Thaindian News

May 31, 2010 (Pen Men at Work): The chairperson of the American Joint Chiefs of Staff has uttered that he would have been happier if the Congress had waited before casting its vote to repeal the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell (DADT)’ law that prohibits homosexuals from candidly functioning in the American military.

Adm. Mike Mullen refrained from straightforwardly disparaging the House vote on Friday that was the initial step in a list of steps to be taken to rescind the DADT law. However, Mullen has stated that the more sensible step would have been for the American policymakers to display patience till the Pentagon arrived with its assessment of how to make the repeal of DADT function successfully. That assessment is scheduled to appear in December, after discussions with the soldiers and their families.

The legislation has supplied the Pentagon time until December to arrive with its assessment. The legislation also authorizes the Defense Secretary, Robert Gates, President Obama and Mullen himself to attest that the American military is geared up to execute the transformation. Their endorsement is essential before the repeal of DADT goes into operation.

There is apprehensiveness among some military personnel and legislators that the House vote has short-circuited the procedure of having negotiations with the troops and their families.

Mullen, who endorses the annulment of DADT, has mentioned that it is important to understand the standpoints of American soldiers because they will be the recipients of the impact of the repeal of DADT.

A prominent bureaucrat in the defense establishment has divulged on the condition of anonymity that some soldiers, who are worried about the implementation of the repeal, may now not converse with candidness about the issue as the House vote supplies an unambiguous indication of the federal government’s resolve to change the status quo by rescinding DADT. The bureaucrat also asserted that some soldiers are feeling betrayed as they had been guaranteed that transformation would not happen rapidly and that their personal apprehensions would be dealt with.