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Gates Eyes 'More Humane' Rules for Gays

By ANNE GEARAN

posted: 6 HOURS 37 MINUTES AGO

comments: 785

filed under: National News

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WASHINGTON (June 30) - Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Tuesday he wants to make the law prohibiting gays from serving openly in the armed forces "more humane" until Congress eventually repeals it. He said he has lawyers studying ways the law might be selectively enforced.

"One of the things we're looking at is, is there flexibility in how we apply this law?" Gates said.

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The defense chief, a holdover from the Republican administration of former President George W. Bush, told reporters traveling with him in Europe that the Clinton-era ban was written without much wiggle room. The Pentagon general counsel is looking at potential avenues around full enforcement as a stopgap, Gates said.

For example, Gates said, the military might not have to expel someone whose sexual orientation was revealed by a third party out of vindictiveness or suspect motives. That would include, Gates said, someone who was "jilted" by the gay service member.

"That's the kind of thing we're looking at to see if there's at least a more humane way to apply the law until the law gets changed," Gates said, according to a transcript released by the Pentagon.

Gay rights activists and others have criticized the Obama administration for not quickly following through on a pledge to lift the ban on openly gay military service.

President Barack Obama and his spokesmen say he remains committed to repealing the Clinton-era law known as "don't ask, don't tell," but neither the White House nor congressional leadership has moved swiftly to do so.

There is no timetable for the pending bill to repeal the 1993 law, which was intended as a compromise to get around a full ban on gay military service. Gay rights leaders, however, have said it is an insult.

Obama says he wants to build support for the change among military commanders before urging Congress to move ahead.

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of staff and others have cautioned that repeal of the law must be done carefully so as not to disrupt military cohesion in wartime or to place an additional burden on an already overstretched uniformed force.

Gates said he discussed repeal of the no-gays policy with Obama last week, but he did not detail the conversation.

"We were talking about how do we move forward on this to achieve his objective, which is changing the policy, and the issue that we face is that how do we begin to do preparations and simultaneously the administration move forward in terms of asking the Congress to change the law," Gates said.

Several liberal legal experts and outside groups have urged Obama to issue an executive order that would make the law unenforceable, but Gates appeared to be considering measures short of that.

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Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

2009-06-30 23:23:34

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Shanfrina

04:49 PMJul 01 2009

... 'Bout-FRICKEN-time!!!

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GibsonDavidM

04:48 PMJul 01 2009

This could be a ticklish situation

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ETGAGAL

04:48 PMJul 01 2009

Great!! Thats one way to rid America of its gay population!!!! We can let the queers fight America's wars while the straight people stay home and get educated and rich!!!! LOL!!!!! I sure hope Gates works fast enough for all of them to get to go to Afghanistan!!!!

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WILMD

04:48 PMJul 01 2009

you have a curious interest in guys butts Earsstinks

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Bpers2001

04:48 PMJul 01 2009

Msj9ms104:44 PMJul 01 2009Political appointees should not decide this question.... put it to the ballot. **************************The Civil Rights of anybody should NEVER be determined by the voting power of the majority. If you think otherwise, consider, it could be YOUR rights they come after next, and I don't think you'd like that.

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Msj9ms1

04:47 PMJul 01 2009

WILMD04:44 PMJul 01 2009in that case Msj9ms1 there arent enough of you to give a crap about. but right wing jew is kind of an oxymoron isn't unless your talking about the neocons that dragged us into a needless war in Iraq.****Could you be more ignorantly presumptive about someone you don't know? You want to nicely box everyone who is not pro-homosexuality don't you? It is not that simple... look at the numbers. Blacks in California (Dems for the most part) NO on gay marriage... ditto Hispanics...ditto many, many Jews.

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Atzmonglenn

04:47 PMJul 01 2009

draug34 04:43 PMJul 01 2009 amandarogers1980 04:34 PMJul 01 2009 The truth is hated by those who hate the truth.Careful, all you "hate criminals" Retribution awaits - Tolerance Therapy 101 at the Camp FEMA nearest you.@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@Political Correctness is tyranny with manners>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>& gt;>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>& gt;>And it is time for the Truth to come out of the closet.

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Shadowsmgc

04:47 PMJul 01 2009

Frank85013 04:35 PMJul 01 2009 Why should any glbt person serve this country.....a country which refuses to let them be themselves....a country which denys full equality to yet another minority. ....hello ? Full equality is for everyone...is that a difficult concept...? I guess for some who have exalted themselves.------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------Try reading this, Frank; The queers, fags, and homos, and diksukers want "Special Privileges." Can you read that, FRANK?? We both have the right to marry anyone of the opposite sex. What's hard to understand, about that??What the queers want, is the right, privilege, and acceptance, of those of us, that disagree with their lifestyle. No one should be allowed, permitted, to marry anyone of the same sex. To what purpose, would it benefit?? I'm not permitted to "legally marry" my dog, my bird, my TV, or my big blue Chevy. Why should you, Perez, or Elton? There's no benefit, to...

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Earsstinks

04:47 PMJul 01 2009

The libhurls will be the demise of America Putin and Kim Jong probably wake up with a boner every morning they know these ass wipes are in charge . And have Obama butt plugs they hand out at party's ! Dont run to my house for protection when we are attacked if you dont have a weapon I will use you as a Human shield or sand bag thats all you are good for !

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ETGAGAL

04:47 PMJul 01 2009

Great!! Thats one way to rid America of its gay population!!!! We can let the queers fight America's wars while the straight people stay home and get educated and rich!!!! LOL!!!!!

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