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As you may know, the US military has a policy in place called "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." It prevents anyone openly homosexual from serving. It costs us hundreds of servicemen and -women per year, including a disproportionately large chunk of translators, particularly those who speak Farsi and other Arabic languages. It was put in place by conservatives who felt that having openly gay soldiers would disrupt unit cohesiveness, but studies, reviews, and individual cases have shown that this is not the case. The policy is discriminatory. More, it hurts our national security. Especially at a time when our military is stretched thin - dangerously so. We're fighting two wars, and the escalation in Afghanistan will leave precious few soldiers in reserve should any new emergency occur.
Here's a video clip about Senator John McCain's stance on the subject.
In short: In the past, he said that military leaders had told him the policy was working and in the best interests of the country, but that if they ever told him otherwise, he would put it up for congressional review. As a matter of military policy, he would defer to the judgment of military leadership. He also said during the campaign that if he was elected president, on his first day in office he'd call for the military leadership to conduct a review.
A review has occurred, and congressional hearings began yesterday. John McCain, Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has reversed his position. He called the need for the hearings into question, saying that there had been a review in 1993, and he didn't see a need for another. Then the Joint Chiefs testified, saying that it was a bad policy and it was hurting the country and it needed to change. John McCain rebuked them, saying it was a matter for Congress to decide and they should defer to the opinion of Congress.
Okay, that wasn't so short. I'll make it shorter:
John McCain has broken promises and reversed his position in order to support a policy that discriminates against homosexuals, hurts our national security, and weakens our military's ability to carry out its missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
A perhaps relevant little tidbit:
If I'm reading things correctly, John McCain is up for reelection at the end of this year.
Here's a video clip about Senator John McCain's stance on the subject.
In short: In the past, he said that military leaders had told him the policy was working and in the best interests of the country, but that if they ever told him otherwise, he would put it up for congressional review. As a matter of military policy, he would defer to the judgment of military leadership. He also said during the campaign that if he was elected president, on his first day in office he'd call for the military leadership to conduct a review.
A review has occurred, and congressional hearings began yesterday. John McCain, Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has reversed his position. He called the need for the hearings into question, saying that there had been a review in 1993, and he didn't see a need for another. Then the Joint Chiefs testified, saying that it was a bad policy and it was hurting the country and it needed to change. John McCain rebuked them, saying it was a matter for Congress to decide and they should defer to the opinion of Congress.
Okay, that wasn't so short. I'll make it shorter:
John McCain has broken promises and reversed his position in order to support a policy that discriminates against homosexuals, hurts our national security, and weakens our military's ability to carry out its missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
A perhaps relevant little tidbit:
If I'm reading things correctly, John McCain is up for reelection at the end of this year.