 465]

[luckytxn 2,265]

LOL. Exactly.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Countries that allow gays to serve in the military (openly):

Argentina

Australia

Autria

Belgium

Bermuda

Brazil

Canada

Czech Republic

Denmark

Estonia

Finland

France

Germany

Ireland

Israel

Italy

Lithuania

Luxembourg

The Netherlands

New Zealand

Norway

Peru

Philippines

Romania

Slovenia

South Africa

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

United Kingdom

Uruguay

Countries that currently disallow gays to serve in the military (openly or at all)

Cuba

China

Egypt

Greece

Iran

Jamaica

North Korea

Pakistan

Russia

Saudi Arabia

Serbia

Singapore

South Korea

Syria

Turkey

Venezuela

Yemen

United States

.................................................................

Countries that have universal healthcare:

Norway

Sweden

New Zealand

Japan

Germany

Belgium

United Kingdom

Kuwait

Sweden

Baihran

Brunei

Canada

Netherlands

Austria

Finland

Denmark

Luxembourg

France

Australia

Ireland

Italy

Does anyone else here see a pattern?

[JimandChristy 1,689]

Countries that allow gays to serve in the military (openly):

Argentina

Australia

Autria

Belgium

Bermuda

Brazil

Canada

Czech Republic

Denmark

Estonia

Finland

France

Germany

Ireland

Israel

Italy

Lithuania

Luxembourg

The Netherlands

New Zealand

Norway

Peru

Philippines

Romania

Slovenia

South Africa

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

United Kingdom

Uruguay

Countries that currently disallow gays to serve in the military (openly or at all)

Cuba

China

Egypt

Greece

Iran

Jamaica

North Korea

Pakistan

Russia

Saudi Arabia

Serbia

Singapore

South Korea

Syria

Turkey

Venezuela

Yemen

United States

.................................................................

Countries that have universal healthcare:

Norway

Sweden

New Zealand

Japan

Germany

Belgium

United Kingdom

Kuwait

Sweden

Baihran

Brunei

Canada

Netherlands

Austria

Finland

Denmark

Luxembourg

France

Australia

Ireland

Italy

Does anyone else here see a pattern?

That the US is still stuck in the 20th Century?

[Calypso 465]

Countries that currently disallow gays to serve in the military (openly or at all)

• most countries you have listed here are presently or were previously communist countries
  

Countries that have universal healthcare

• only four are Asian countries with reasonably high GDP while most (not all) of the rest are European "powers"
  

I am not so good in digging into details though. Maybe when I'm 25 I'll be smarter.