Politico reported today that the certification for the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is more then likely not going to happen under the tenure of Defense Secretary Robert Gates. He had previously said that he would enact the repeal if he was given the approval from the heads of all military branches before June 30th, something that does not look like it is going to happen.
This is a positive development for the military. Frank Gaffney, President of the Center for Security Policy recently outlined the adverse effects the repeal would have in a Washington Times article and it seems leadership may be sharing some of these same concerns as well.
“[The repeal of Don’t ask, Don’t Tell] may even prove decisive to the viability of the All Volunteer Force. That viability may, in turn, determine our ability to avoid in the years ahead, as we have for the past four decades, a return to conscription to meet our requirements for warriors in those conflicts.”
“Elaine Donnelly of the Center for Military Readiness…comprehensive analysis of the CRWG report shows [Pentagon’s Comprehensive Review Working Group] that there will be serious and adverse repercussions for the readiness and good order and discipline of the U.S. military if the ban on service by open homosexuals is repealed. Hard questions developed by Ms. Donnelly and like-minded members of the House Armed Services Committee have yet to receive satisfactory answers.”
“The need for such answers and for Secretary Gates to decline to give his certification during his last few days in office have been made all the more compelling by the problems now becoming palpable: direction (subsequently countermanded) to Navy chaplains to perform gay marriages; LGBT militants using secretly recorded audiotapes to harass, and perhaps bring legal action against, military personnel given the unenviable task of providing sensitivity training to the troops to prepare for open homosexuals in the ranks; and service members’ open appeals to Mr. Gates and the Congress not to take that step.”
While there are no signs that the Obama administration will give up their attempts to repeal the law with incoming Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, this will certainly serve as a setback and hopefully allow for a fresh, independent and rigorous appraisal of the costs and risks of the repeal.