Gen. Colin Powell issued a statement Wednesday supporting the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," changing his long-standing stance on the policy.
According to MSNBC, the 17-year old policy encouraging the quieting of gays and lesbians in the military is up for a long overdue review. Powell announced that he will join Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen and Defense Secretary Robert Gates in the effort to repeal DADT.
As chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the 1990's, it was Powell who persuaded the Clinton White House to adopt the DADT policy because of Powell's own opposition to gays and lesbians in the military.
Powell's statement:
"In the almost seventeen years since the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' legislation was passed, attitudes and circumstances have changed. The principal issue has always been the effectiveness of the Armed Forces and order and discipline in the ranks. I strongly believe that this is a judgment to be made by the current military leadership and the Commander in Chief. It is also a judgment Congress must make. For the past two years, I have expressed the view that it was time for the law to be reviewed by Congress. I fully support the new approach presented to the Senate Armed Services Committee this week by Secretary of Defense Gates and Admiral Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. I will be closely following future hearings, the views of the Service Chiefs and the implementation work being done by the Department of Defense."
President Obama can now add Powell's name to his list of influential supporters of repealing DADT.
"General Powell has made clear that his position is about effectiveness in the military," said Joe Solmonese, Human Rights Campaign president. "His powerful voice for ending Don't Ask, Don't Tell is a tipping point in favor of the brave men and women who are serving our nation in silence.
"The support of respected present and former military leaders brings us closer to repeal, signaling that we're moving forward and will get there soon. Opposing repeal now means second-guessing some of our nation's top military leaders, including the Joint Chiefs chairman who opposed open service in the 1990s when Don't Ask, Don't Tell became law," Solmonese said.
"I want to ask the senators and members who are speaking out against this repeal. What do you know about military effectiveness that General Powell, Secretary Gates, Admiral Mullen and the Commander in Chief don't know?"
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