Pentagon: Debating ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Will Stir ‘Divisiveness And Turbulence Across Our Country’
Pentagon: Debating ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Will Stir ‘Divisiveness And Turbulence Across Our Country’
Last January, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) wrote a letter to Defense Secretary Robert Gates asking him for his opinion on the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) policy “in light of the growing call of military leaders to reconsider DADT and the mounting evidence that calls into question the rationale for this policy.”
In a letter obtained by ABC’s The Blotter, Pentagon official David Chu responded by claiming that even a debate about the issue would hurt the war effort:
“The Global War on Terrorism is far-reaching and unrelenting,” wrote David S. C. Chu, Defense Undersecretary for Personnel and Readiness… “A national debate on changing” the Pentagon’s ban on openly gay service members would bring “divisiveness and turbulence across our country,” which “will compound the burden of the war.”
This is a shoddy attempt to stifle debate, and in fact the opposite is true — repeal of DADT would relieve, not worsen, the “burden of the war” on our military.
Since DADT went info effect, the Pentagon has dismissed more than 11,000 servicemembers, around 800 of whom had “some training in an occupation identified … as ‘critical.’” At a time when the military faces a readiness crisis, the Pentagon can ill-afford to dismiss two service members a day as it is doing under the current policy. One study by the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network found the U.S. military could attract as many as 41,000 new recruits if gays and lesbians were allowed to be open about their sexual orientation.
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47 Responses to “Pentagon: Debating ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Will Stir ‘Divisiveness And Turbulence Across Our Country’”
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http://www.peace-action.org/
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To: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
cc: Chairs of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and House Committee on International Relations
We, the undersigned, vehemently oppose any U.S. military action against Iran. Such military action would inevitably kill large numbers of innocent people, foster even more hatred and international condemnation of the U.S., and dramatically increase the instability of the region. Our own intelligence agencies have concluded the Iraq war has worsened the terrorist threat, and a war against Iran would add immeasurably more fuel to the fire.
Even if Iran decided to build a nuclear weapon, experts agree that it would take several years. There is no crisis, and our government should not create one with inflammatory rhetoric or military threats. The U.S. has both the time and obligation to work with the international community to fashion a diplomatic resolution to the situation, and the current refusal of U.S. officials to talk directly with Iranian officials cannot possibly help resolve the nuclear standoff, nor contribute to peace in Iraq and the Middle East.
Therefore, we urge you to take all steps necessary to reach a peaceful resolution to the current situation, including direct negotiations without pre-conditions. This is the only way to prevent yet another war, one that would be a calamity of truly global proportions.
———————————————————————–
No War with Iran!
President Bush is now regularly accusing Iran of supporting attacks on U.S. troops, without any evidence, - remember the WMD’s in Iraq, anyone? - adding that “we will seek out and destroy” these networks. Bush has authorized U.S. forces to kill Iranian “operatives” in Iraq, and he is sending nuclear aircraft carriers and missile defense batteries to the Persian Gulf. The unthinkable - a wider war in the Middle East - is unfolding.
John D. Rockefeller IV, D-W.Va., chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said that any U.S. military move into Iran would be “catastrophically stupid” and “unleash a conflagration like we’ve never heard of before.” We could not possibly agree more.
Resistance to a Bush planned military strike on Iran is growing in Congress, but it needs your help! Sign the petition to Congress below - No War with Iran! House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said recently that she would introduce legislation to stop such a strike, so our demand is beginning to get through. But the pressure needs to be much, much stronger to stop a President who has apparently gone mad with war and his own power.
Please know that your email address is for internal purposes only; we will not send it to the petition recipients nor share it with any other organization for any purpose. Thanks also for forwarding this to your friends, colleagues and listserves. We need everyone who wants to bring peace to the Middle East and prevent a war with Iran to join the effort now!
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March 3rd, 2007 at 12:54 pmaw, they were all faggots.
March 3rd, 2007 at 12:56 pmIt is a sad state of affairs when debate is seen as a threat.
March 3rd, 2007 at 12:58 pm“Even thinking anti war sentiments will hurt the war effort!” /sarcasm
March 3rd, 2007 at 1:02 pmThe Ministry of Fear at it’s best!
March 3rd, 2007 at 1:07 pmThere is no lie these hypocrites won’t tell, and no lie their cowardly supplicants won’t willingly lap up.
March 3rd, 2007 at 1:23 pmThe good thing is if they ever reinstitute the draft people will have a pretty easy way to get out of serving, a la coroporal Klinger.
