The Human Rights Campaign today called on the Pentagon to release its report on 'DADT' now:
While the authorizing order for the report stipulated that it be sent to Defense Secretary Robert Gates no later than December 1st, leaks indicate that the report is complete and ready to be issued. With time running out and some senators continuing to use the report's impending release as their excuse, it's incumbent on the Pentagon to eliminate this as an obstacle to legislative repeal of the unjust and discriminatory law known as “Don't Ask, Don't Tell.”
“This report has been ten months in the making. It's critical that the Pentagon immediately confirm what we have long known: there will be no problem with open service by courageous and well-qualified gay and lesbian service members,” said Joe Solmonese, HRC president. “With the Senate soon turning its attention again to military policy, the results of the Pentagon review should be made available as soon as possible so undecided Senators are well-informed.”
Details from the study which leaked earlier this week showed minimal risk to troops from lifting the ban: "More than 70 percent of respondents to a survey sent to active-duty and reserve troops over the summer said the effect of repealing the "don't ask, don't tell" policy would be positive, mixed or nonexistent, said two sources familiar with the document. The survey results led the report's authors to conclude that objections to openly gay colleagues would drop once troops were able to live and serve alongside them."
