Reid Presses White House on DADT (Advocate)

[Duncan Grant]

Democratic Senate majority leader Harry Reid is turning up the heat on the White House and the Pentagon to take action on changing the “don’t ask, don’t tell” law that bans gays and lesbians serving openly in the military.

In letters dated September 24, which were first reported by The Huffington Post and obtained by The Advocate, Reid writes to President Barack Obama and Defense secretary Robert Gates, “As Congress considers future legislative action, we believe it would be helpful to hear your views on the policy. I would therefore request that you bring to Congress your recommendations on DADT.”...

Reid also details the cases of Lt. Dan Choi, an Arabic linguist who was discharged under the policy earlier this year, and Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach, an Air Force fighter pilot who is in the process of being discharged, and requests that Gates and President Obama "review" their cases.

He adds, “Unfortunately, it has become clear that a number of individuals with skills essential to winning our struggle against terrorism and the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan -- such as Arabic linguists and intelligence analysts -- have been forced to leave the Armed Forces as a result of the current policy. At a time when we are fighting two wars, I do not believe we can afford to discharge any qualified individual who is willing to serve our country."

More at The Advocate.

[ShadowLiberal]

1. About time politicians start pressuring him on this, but Reid could just introduce it himself

Reid should just introduce the repeal to DADT himself, but at least some politician is trying to put some pressure on Obama to push for it's repeal.