Senior Pentagon officials testify before Congress on reviewing ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy
“No matter how I look at the issue, I cannot escape being troubled by the fact that we have in place a policy which forces young men and women to lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens,” said Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, at a senate armed services committee hearing in Washington, DC. Mullen announced on Tuesday plans to loosen enforcement of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy requiring military personnel to hide their sexual orientation. Appearing before the same panel, Defence Secretary Robert Gates declared a year-long policy review. Republican senator John McCain said he was “deeply disappointed” at the Pentagon’s decision, stating that while the policy was not ideal, it was effective.