Posted on 11/10/2010 6:45:29 PM PST by jazusamo
President Obama's first appointment to the Joint Chiefs of Staff is continuing, rather than settling, the divisive debate among the nation's top military officers on gays in the military.
The disagreement comes as doubts grow over whether Democrats can muster enough votes in Congress' lame-duck session next week to repeal the Pentagon ban on open gays, known as "don't ask, don't tell." Pro-gay activists are sounding pessimistic, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is not guaranteeing a vote will happen.
Mr. Obama handpicked Gen. James Amos to be Marine Corps commandant, who replaced Gen. James T. Conway, considered the military's most outspoken advocate for keeping the ban.
But Gen. Amos has not veered from Gen. Conway's stance. He said during a trip to California that with troops fighting two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan now was not the time to change policy.
"There is nothing more intimate than young men and young women — and when you talk of infantry, we're talking our young men — laying out, sleeping alongside of one another and sharing death, fear and loss of brothers," Gen. Amos said on Saturday, according to the Associated Press. "I don't know what the effect of that will be on cohesion. I mean, that's what we're looking at. It's unit cohesion, it's combat effectiveness."
The remark stunned Adm. Michael Mullen, who as Joint Chiefs chairman is top military adviser to the president and who supports repeal.
"I was actually surprised," Adm. Mullen said. "I was surprised what he said, surprised he said it publicly. And specifically, again, back to the commitment that's been there which has been to come together based on several meetings that we've had, look at the data, and make our recommendations privately, which is where we are."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Ping!
Someone with a pair
Ugh... THERE IS NO BAN! THERE IS NO BAN! THERE IS NO BAN!!!!!
You and I know about headlines, read the second sentence.
As ex-Navy, Admiral Mullen just embarrasses the hell out of me. I know it has gone so PC since I was in that it appalls me, but this is too much to bear.
God Bless General Amos for standing up for what is right.
^he cant be any worse than that bed wetting jackass General William Casey whining about ‘our precious diversity’ after the Ft Hood Islamo massacre.
Disgusted at what we’ve become.
Well said...I’m disappointed that Adm. Mullen took the position that he did just as I’m disappointed with Gates. They’re both doing our military an injustice.
Agreed. This is distressing, I had forgotten about that comment. Unbelievable.
He needs to state this again and again. Leave our troops alone!
Glad to hear it, Gen. Amos is doing the right thing.
“Social engineering”, “political correctness”, “social justice”, what a bunch of leftist rot. Our military is too vital to have to put up with such idiocy.
Mullen needs to go, God Bless the Marine Corps and Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!
I never thought I would be ashamed of serving in the Navy. My dad did 30 years, and is buried at Arlington (going there tomorrow morning with the FR DC Chapter to counter-protest against the Westboro Baptist idiots)
One of the jobs my dad had for a few years at the Navy Yard in DC was to evaluate cases for processing...kind of the point man to determine how to proceed with disciplinary cases for discharge. I think he was the one to triage the cases, retain this one, recommend discharge this one with a Honorable, Dishonorable, Bad Conduct, etc)
He only talked about it once to me, but my mom said he was tortured by the job, not making the decisions, but seeing the scummy, base things people did or were accused of doing had an effect on him. He drank heavily as a result.
One of the things he had to do was occasionally recommending discharge due to homosexuality.
You have nothing to be ashamed of, the Navy is a great institution for our country. Leaders come and go, great ones and not so great.
God Bless your Dad, I wouldn’t have wanted to be in his shoes during those few years, doing a job like that would try any person.
I remember well when the series “Victory At Sea” started on very early television, it told it like it was with the Navy and WWII.
Absolutely!
Our military has one purpose and that is to protect this country. The libtards seem to think it should reflect their warped outlook as far as their social mores go.
If the time should ever come that a true Marxist ever controls this country those libtards are too stupid to realize they will be the first to be eliminated.
I bet it did. That poofer Mullen was hand-picked by the rats to replace Peter Pace specifically because he was a supporter of "gay rights". The day Bush agreed to throw Pace under the bus in favor of Mullen was one of the most disappointing days of Bush's presidency. Disgraceful.
Right about now I suspect that Ubama is calling somebody on the carpet about his recommendation of Amos for Commandant.
Because you, Mullen, are nothing but an inept sack sniffer.
Thanks...that made me feel a bit better...:)
I have become completely addicted to the soundtrack to Victory at Sea, the one by the Cincinnati Pops is great...if you like orchestral arrangements.
GOD BLESS THE USMC!
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