Posted by JM Ashby
As you may recall, during the height of the campaign to repeal DADT over this past summer and fall, many of those in the opposition pleaded with congress to hold off on voting until after the Pentagon report concerning the matter was released. Well, Lindsey Graham is apparently not content with the result of that study and he wants another one.
"There is no groundswell of opposition to Don't Ask, Don't Tell coming from our military. This is all politics. I don't believe there is anywhere near the votes to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell. On the Republican side, I think we will be united in the lame duck [session] and the study I would be looking for is asking military members: Should it be repealed, not how to implement it once you as a politician decide to repeal it. So I think in a lame duck setting Don't Ask, Don't Tell is not going anywhere."
The Pentagon study group concluded that there is minimal risk to the current war efforts from repealing DADT and 70% of respondents to their survey believe the effect of repeal would be "positive, mixed or nonexistent."
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs has called for repealing DADT "as soon as possible."
Defense Secretary Robert Gates has stated that DADT should be repealed before the GOP takes control of congress.
So despite the overwhelming support from the upper echelon of the chain of command, Lindsey Graham wants another study on the matter! Preferably one that would produce the results that HE wants.
Will the media ever drop the notion that Republicans are the ones who have the most credibility on matters concerning the military? They seem to ignore the Joint Chiefs and the Secretary of Defense whenever it is politically expedient to do so.