Obama
to take on military gay ban at `right time’
By The Associated Press
10.05.2009 8:52am EDT
(Washington) President Barack
Obama will focus “at the right time” on how to overturn the “don’t ask, don’t
tell” ban on gays serving openly in the military, his national security adviser
said Sunday.
The Democratic-led Congress is
considering repealing the 1993 law. Action isn’t expected on the issue until
early next year. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid,
D-Nev., recently wrote Obama and Defense Secretary Robert Gates asked to share
their views and recommendations on the contentious policy. In Sept. 24 letters,
Reid also asked for a review of the cases of two U.S. officers who were
discharged from the military because of their sexuality. “At a time when we are fighting
two wars, I do not believe we can afford to discharge any qualified individual
who is willing to serve our country,” Reid wrote. Jones said Obama “has an awful lot
on his desk. I know this is an issue that he intends to take on at the
appropriate time. And he has already signaled that to the Defense Department.
The Defense Department is doing the things it has to do to prepare, but at the
right time, I’m sure the president will take it on.” As a candidate, Obama signaled
support for repealing the law. To the disappointment of gay-rights supporters,
he has yet to made a move since taking office in January. The White House has
said it will not stop the military from dismissing gays and lesbians who
acknowledge their sexuality. Last year, 634 members of the
military were discharged for being gay, or .045 percent of the active-duty U.S.
force, according to an Aug. 14 congressional report. The largest number of gays who
were ousted under the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy came in 2001, when 1,227
were discharged, or .089 of the force. The House is considering
legislation to repeal “don’t ask, don’t tell” and allow people who have been
discharged under the policy to rejoin the military. Jones appeared on CNN’s “State of
the Union.”