March 3rd, 2007 at 1:37 pmComment by vinnie @ 7
If we ever get to the draft DADT will go out the window faster than the reserve components 24 Month redeployment clock. Of course if you have a family doctor who will certify your bumb knee or your anal cyst then you’ll be safe.
March 3rd, 2007 at 1:42 pmKnowing the way ya’ll like to nickname your fighting units, I can only imagine…………….
March 3rd, 2007 at 1:46 pmBut, wouldn’t 41,000 gay people make a fantastic killing machine?
Like Ann Coulter, opponents of equal rights for GLBT are pandering to the unthinking mobs on the right which are as much, maybe more, of a problem to this nation as Coulter, Hannity, Malkin, O’Reilly, and their ilk. Hitler was once considered a crackpot in his early days ranting in the streets of Vienna. He would have died a penniless nobody if it hadn’t been for the thugs and mindless mobs that bought into his racist drivel. A noted British historian estimated after World War II that about six percent of Germans supported Hitler, ten percent opposed him, and the remainder were apathetic. With around 30% still sticking with Bush, the neocons, Coulter, Limbaugh, Fox News pundits, and others who appear to believe we must shred the Constitution and take other destructive steps to save this nation, we have great cause for concern.
March 3rd, 2007 at 1:50 pm#7 vinnie
corporal Klinger never tried to make people believe he was gay. In one episode, psychologist Sidney Friedman examined him and came to the conclusion that he was gay and all Klinger had to do was sign the paper that confirmed that, and he refused. Klinger was trying to get a section 8, a psycho discharge, not one based on sexuality.
March 3rd, 2007 at 1:50 pmHomosexual troops are still troops. And if the Pentagon doesn’t support them… clearly that means they don’t support all the troops.
That goes for anyone who doesn’t want openly gay people serving.
March 3rd, 2007 at 1:52 pmMaybe Defense Secretary Robert Gates needs to tell us when we are leaving the Bush-inspired and executed nightmare in Iraq and start fighting this “global war on terror.”
March 3rd, 2007 at 2:00 pmI’ve never understood the thinking on this topic. For those who hate gays, wouldn’t sending them to the meat-grinder be the way to reduce their number? (Like how Stalin used gays, political dissidents and prisoners to clear minefields in front of his advancing army)
Isn’t keeping them from joining in essence protecting the gays, while the ’straights’ are out fighting and dying? Blacks were kept from the military and then from combat roles for a long time, but then proved themselves as good as white units. [is that their fear, that gays are as good as the rest of us?]
By the way, im certainly not for any of the above, i think the ban on gays is insane, especially the loss of translators. But we’re not there to win a war, just prolong it for the benefit of the neo-cons, oil companies and military industry.
March 3rd, 2007 at 2:01 pmThis is akin to cutting off one’s nose to spite one’s face.
The military needs qualified persons, yet, they discriminate against an entire group of people due to bigotry and ignorance.
Dozens of persons fluent in Arabic (a rare commodity in our department of defense) were dismissed as translators because of their sexual orientation.
This is simply senseless. or is it SNAFU?
March 3rd, 2007 at 2:03 pmI didn’t know that being heterosexual had anything to do with killing people? Of course, if the goal is to have the troops procreate, then that’s a different story. This level of overt bigotry and discrimination is absurd and antiquated which shows you how backward-thinking those in charge of our military and government actually are. These “old codgers” need to be replaced with some youthful individuals whose brain synapses are still clicking along. Obviously, these duds are way “over the hill” in their thought processes.
March 3rd, 2007 at 2:07 pmThat man looks like he’s half giraffe!
March 3rd, 2007 at 2:16 pmThat’s why Nico didn’t join the military.
March 3rd, 2007 at 2:16 pmDavid Chu needs to go. He’s as bad as all the others that were bounced last week. He doesn’t believe that veterans need “all that” health care. He’s an imbecile.
March 3rd, 2007 at 2:25 pmJudging from (1) his picture and (2) his response to Wyden, Chu is a real pinhead.
March 3rd, 2007 at 2:28 pmmandolin,
Read post #1. Then sign the petition. Be a REAL American and PATRIOT, sign the petition and help bring an end to the Imperialism that is spreading like wildfire throughout the Middle East.
Be a TRUE PATRIOT and sign up and do your part for America. If you do not sign the petition, you aren’t a TRUE AMERICAN or a Patriot.
If you do not sign the petition, you are just another “water-boy” for the OUTGOING Dictatorship.
I trust you are on board.
In the words of YOUR PRESIDENT,
“You’re either with us, or you are against us”
God that felt GOOD!
