Thursday, 15 March 2007* American General Peter Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in a recent interview that he personally believed homosexuality was immoral and that this view was a factor in his opposition to gays serving openly in the military.
* Gay-rights groups accused the U.S. military of hypocrisy.
* After the severe reactions from the politicians, gay organisations and the media, General Pete Pace now says he should have kept his views about homosexuals in the military to himself.
General Peter Pace, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, said in an interview with the Chicago Tribune that he thought the current "don't ask, don't tell" policy on 'gay issue' was inappropriate. The "don't ask, don't tell" policy was established by the Pentagon after legislation was passed in 1993 and under the policy, gay men and women are permitted to serve in the military on the basis they do not openly display or discuss their orientation. About 10,000 members of the military have been discharged as a result of the policy since it was introduced.
"[It] to me says that we, by policy, would be condoning what I believe is immoral activity, and therefore, as an individual, I would not want that to be our policy," the general told .
His comments created immediate anger, not just from gay rights campaigners but from politicians on Capitol Hill.
Senator John Warner, the senior Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said: "I respectfully, but strongly, disagree with the chairman's view."
Joe Solmonese (the president of the Human Rights Campaign, a leading gay rights group, said)also said "What is immoral is to weaken our national security because of personal prejudices. General Pace's comments were irresponsible, offensive and a slap in the face to the gay men and women who are serving their country with honour and bravery."
Asked if she believed homosexuality was immoral, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton declined to answer the question in a television interview.
General Pace has since issued a statement seeking to clarify his remarks but he has refused to apologise. "People have a wide range of opinions on this," he said. "The important thing to remember is that we have a policy in effect, and the Department of Defence has a statutory responsibility to implement that policy." After the severe reactions from the politicians, gay organisations and the media, General Pete Pace now says he should have kept his views about homosexuals in the military to himself.
15 March 2007 |
Thursday, 15 March 2007
US
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