Former Joint Chiefs chairman: Changes his mind. Time to include openly gay troops

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/01/30/pysk.shalikashvili/

(CNN) -- Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff John Shalikashvili has had a change of heart about gays in the military.

Shalikashvili, who was the top military man when President Clinton's "don't ask, don't tell" policy became law in 1993, wrote in a recent New York Times editorial that he was convinced by gay service members that "don't tell" can disappear.

"I now believe that if gay men and lesbians served openly in the United States military, they would not undermine the efficacy of the armed forces," he wrote in the January 2 edition of the Times. "Our military has been stretched thin by our deployments in the Middle East, and we must welcome the service of any American who is willing and able to do the job." (Watch to learn more about the retired general's about-face ) snip

Shalikashvili wrote that his position change came after meeting with gay troops, including "some with combat experience in Iraq, and an openly gay senior sailor who was serving effectively as a member of a nuclear submarine crew.

"These conversations showed me just how much the military has changed, and that gays and lesbians can be accepted by their peers."

[mikeytherat]

1. "We're running out of cannon fodder - all you homos are OK, now."

Makes ya feel all warm-n-patriotic, don't it?

:eyes:

mikey_the_rat

[LostinVA]

3. The first thing I thought of too, Mikey

[mikeytherat]

4. This says it all:

"Our military has been stretched thin by our deployments in the Middle East, and we must welcome the service of any American who is willing and able to do the job."

mikey_the_rat

[babylonsister]

11. Yep. My first thought, too. In militareeze, how does one say

'tough shit'?

[sarge43]

13. "In militarize, how does one say

'tough shit'?"

Resistant fecal material. However, tough shit works, too.

[babylonsister]

14. LOL! Thanks, sarge43! nt

[wakeme2008]

2. this is smelling more and more of Vietnam

Back during the VN War there were lots of gays and lesbians in the military. Nobody CARED as long as they were left alone.

[Glorfindel]

7. You're right about that - as I can testify from personal experience

:hi:

[sarge43]

9. Yes.

Before Nam went ugly early, the harassment and discharges action of gays and lesbians was intense. During the Big Ugly, very little. Afterwords, back to it. This could be graphed.

Some advice from a hetro vet to any gay or lesbian considering military service - stop. As soon as this current fracas is over, you'll be persona non grata again.

[wakeme2008]

12. Good point sarge43 about what will happen after Iraq/n

Thanks

[sarge43]

15. Stands to reason, wakeme2008

If there isn't an external enemy, an internal one is needed.

[xultar]

5. Running out of Soldiers to kill ahe?

[we can do it]

6. Ok Now Its OK To Be Gay

Screw those asswipes. It was supposed to be such a problem in combat situations, but now its ok. What's wrong are they running out of gang members, white supremacists and illegal immigrants?

[La Lioness Priyanka]

8. now that no one will sign up to die in iraq....well how about the homos?

they can die and noone will care..they wanted this didnt they?

[Orsino]

10. And like the black troops in previous wars, they will return home...

...to a nation that still hates them. Until we get serious about freedom, we have no business doing any recruiting.

[qwlauren35]

18. Actually, there was another consequence as well.

Black soldiers came home knowing how to use weapons, and very comfortable with them. I have no doubt that this is another reason why there was a sigh of relief when drugs became prevelant and black on black crime rose.... instead of black on WHITE crime.

I think some interesting things would happen in America if more gays armed themselves.

[Captain Hilts]

16. CNN is just now getting around to this story. It's old. nt

[qwlauren35]

17. This is just plain disgusting.

The timing is beyond tacky. It's downright offensive. No, repugnant.

You're running out of troops, so you decide that openly gay individuals can serve in the military.

Watch them lift the ban on felons next.

[mondo joe]

19. This is great news for gays with a death wish.

:eyes: