I have a difficult time understanding how anyone who knows of General Pace and respects the man and his accomplishments would think that Pace would shrink from such a debate, or that Pace would be anything less than armed to the teeth to support his point.
I suggest that Pace wanted to get into the Senate and take some of those political idiots apart. He knew that his statement would bring reaction, and he was ready for that reaction and debate before he approached the subject.
Rolling over for the Democrats on this only makes the White House appear to weakened to stand tall in a contentious debate on an issue of huge importance for many in the military.
Who calls it "shrinking". I would call it wisdom in refusing to be drawn into a 24 hour a day media show trial which will just make a lot of money for the networks over the topic of homosexuality; he knows a guy in his position needs to spend all his time engaged in the real War.