Top US general ‘regrets’ anti-gay comment
Top US general ‘regrets’ anti-gay comment
By Demetri Sevastopulo in Washington
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
Published: March 14 2007 01:23 | Last updated: March 14 2007 01:23
General Peter Pace, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, on Tuesday attempted to deflect criticism of his comments that homosexuality was “immoral” by saying his remarks reflected only his personal opinion.
Gen Pace stirred controversy by telling the Chicago Tribune that the military should not condone immoral acts, such as homosexual relations.
“I believe that homosexual acts between individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts,” Gen Pace said in an interview with the paper.
After his remarks sparked an outcry from a diverse array of people, including gay activists, Democrats, and a senior Republican member of the Senate armed services committee, Gen Pace on Tuesday attempted to play down the criticism by saying the remarks reflected only his personal opinion.
“I should have focused more on my support of the policy and less on my personal moral views,” he said.
Asked about the comments on Tuesday, Robert Gates, defence secretary, said: “I think personal opinion really doesn’t have a place here. What’s important is that we have a...statute that governs ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’. That’s the policy of this department and it’s my responsibility to execute that policy as effectively as we can. As long as the law is what it is, that’s what we’ll do.”
Under former president Bill Clinton, the military enacted a policy of “don’t ask, don’t tell,” which allowed gays and lesbians to serve in the military as long as they were not open about their sexuality. In the interview, Gen Pace had expressed support for the policy, which he said opposed homosexual acts.
John Warner, a respected Virginia Republican who chaired the Senate armed services committee until the Democrats gained control of Congress in January, joined Democrats in criticising the comments.
“I respectfully, but strongly, disagree with the chairman’s view that homosexuality is immoral,” Mr Warner said in a statement. “In keeping with my longstanding respect for the armed services committee hearing process, I am deferring comment on the current policy until after such hearings are held on the subject.”
The controversy comes as some Democrats attempt to reverse the decade-old “don’t ask, don’t tell” rule. Some lawmakers oppose the rule on the grounds that it is discriminatory, while others are concerned that it makes it more difficult for the military to enlist new recruits.
The Service members Legal Defense Network, a group that advocates lifting the ban on gays serving openly in the military, said Gen Pace’s comments were “outrageous, insensitive and disrespectful to the 65,000 lesbian and gay troops serving in our armed forces”.
By Demetri Sevastopulo in Washington
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
Published: March 14 2007 01:23 | Last updated: March 14 2007 01:23
General Peter Pace, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, on Tuesday attempted to deflect criticism of his comments that homosexuality was “immoral” by saying his remarks reflected only his personal opinion.
Gen Pace stirred controversy by telling the Chicago Tribune that the military should not condone immoral acts, such as homosexual relations.
“I believe that homosexual acts between individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts,” Gen Pace said in an interview with the paper.
After his remarks sparked an outcry from a diverse array of people, including gay activists, Democrats, and a senior Republican member of the Senate armed services committee, Gen Pace on Tuesday attempted to play down the criticism by saying the remarks reflected only his personal opinion.
“I should have focused more on my support of the policy and less on my personal moral views,” he said.
Asked about the comments on Tuesday, Robert Gates, defence secretary, said: “I think personal opinion really doesn’t have a place here. What’s important is that we have a...statute that governs ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’. That’s the policy of this department and it’s my responsibility to execute that policy as effectively as we can. As long as the law is what it is, that’s what we’ll do.”
Under former president Bill Clinton, the military enacted a policy of “don’t ask, don’t tell,” which allowed gays and lesbians to serve in the military as long as they were not open about their sexuality. In the interview, Gen Pace had expressed support for the policy, which he said opposed homosexual acts.
John Warner, a respected Virginia Republican who chaired the Senate armed services committee until the Democrats gained control of Congress in January, joined Democrats in criticising the comments.
“I respectfully, but strongly, disagree with the chairman’s view that homosexuality is immoral,” Mr Warner said in a statement. “In keeping with my longstanding respect for the armed services committee hearing process, I am deferring comment on the current policy until after such hearings are held on the subject.”
The controversy comes as some Democrats attempt to reverse the decade-old “don’t ask, don’t tell” rule. Some lawmakers oppose the rule on the grounds that it is discriminatory, while others are concerned that it makes it more difficult for the military to enlist new recruits.
The Service members Legal Defense Network, a group that advocates lifting the ban on gays serving openly in the military, said Gen Pace’s comments were “outrageous, insensitive and disrespectful to the 65,000 lesbian and gay troops serving in our armed forces”.
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