Shoe don’t fit so well on the other foot mandolin?
March 3rd, 2007 at 2:32 pmi hate to sound shallow and petty…
but a first impression after looking at the picture of this man,
i think it is for PERSONAL reasons that he thinks a “debate on changing†the Pentagon’s ban on openly gay service members would bring “divisiveness and turbulence across our country,â€
hey! shut that closet door!
March 3rd, 2007 at 3:00 pm“Rachel,” anyone who frequents this board is quite aware you are a crazy, right-wing fanatic, and you’re posting this antiwar link regarding Iran is highly suspicious. Are you just fishing for information about those who post on this board, and are NOT crazy right-wing fanatics? Give it up, b*tch!
March 3rd, 2007 at 3:23 pm…highly suspicious. Are you just fishing for information about those who post on this board, and are NOT crazy right-wing fanatics? Give it up, b*tch!
Comment by impeachcheneythenbush — March 3, 2007 @ 3:23 pm
aw jeez… why you gotta go and be nasty? … why set it off? …
March 3rd, 2007 at 3:35 pmbe nice…
That’s why David Chu is against gay people. Look at him. No gay man would have him. He was probably laughed out of a gay club in college.
March 3rd, 2007 at 4:19 pmThey may be dismissing gay people. But don’t worry, they’re making up for it by issuing more waivers to admit felons, skinheads, and gang members.
Nick Kasoff
March 3rd, 2007 at 4:21 pmThe Thug Report
[…] Posted in Bush Administration, Congress, Democrats, Military at 2:33 pm by LeisureGuy ThinkProgress: […]
March 3rd, 2007 at 5:23 pmimpeachcheneythenbush —22
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So, you signed the petition then? That’s all I want is this war stopped and no new ones started.
Sign the petition first, that is all I wanted, then you can come back and bitch at me all you want, about whatever you want.
You comment #22 is miniscule and unimportant in the grand scheme of things.
Sign the IMPORTANT stuff first at the link I provided for you.
Then we can address your UNIMPORTANT comment in #22.
K?
Since when did it become about “you” ?
I don’t want your friendship or your company. Get it?
All I want is you S.I.G.N.A.T.U.R.E. ON THE PETITION.
It is a hell of alot more fruitful that what your are trying to attain here.
A big fight. I won’t do it.
I will walk away the bigger person now. knowing I am the bigger person.
Please think about signing the petition won’t you?
March 3rd, 2007 at 7:00 pmWHAT’S THE MATTER WITH Chu, David? YOU SHOULD GET YOUR HEAD EXAMINED FOR A SERIOUS BRAIN and COMMON SENSE DEFICIENCY–Oh, I forgot–YOU ARE A Bushland Uber Allies FAITHFUL NAZI-FASCIST FOLLOWER AND GOOSESTEPPER AS WELL–”No Debate” INDEED!!!!! YOU Bushland Uber Allies HYENAS ARE AFRAID OF A REAL DEBATE ABOUT YOUR DEBACLE WHICH WILL SHOW NOT ONLY ALL OF AMERICA BUT THE WHOLE WORLD FOR WHAT YOU Bushland Uber Allies SCUM REALLY ARE–A LYING BUNCH OF OBFUSCATING, PREVARICATING, JINGOISTIC, DEMAGOGUE SOCIOPATHS WHO CARE NOT A WHIT ABOUT THE WELFARE OF OUR AMERICAN TROOPS!!!!!
March 3rd, 2007 at 8:26 pmDid somebody stretch this clown’s head with photoshop?
March 3rd, 2007 at 8:40 pmI will be so glad when the FEAR party doesn’t run the White House. At at time when our troops are getting killed at an alarming rate and we desperately need both troops and people who speak Arabic it’s reprehensible that they think that even talking about this issue is considered dangerous.
I think we’ve already been through the ‘divisiveness and turbulence’ concerning the war and now that the die hard nutjobs who support this administration and their War To Steal Iraq’s Oil are less than 30% I think most of us agree that it’s time for SOLUTIONS, whatever they are.
March 3rd, 2007 at 8:47 pmI was gay in Vietnam with the Marines. I did a lot to keep up their
March 3rd, 2007 at 8:52 pmmorale. No one complained.
Chu phone home. Chu phone home.
March 3rd, 2007 at 9:23 pmCaption: “My head is round and my face is extremely flat, has been since 2nd grade dodgeball.”
I have seen this guy alongside Rumsfeld giving Senate testimony. This little weasel has quite a “feverish temper” and he let it show on more than one occasion in an otherwise dull and mundane hearing.
