Pace regrets but not sorry for gay remarks

Pace regrets but not sorry for gay remarks
Posted by William Neikirk at 12:47 p.m. CDT
Copyright by The Chicago Tribune

Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, regretted today that he had expressed his personal opinion in describing homosexual acts as "immoral" during a Chicago Tribune interview.

Pace issued a statement saying that he should have focused more on the "don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding gay military personnel and "less on my personal moral views."

The general's statements during Monday's interviews touched off a firestorm of criticism from gay groups and among some members of Congress. Sen. John Warner (R-Va.), ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, was among the general's critics.

This is the statement Pace issued this afternoon:


“Yesterday, during a wide ranging interview with the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board, I was asked if I think the current policy as codified in U.S. Code, generally referred to as “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell,” should still hold.

“People have a wide range of opinions on this sensitive subject. The important thing to remember is that we have a policy in effect, and the Department of Defense has a statutory responsibility to implement that policy.

“I made two points in support of the policy during the interview. One, “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” allows individuals to serve this nation; and two, it does not make a judgment about the morality of individual acts.

“In expressing my support for the current policy, I also offered some personal opinions about moral conduct.

“I should have focused more on my support of the policy and less on my personal moral views.”