Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
Gen. Colin Powell was one of the architects of the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy back in 1993. He has stood by that policy until a couple of years ago when he began saying that the policy should be reviewed – something the Obama administration and Congress are doing right now.
Senator John McCain has always hid behind Colin Powell and his support for DADT. It was a ready made excuse for his support of DADT. No longer. Powell Favors Repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’:
Gen. Colin L. Powell, who as the nation’s top military officer in the 1990s opposed allowing gay men and lesbians to serve openly in the military, switched gears today and threw his support behind efforts to end the “don’t ask, don’t tell” law he helped shepherd in.
“In the almost 17 years since the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ legislation was passed, attitudes and circumstances have changed,” General Powell said in a statement issued by his office. He added: “I fully support the new approach presented to the Senate Armed Services Committee this week by Secretary of Defense Gates and Admiral Mullen.”
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In his statement on Wednesday, General Powell said “the principal issue has always been the effectiveness of the Armed Forces and order and discipline in the ranks.”
He noted that he had said for the past two years that it was “time for the law to be reviewed,” but his new statement of unequivocal support for the effort by Mr. Gates and Admiral Mullen could be an important factor as the debate moves forward this year.
The Rachel Maddow Show has more in this segment.
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