07/05/2009
Colin Powell: "Review" DADT
Colin Powell—who helped craft Don't Ask, Don't Tell in 1993 (picture from that year) after thwarting President Bill Clinton in his efforts to open the military to out gay soldiers—said on CNN's State of the Union today that the policy should be reviewed, but would not say it should be repealed.
"The policy and the law that came about in 1993 I think was correct for the time. Sixteen years have now gone by, and I think a lot has changed with respect to attitudes within our country. And therefore, I think this is a policy and a law that should be reviewed."
He also seemed to dispute the notion (as interpreted from President Obama's recent remarks) that the policy exists only because of a generation gap:
"It is not just a matter of old generals who, you know, are just too high-bound. There are lots of complicated issues with respect to this, and I think all of those issues should be illuminated. And I hope that the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the commanders working with the Secretary of Defense will give this the greatest consideration and make their recommendation to the president and to the Congress."
Posted 11:42 AM EST by Matthew Rettenmund in Barack Obama, Bill clinton, Colin Powell, Don't Ask, Don't Tell | Permalink
Like it?
Subscribe to FREE Towleroad daily headlines with our RSS feed!
RECENT STORIES:
Comments
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
Because those civil rights struggles and the conservative rhetoric used to oppose them are in many instances, almost precisely the same.
How can you not know that? I mean, at this stage?
Posted by: elcamino | Jul 6, 2009 7:22:09 AM
Having black and white men serving together in the military was a hotly contested issue back in the day. I hope someone has the chance to ask General Powell whether preventing integration within the military was appropriate for that time. It's an apples-apples comparison.
Posted by: NR | Jul 6, 2009 10:23:27 AM
Really? This man's opinion still matters? Please. He didn't do the right thing when Bush was in office trying to sell the Iraq war. Are we now supposed to expect he will do the right thing regarding DADT by actively speaking against it? "It should be reviewed".
The guy is a true politician. A coward.
Posted by: Paul | Jul 6, 2009 7:32:54 PM
Somehow, 27 countries have managed to integrate their straight and gay service members with a minimum of problems. What is it about the United States that we are unable to accomplish this? Could it be religious bigotry? Maybe we should ask Canada or Israel or Uruguay or the Philippines how they did it? After all, they've accomplished something the US has not been able to do.
Posted by: Don | Jul 6, 2009 10:02:01 PM
DADT should be repealed. In fact, we should not let fags serve at all. Women should be out to. These affirmative action babies should get the hell out. Homo's don't have a right to shower with straight dudes, no matter how much they argue the opposite. They've already ruined the Catholic Church. Do we really want these fruit-loops corrupting the service?
Posted by: billy bob | Jul 7, 2009 1:07:09 AM