Obama signs repeal of 'don't ask, don't tell' policy
افلام عربي - افلام اجنبي - اغاني - كليبات - برامج - العاب :: منتدي الاخبار :: منتدي الاخبار الاجنبيه
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Obama signs repeal of 'don't ask, don't tell' policy
من طرف Admin الأربعاء 22 ديسمبر 2010, 7:11 am
Washington (CNN) -- President Barack Obama brought the long political
struggle over the military's controversial "don't ask, don't tell" policy to a
close Wednesday, signing legislation that will bring an end of the ban on openly
gay men and women serving in the armed forces.
The president signed the bill repealing the 17-year ban in front an jubilant
crowd of supporters at the Department of Interior. Vice President Joe Biden,
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid,
D-Nevada, were among those in attendance.
Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was also present for
the occasion.
The repeal "will strengthen our national security and uphold (America's)
ideals," Obama said. "No longer will tens of thousands of Americans in uniform
be asked to live a lie."
"I believe this is the right thing to do for our military," he added. "It's
the right thing to do, period."
This is a moment "more than two centuries in the making," the president said.
Over the course of U.S. history, "gay Americans fought just as hard (and) gave
just as much to protect" the country as anyone else. "We are a nation that
believes all men and women are created equal."
Passage of the repeal was a major political victory for Obama and
congressional Democrats. Obama promised to repeal the ban during the 2008
presidential election.
The crowd chanted, "Yes, we can," as Obama was introduced before the bill
signing -- a reference to the president's campaign slogan.
Rep. Barney Frank, an openly gay Democrat from Massachusetts, called the
bill's passage "the biggest single thing" in terms of the progress of gay rights
in the United States.
The change won't be immediate, however. The White House has noted the repeal
may take several months to implement.
The Pentagon has an 87-page implementation plan for the repeal of "don't ask,
don't tell." Over the next several weeks, military officials need to examine and
rewrite a series of policies, regulations and directives related to the current
law.
Once that potentially lengthy process is complete, Obama, Defense Secretary
Robert Gates and Mullen will each have to certify that the repeal can move ahead
without negatively affecting unit cohesion and military readiness.
After the certification, another 60 days will need to pass before the repeal
is officially enacted.
Obama said he has spoken to every military service chief, and that they have
all promised to enact the repeal of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy "swiftly
and efficiently."
"We are not going to be dragging our feet to get this done," he promised.
Even after the repeal, gay and lesbian service members will not have every
right and privilege accorded to heterosexual members of the military, largely
because of the federal Defense of Marriage Act.
A Pentagon study released this month concluded that allowing openly gay or
lesbian troops to serve in the military would have little lasting impact on the
U.S. forces. Opposition to the change was much higher in the Army and Marine
combat units than in the military as a whole.
During the 17 years the policy was in place, more than 14,000
military members were discharged because of it.
struggle over the military's controversial "don't ask, don't tell" policy to a
close Wednesday, signing legislation that will bring an end of the ban on openly
gay men and women serving in the armed forces.
The president signed the bill repealing the 17-year ban in front an jubilant
crowd of supporters at the Department of Interior. Vice President Joe Biden,
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid,
D-Nevada, were among those in attendance.
Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was also present for
the occasion.
The repeal "will strengthen our national security and uphold (America's)
ideals," Obama said. "No longer will tens of thousands of Americans in uniform
be asked to live a lie."
"I believe this is the right thing to do for our military," he added. "It's
the right thing to do, period."
This is a moment "more than two centuries in the making," the president said.
Over the course of U.S. history, "gay Americans fought just as hard (and) gave
just as much to protect" the country as anyone else. "We are a nation that
believes all men and women are created equal."
Passage of the repeal was a major political victory for Obama and
congressional Democrats. Obama promised to repeal the ban during the 2008
presidential election.
The crowd chanted, "Yes, we can," as Obama was introduced before the bill
signing -- a reference to the president's campaign slogan.
Rep. Barney Frank, an openly gay Democrat from Massachusetts, called the
bill's passage "the biggest single thing" in terms of the progress of gay rights
in the United States.
The change won't be immediate, however. The White House has noted the repeal
may take several months to implement.
The Pentagon has an 87-page implementation plan for the repeal of "don't ask,
don't tell." Over the next several weeks, military officials need to examine and
rewrite a series of policies, regulations and directives related to the current
law.
Once that potentially lengthy process is complete, Obama, Defense Secretary
Robert Gates and Mullen will each have to certify that the repeal can move ahead
without negatively affecting unit cohesion and military readiness.
After the certification, another 60 days will need to pass before the repeal
is officially enacted.
Obama said he has spoken to every military service chief, and that they have
all promised to enact the repeal of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy "swiftly
and efficiently."
"We are not going to be dragging our feet to get this done," he promised.
Even after the repeal, gay and lesbian service members will not have every
right and privilege accorded to heterosexual members of the military, largely
because of the federal Defense of Marriage Act.
A Pentagon study released this month concluded that allowing openly gay or
lesbian troops to serve in the military would have little lasting impact on the
U.S. forces. Opposition to the change was much higher in the Army and Marine
combat units than in the military as a whole.
During the 17 years the policy was in place, more than 14,000
military members were discharged because of it.
By the CNN Wire Staff
December 22, 2010 -- Updated 1638 GMT (0038 HKT
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افلام عربي - افلام اجنبي - اغاني - كليبات - برامج - العاب :: منتدي الاخبار :: منتدي الاخبار الاجنبيه
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