Washington Post editorial on John McCain and DADT

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The editors of the Washington Post today join the editors of the New York Times from last week in an editorial opinion critical of John McCain and DADT. Gays in the military:

THE LAST POSSIBLE rationale for maintaining the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy appears to have been pulverized.

The Post's Ed O'Keefe and Greg Jaffe report that 70 percent of respondents in a survey of more than 500,000 military personnel saw little risk in repealing the policy that prevents gay and lesbian service members from serving openly. A Pentagon task force studying repeal sent out the survey; its full report is expected by Dec. 1.

President Obama, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, have called for the elimination of "don't ask, don't tell." They must review a proposed rollback plan to ensure that it does not hurt morale, recruitment or troop readiness. But they cannot unilaterally adopt a new policy unless Congress votes to eliminate the shortsighted and discriminatory "don't ask, don't tell" law. Some on Capitol Hill, most notably Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), and some military brass have resisted, citing concerns about possible disruptions that could be particularly acute because of the country's involvement in two wars. The Pentagon's findings should allay those fears.

If the report does not convince them, legal developments in the courts should. A California federal judge struck down "don't ask, don't tell" as unconstitutional and ordered an immediate, global freeze on enforcement of the policy. The decision has since been put on hold to allow an appeals court to weigh the matter, but the court's action – and the chaos it could cause – should spur lawmakers to act. In a recent interview with "Nightline," Mr. Gates rightly warned that "having this struck down by the courts is the worst outcome, because it gives us no flexibility."

Time is running out. Lawmakers are scheduled to return to session this week but are likely to adjourn by Dec. 10. The task force need not wait until December to release its report and should make it available as soon as possible to allow lawmakers to fully digest the results. The House has already passed the defense spending bill that includes repeal, as has the Senate Armed Services Committee; the full Senate must still vote on the matter.

* * *

If lawmakers fail to act, hard-won progress would be lost and the "don't ask, don't tell" policy would have to be taken up from scratch by the new Congress.

As senators wrangle over the finer points of parliamentary procedure and joust for political gain, gay men and women risk life and limb in defense of their country.

The overwhelming majority of soldiers, airmen, sailors and Marines seem not to care about the sexual orientation of their fellow service members. Lawmakers should respect their judgment and follow their lead.

UPDATE: Adam Serwer from the American Prospect, writing for the Washington Post's Plum Line adds McCain is still on the wrong side of history:

For McCain and the GOP, this isn't about principle, it isn't about empiricism, and given the way that DADT actively harms military effectiveness, it most definitely is not about national security. It's about ideology.

* * *

As George Will put in in 2008, "For McCain, politics is always operatic, pitting people who agree with him against those who are "corrupt" or "betray the public's trust," two categories that seem to be exhaustive — there are no other people."

There is no constant principle in McCain's dramas other than McCain seeing himself as an untainted force for the public good.

* * *

He's merely preventing brave, patriotic Americans from serving their country based on the fleeting whims and prejudices of our time. What Will referred to as McCain's flair for "operatic politics" is blinding him from recognizing that he is very much on the wrong side of history — and history will be substantially less forgiving than his fans in the mainstream press.

UPDATE: H/t Greg Sargent: "Fun fact of the day: Twenty three studies have now found that repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell wouldn't harm the military.

Presumably John McCain would like us to commission a 24th, on the off chance that it might find the opposite…"