With the Iraq war taking center stage in early presidential debates, the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy is attracting renewed attention.
Each of the major Democratic contenders has called for a repeal of the military’s ban on service by open gays. But the 10 leading Republican candidates all support the ban.
The polarization has triggered criticism from some gay veterans that the GOP is dishonoring their service.
“To Republican candidates, ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ clearly means an opportunity to score a few political points with an anti-gay base,” said Antonio Agnone, a 27-year-old former officer in the U.S. Marine Corps who served in Iraq, in a video posted on YouTube.
Meanwhile, Marine Gen. Peter Pace, the chair of the Joint Chiefs who called gay sex “immoral,” announced he is retiring from the post. And the Human Rights Campaign has launched a new campaign to strike down “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
That effort, titled “A Legacy of Service,” emphasizes how the policy has endangered national security and cost the armed forces scores of skilled service members. Campaign efforts began Tuesday in Iowa and will expand into five other states before summer’s end.
The HRC campaign’s onset comes one week after the leading Republican presidential candidates affirmed their support of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
During a debate aired June 5 on CNN, all 10 participating Republicans reiterated their support of the policy.
Candidates who remained silent when asked to speak up if they believe gays and lesbians should be allowed to serve openly were: Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas, former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Rep. Duncan Hunter of California, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado and former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson.
The candidates’ unanimous support for the policy prompted conservative former Rep. Bob Barr (R-Ga.) to write this week in the Wall Street Journal that they may not understand the issue.
“The bottom line here is that, with nearly a decade and a half of the hybrid ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy guiding us, I have become deeply impressed with the growing weight of credible military opinion which concludes that allowing gays to serve openly in the military does not pose insurmountable problems for the good order and discipline of the services,” Barr wrote.
A bill that would allow gays to serve openly was introduced in the House earlier this year by Rep. Marty Meehan (D-Mass.), who is retiring from Congress. It was announced this week that the measure will now be shepherded by Rep. Ellen Tauscher (D-Calif.).
The Military Readiness Enhancement Act, which has no Senate companion, is awaiting a House committee review.
Republicans said during their June 5 debate, though, that any such proposal is a bad idea.
Giuliani said he did not believe “this would be the right time” to overturn the ban and that the president should rely on the judgment of military commanders.
McCain said he likewise would rely on military leadership for guidance on the issue but that it would be “a terrific mistake to even reopen the issue.”
Romney said during the debate that when he first heard of the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy, he “thought it sounded silly and didn’t think that it would be very effective,” but it “seems to be working” now.
Since its implementation, more than 11,000 service members have been dismissed under the law. More than 300 language specialists have been removed from the services because of the policy.
Government studies show “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” has cost taxpayers an estimated $364 million.
