• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Towleroad Gay News

Gay Blog Towleroad: More than gay news | gay men

  • Travel
  • Sports
  • Law/Justice
  • Celebrities
  • Republicans
  • Madonna
  • Books
  • Men
  • Trans Rights
  • Royals
  • Monkeypox
  • Sophia Bush’s girlfriend ‘proud’ the actress has opened up about coming out as queer
  • Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!
  • Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

General Sheehan ‘Sorry’ for Blaming Bosnian Genocide on Gays

Andy Towle March 30, 2010

Former U.S. General John Sheehan has apologized to the Dutch military for remarks he made during testimony before the Senate Armed Services committee regarding "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" which blamed the 1995 Bosnian massacre at Srebrenica on the fact that the Dutch allow gays to serve openly in its military.

Sheehan The National Post reports: 

"John Sheehan, a retired former NATO commander and senior Marine officer, 'wrote a letter of apology,' ministry spokeswoman Anne van Pinxteren told AFP.In it, Mr. Sheehan said he was 'sorry'" for remarks made at a Senate hearing earlier this month where he argued against plans by President Barack Obama to end a ban on allowing gays to serve openly in the US military.'The case in point that I'm referring to is when the Dutch were required to defend Srebrenica against the Serbs,' he said at the time, referring to the Dutch UN peacekeeping force deployed to protect Bosnian Muslim civilians…'To be clear, the failure on the ground in Srebrenica was in no way the fault of the individual soldiers,' states Mr. Sheehan's letter, dated Monday and addressed to the now retired Mr. Van den Breemen.'I am sorry that my recent public recollection of those discussions of 15 years ago inaccurately reflected your thinking on some specific social issues in the military,' said the letter, a copy of which was given to AFP by the ministry.'It is also regrettable that I allowed you to be pulled into a public debate.'"

Sheehan's remarks were condemned by the Dutch military, and Dutch gay rights group Pink Army threatened to sue Sheehan.

Pink Army expressed relief at the ex-General's apology. Writes the group:

Pinkarmy  "'The reactions and the publicity in the Netherlands and in the United States have obviously put so much pressure on him that he's had to retract his words' says Peter Schouten, founder of Pink Army.‘The way things developed around this incident shows that the fight for human rights not only is a cause for government but that interest groups and individual citizens have a role to play in it. This enhances the chance of success against injustice. We have to find a way of getting along with one another.' says Schouten.The most important thing for Pink Army was to get the apology of Gen. Sheehan and that he acknowledge he had given a wrong statement. Now that he has expressed regret, the need to start legal proceedings has vanished. Tomorrow Pink Army will discuss this with the COC (the largest organization for gay rights in the Netherlands) and the Organization for homosexuals in the Dutch Military.As you know Pink Army had started preparations for a class action suit involving seven gay military personnel at the federal court in California. To progress it was necessary to obtain a deposition from [former commander and chief of the Dutch army] Gen. Van den Breemen . Pink Army had to first find out who was telling the truth in this case.Pink Army expresses the hope that the new statement from Sheehan will receive the same attention as his early remarks before the American Congress, because his words deeply offended gays in and out of the military. ‘With his letter Sheehan has, as far as we are concerned, confirmed that his earlier remarks were incorrect.' said Schouten."

So what are the penalties Sheehan will have to endure for totally making something up in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee???

Sheehan's testimony, if you missed it, AFTER THE JUMP…

Topics: Military, News More Posts About: Don't Ask Don't tell, Military, News, the Netherlands

Related Posts
  • Italy Removes General Over Homophobic Remarks, Sexist, Anti-Semitic Statements. “Gay and Jews Are not untouchable”
  • Russia Blocks Facebook, Accusing it of Restricting Access to Russian Media;
  • Duran Duran Has New Music And You Are About To Enjoy it. It’s 2021. Seriously.
  • Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

    Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Mel B will “always be open” when it comes to her sexuality. The Spice Girls singer, 48, who reunited with her bandmates including the group's ex-singer Victoria Beckham for the fashion …Read More »
  • Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

    Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Megan Thee Stallion is being sued for allegedly creating a hostile work environment and forcing her cameraman to watch her having lesbian sex. The 29-year-old ‘Savage' rapper faces the salacious claims …Read More »
  • Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

    Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Jonathan Bennett's life was “changed forever” by his role in ‘Mean Girls'. The 42-year-old actor starred as heartthrob Aaron Samuels in the 2004 cult classic – which followed Lindsay Lohan, Rachel …Read More »
  • Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

    Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass a gift basket after he came out as gay. The 44-year-old NSYNC star revealed the legendary singer showed his support when Lance decided to reveal …Read More »
Previous Post: « Watch: ‘Priest Off’ Keeps Predatory Catholic Clergy at Bay
Next Post: Doctor Who Used ‘Shock’ Therapy to ‘Cure’ Gays Under Investigation for Sexual Assault of Dozens of Male Patients »

Primary Sidebar

Most Recent

  • Sophia Bush’s girlfriend ‘proud’ the actress has opened up about coming out as queer

    Sophia Bush’s girlfriend ‘proud’ the actress has opened up about coming out as queer

  • Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

    Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

  • Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

    Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

  • Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

    Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

  • Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

    Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

  • Relationship status influences heterosexual women’s sexual prejudice towards lesbians

    Relationship status influences heterosexual women’s sexual prejudice towards lesbians

  • JoJo Siwa had a challenge transitioning to new grown-up image

    JoJo Siwa had a challenge transitioning to new grown-up image

  • Liz Hurley defends lesbian sex scene in new movie that was directed by her son

    Liz Hurley defends lesbian sex scene in new movie that was directed by her son

Partner Links

  • See Cher’s full interview with Howard Stern
    This is from last year and while I had seen clips, […]
  • Musk Does Not Deny NY Times Report Of His Drug Abuse
    In case you missed it, The New York Times published a […]
  • OMG, his butt: Actor Lasse Klene in ‘Traumnovelle’
    It’s the weekend, and Lasse Klene does exactly what we WISH […]
  • OMG, Bella and Gigi Hadid reveal that they have a secret younger sister
    The cats outta the bag: Gigi and Bella Hadid have revealed […]
  • Leavitt: DOGE Will Continue Without Musk
    With Elon Musk officially gone from the White House, Press Secretary […]

Most Commented

Social

Twitter @tlrd | Facebook | Instagram @tlrd

About

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy
[towleroadmr] [towleroadtn]

Footer

Ptown Hacks 2018

Read

  • Travel
  • Film
  • Law – LGBT Rights
  • Columns
  • Specials

About

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2025 · Log in

×
×