He reminded me of a “Chastised Josef Goebbels”, and just like that, at the drop of a hat.The red face, vein popping at neck, really demeaning tone to Senators questions. A real ReichWinger alright.
Really very condescending and arrogant.
He is spooky.
March 4th, 2007 at 2:19 amTalk about a pencil-neck geek!! This guy may be a ‘pentagon official’ but there’s not way in hell he was a soldier of any sort.
March 4th, 2007 at 3:55 amNote who Chu used to work for, and probably still does in some capacity. Rand Corp.
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http://www.defenselink.mil/bios/chu_bio.html
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David S. C. Chu was sworn in as the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness on June 1, 2001. A Presidential appointee confirmed by the Senate, he is the Secretary’s senior policy advisor on recruitment, career development, pay and benefits for 1.4 million active duty military personnel, 1.3 million Guard and Reserve personnel and 680,000 DoD civilians and is responsible for overseeing the state of military readiness.
The Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness also oversees the $15 billion Defense Health Program, Defense Commissaries and Exchanges with $14.5 billion in annual sales, the Defense Education Activity which supports over 100,000 students, and the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute, the nation’s largest equal opportunity training program.
Dr. Chu earlier served in government as the Director and then Assistant Secretary of Defense (Program Analysis and Evaluation) from May 1981 to January 1993. In that capacity, he advised the Secretary of Defense on the future size and structure of the armed forces, their equipment, and their preparation for crisis or conflict.
From 1978 to 1981, Dr. Chu served as the Assistant Director for National Security and International Affairs, Congressional Budget Office, providing advice to the Congress on the full range of national security and international economic issues.
Dr. Chu began his service to the nation in 1968 when he was commissioned in the Army and became an instructor at the U.S. Army Logistics Management Center, Fort Lee VA. He later served a tour of duty in the Republic of Vietnam, working in the Office of the Comptroller, Headquarters, 1st Logistical Command. He obtained the rank of captain and completed his service with the Army in 1970.
Prior to rejoining the Department of Defense, Dr. Chu served in several senior executive positions with RAND, including Director of the Arroyo Center, the Army’s federally funded research and development center for studies and analysis and Director of RAND’s Washington Office.
Dr. Chu received a Bachelor of Arts Degree, magna cum laude, in Economics and Mathematics from Yale University in 1964 and a Doctorate in Economics, also from Yale, in 1972. He is a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration and a recipient of its National Public Senior Award. He holds the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public service with silver palm.
March 4th, 2007 at 6:07 amhttp://www.defenselink.mil/bios/chu_bio.html
————————————————————————————-
David S. C. Chu was sworn in as the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness on June 1, 2001. A Presidential appointee confirmed by the Senate, he is the Secretary’s senior policy advisor on recruitment, career development, pay and benefits for 1.4 million active duty military personnel, 1.3 million Guard and Reserve personnel and 680,000 DoD civilians and is responsible for overseeing the state of military readiness.
The Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness also oversees the $15 billion Defense Health Program, Defense Commissaries and Exchanges with $14.5 billion in annual sales, the Defense Education Activity which supports over 100,000 students, and the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute, the nation’s largest equal opportunity training program.
Dr. Chu earlier served in government as the Director and then Assistant Secretary of Defense (Program Analysis and Evaluation) from May 1981 to January 1993. In that capacity, he advised the Secretary of Defense on the future size and structure of the armed forces, their equipment, and their preparation for crisis or conflict.
From 1978 to 1981, Dr. Chu served as the Assistant Director for National Security and International Affairs, Congressional Budget Office, providing advice to the Congress on the full range of national security and international economic issues.
Dr. Chu began his service to the nation in 1968 when he was commissioned in the Army and became an instructor at the U.S. Army Logistics Management Center, Fort Lee VA. He later served a tour of duty in the Republic of Vietnam, working in the Office of the Comptroller, Headquarters, 1st Logistical Command. He obtained the rank of captain and completed his service with the Army in 1970.
Prior to rejoining the Department of Defense, Dr. Chu served in several senior executive positions with RAND, including Director of the Arroyo Center, the Army’s federally funded research and development center for studies and analysis and Director of RAND’s Washington Office.
Dr. Chu received a Bachelor of Arts Degree, magna cum laude, in Economics and Mathematics from Yale University in 1964 and a Doctorate in Economics, also from Yale, in 1972. He is a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration and a recipient of its National Public Senior Award. He holds the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public service with silver palm.
March 4th, 2007 at 6:18 am“You all need to shut up and let us get on with the job of destroying your country!” This guy must have skipped out on ALL of his civics classes. One wonders why he ended up in a government paid position.
