Obama will NOT repeal ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’

Obama will not repeal the military policy of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell.’ Advisers see consensus building in the military before lifting ban on gays - and insiders say it may not happen at all during his administration because they are far from acheiving this goal.

Campaign Promises:

Letter: Obama sends a letter giving his reasons why he will repeal don’t ask don’t tell.
Document: Obama releases his official position on don’t ask don’t tell.
Video: Various issues, including don’t ask don’t tell.

However:

“President-elect Barack Obama will not move to ask Congress to end the military’s decades-old ban on open homosexuals in the ranks, two people who have advised the Obama transition team on this issue say.” (Rowan Scarborough, Obama to delay repeal of ‘don’t ask don’t tell, The Washington Times, 11/21/08).

Don’t Be Liberal

The incoming administration is well aware of how President Clinton botched the same issue 15 years ago. Shortly after taking office in 1993, the president ordered the Pentagon to rescind the regulation that excluded gays.

Today, gay activists cite national polls that show public sentiment, unlike in 1993, support removing the ban.

However, Obama and his team are affraid that most Americans “are unaware that gay activists have the military in their gun sights.”

He could risk losing a lot of political capital supporting this issue.

Mr. Obama’s gay-ban pledge was not a major campaign issue. However, he provided a policy statement to the Human Rights Campaign, the largest U.S. gay rights group, pledging to repeal the exclusion and to invite back service members discharged under the law. He also said that he wants the Pentagon to school military people on how to treat gays.

“The eradication of this policy will require more than just eliminating one statute,” he told the group, in a statement posted on their Web site. “It will require the implementation of anti-harassment policies and protocols for dealing with abusive or discriminatory behavior as we transition our armed forces away from a policy of discrimination. The military must be our active partners in developing those policies and protocols.”

But don’t expect anything soon. In the meantime, conservative groups all over the country are preparing for a fight - fueled by proposition 8. Putting this issue off is a gift to the conservative movement.

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