Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Marines reject Obama’s repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell


General James T. Conway

"My best military advice to this committee, to the (defense) secretary, and to the president would be to keep the law such as it is."-- General James Conway,USMC
The head of the US Marines, General James Conway one of the few good men left in government or the military did not bow to peer pressure instead he opposes ending the ban on gays serving openly in the military, the first top officer to break openly with President Barack Obama over the issue.

General Conway told the Senate Armed Services Committee that he disagreed with Obama's plan to repeal the ban as reported by AFP News. "My best military advice to this committee, to the (defense) secretary, and to the president would be to keep the law such as it is."

General Conway is joined by the chiefs of the US Army and Air Force who also expressed doubts about lifting the ban. (see article) (see related stories here, here and here)

Conway said the current policy worked and any bid to lift the ban should answer the question: "do we somehow enhance the war fighting capabilities of the United States Marine Corps by allowing homosexuals to openly serve?"

According to the AFP report, Conway's public rejection of his commander-in-chief's stance is sure to fuel debate in Congress on the issue and reflects apprehension among some senior military officers about changing the 1993 law that was signed by President William Jefferson Clinton.

The chiefs of the US Army and Air Force in their opposition said they were concerned about putting the military under further strain in the midst of two wars.

But Conway went further, making it clear he opposed lifting the ban that requires gay service members to keep quiet about their sexual orientation or face expulsion from the military.

His comments contrasted sharply with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, who is obviously carrying the Soetoro administration’s line on this controversial policy change and has spoken forcefully in favor of ending the ban but the General’s views are in line with former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Peter Pace who opposed homosexuality. (see previous post)

Defense Secretary Robert Gates has called for a review of the issue to survey service members and examine the possible effect of changing the law, known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

This is one more of the far Left-wing agenda items that Democrats intend to pass under the Uber-Liberal to Socialist presidency of Barry Hussein Soetoro. This attempt is more a social engineering ploy more than a concern for military readiness.

Homosexual advocates want this change in the military as one more step in their plan to change the society through legal Fascism, which in their minds is more important than military readiness, or for that matter truth and social morality.