March 4th, 2007 at 9:40 amIt is difficult to avoid commenting on his looks.
Raymond said it. This man is is a sociopathic, prevericating, obfuscating, peice of crap.
March 4th, 2007 at 10:42 amI find it less than amusing that this thread is littered with arrogant and condescending stabs at Mr Chu based upon his picture. Are you so blind that you cannot see yourself due ridicule?
As for allowing GLBT to serve, we do. We just tell them to keep their perversion out of the view of the VAST and SILENT majority that find it just that: Perversion.
I’ll go back to being quiet now.
March 4th, 2007 at 11:26 amDavid S. C. Chu was sworn in as the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness on June 1, 2001. A Presidential appointee confirmed by the Senate, he is the Secretary’s senior policy advisor on recruitment, career development, pay and benefits for 1.4 million active duty military personnel, 1.3 million Guard and Reserve personnel and 680,000 DoD civilians and is responsible for overseeing the state of military readiness.
The Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness also oversees the $15 billion Defense Health Program, Defense Commissaries and Exchanges with $14.5 billion in annual sales, the Defense Education Activity which supports over 100,000 students, and the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute, the nation’s largest equal opportunity training program.
Dr. Chu earlier served in government as the Director and then Assistant Secretary of Defense (Program Analysis and Evaluation) from May 1981 to January 1993. In that capacity, he advised the Secretary of Defense on the future size and structure of the armed forces, their equipment, and their preparation for crisis or conflict.
From 1978 to 1981, Dr. Chu served as the Assistant Director for National Security and International Affairs, Congressional Budget Office, providing advice to the Congress on the full range of national security and international economic issues.
Dr. Chu began his service to the nation in 1968 when he was commissioned in the Army and became an instructor at the U.S. Army Logistics Management Center, Fort Lee VA. He later served a tour of duty in the Republic of Vietnam, working in the Office of the Comptroller, Headquarters, 1st Logistical Command. He obtained the rank of captain and completed his service with the Army in 1970.
Prior to rejoining the Department of Defense, Dr. Chu served in several senior executive positions with RAND, including Director of the Arroyo Center, the Army’s federally funded research and development center for studies and analysis and Director of RAND’s Washington Office.
Dr. Chu received a Bachelor of Arts Degree, magna cum laude, in Economics and Mathematics from Yale University in 1964 and a Doctorate in Economics, also from Yale, in 1972. He is a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration and a recipient of its National Public Senior Award. He holds the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public service with silver palm.
March 4th, 2007 at 1:21 pmWhat’s with this guys Neck? Remind you of anyone?
March 4th, 2007 at 2:13 pmImage didn’t load. Try this link.
March 4th, 2007 at 2:15 pmhttp://i63.photobucket.com/ albums/ h132/ apatriot/ ChuRUs.jpg
Try the link
March 4th, 2007 at 2:17 pmYes, JC Penny, why don’t you do that? Last time I checked, humor was still a part of everyday life. You can’t walk around with a stick up your ass all the time; it’ll start to chafe.
Ugly people generally lead less fortunate lives than attractive people. Believe it or not, the American society bases much merit on appearance. It’s a hard fact of life, but its true. I was an ugly kid until I got to college. I cut my hair, lost my weight, and started playing in a Rugby league. I got my bachelor’s degree, and joined the military, served my time. Now, I’m 32, and I work very successfully as a public relations executive for one of the most auspicious firms in one of the most conceited cities in the world - New York. I am convinced that I would not be where I am if I looked like someone beat me in the face with a shovel. People don’t want to look at ugly, no matter how plausible or innovative their ideas may be. So, until you’re able to change the mores of the American society, how about laying off of the people in the forum who are simply personifying the attitude that a lifetime of living in this society has instilled in them.
March 4th, 2007 at 3:29 pmhttp://www.tarpley.net/bushb.htm
George Bush: The Unauthorized Biography — by Webster G. Tarpley & Anton Chaitkin
————————————————————–
I encourage everyone to download and read this free book about George HW Bush. It explains how George Junior grew up as well as all of his misgivings then and now.
It is available in .htm and .zip format
EVERY dirty little secret is revealed. It is a GREAT recent history text.
March 4th, 2007 at 6:04 pm“A national debate on changing†the Pentagon’s ban on openly gay service members would bring “divisiveness and turbulence across our country,†which “will compound the burden of the war.â€
Sounds like somebody is not ready to come out of the closet yet.
March 4th, 2007 at 11:28 pm