By Jillian Farrel -- February 3, 2010
The nation's top uniformed officer, made a strong appeal for letting gays serve openly in the military, thus supporting the lift for the "don't ask, don't tell" policy.
Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, believes the "dont ask" restrictions could be lifted without harming military morale and recruitment.
Mullen said, "it is my personal and professional belief that allowing homosexuals to serve openly would be the right thing to do." In addition, he said "No matter how I look at the issue, I cannot escape being troubled by the fact that we have in place which forces young men and women to lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens."
Republicans appear to be united against lifting the policy, while Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the pentagon would take its strongest steps yet to allow gays to more openly serve in the military and creating a high-level commission to review the many questions that will arise if Congress repeals the ban.
The defense chief said he was devising a plan to safely allow homosexuals to openly serve in the military. The panel should deliver information by the end of 2010.
The overturn of this policy was first fought by former President Bill Clinton in 1993. His move enfuriated the members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who lobied to keep the policy. As a result, Clinton settled for a new policy: gays could serve in the military, but they had to keep quiet about their sexual orientation.
Supporters of this policy argue that homosexual militants make the military less effective and unified, while critics believe it's irrational discrimination.
