Military gay ban to end as troops leave Iraq

Yet another demonstration of the positive changes we can expect under a President Obama. It feels good to know our next president is at once intelligent and competent. The change will do us good. It's morning in America. Yes we can.

Finally.

Why wait until we leave Iraq? Why not do it as soon as possible? Gays serve openly in most, if not all, of NATO's armies without any problems. This includes the British army that has fought alongside American forces in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

Great news.

I really like the President-Elect Obama, he just knows what's up.

Why wait? If it's a good idea after we leave Iraq, why not Jan. 21, 2009?

Gobama. Gobama.

As a skeptic, in general, I have to admit how on point his purposed policies have been so far. First Guantanamo and now this. Now if he could abolish free trade, I would be really impressed.

Yes!! Thank you Obama!!
I just wish he could pull the troops out before i graduate..
hmm.
that'll be the best graduation present!!

It's about time! Sorry, religious fundamentalists and general haters- it's time that gay people enjoyed the same rights, freedoms and respect that the rest of us do. The times they are a changin'!

As good as this sounds, what about the troops that are against gay marriage, would there not be some discrimination going on

Barney Frank is gay!?

Obama wants to address the financial and climate crises first before risking political capital on this issue. He'll get to it soon enough, and maybe even elevate the issue of gay rights in a way no president has. If there's one thing Obama can do well, it's frame the issues in a new way that marginalizes bigotry and brings people together.

I never really understood the don't ask don't tell law. If anyone has enough pride in our country and wants to defend our freedoms then let them serve. It's about time this biased law ended.

this is absolutely fantastic- made my day. Another step in the right direction! Er... maybe that's the left..

this is one of the reasons i didn't vote for him....
it is morally wrong.

Stay in the closet until the end of the war, then we won't be ashamed of you...

I dont trust him any more than I trust any other politician. To get elected he promised to bring the troops home. Soon after that speech he decided that another brigade of troops was naeeded in Afghanistan. Then Bush made the deal to bring them home after 2012. And Obama has made no comments to change that. Obama is not intending to investigate the Bush administration. Its the same old state of the union. These politicians all live in their own world over and above the citizens. They live by their own laws not ours. They can commit any crime and come out smelling like roses, except every now and then like a shark pack one politician is thrown to the shark pack to devour. That is politics. They all sleep in the same bed. The headline of this is "as troops leave Iraq". As of now that is 2012 but stay tuned for updates.

i have mixed feelings about the don't ask don't tell policy
i don't usually blurt out I'm a gay man if i am talking to somebody about anything except sex

but i can imagine saying "I'm gay" if some straight guy asked me if i thought some girl was hot

and i wouldn't want to get kicked out of the army for that

i think it should be more of a guideline then a policy

Its about time, this was one of the most absurd policies ever!

It's About time! Being gay should not mean that you have less rights then someone who isn't gay or that you are any less a person!

I am not a bigot. Neither do I hate or fear gay people. However, I would not want to be in combat with a gay man.

Women are barred from serving in combat units for many of the reasons open gays are barred from serving. Gay men in combat roles will distract, and make uncomfortable the other men in the unit. Period. Those serving in the military are not discriminatory, they just want to efficiently do their jobs and risk as little life as possible. Having gays in combat units will make men uncomfortable, and raise the risk of loss of life.

Should this pass, I will be counting the days until there is some uproar about a gay person being discriminated against while serving. Give me a break.

Ares, WHY do you think people are uncomfortable around gay people? Don't you think we should work to educate society and get rid of the stigma of being gay instead of barring homosexuals from the military?

A gay person is just as qualified to fight for their country and save their peer's lives. If people's ignorance and discomfort is distracting them from their military duty, that is not the fault of homosexuals. HolyCity pointed out earlier that there are still people who are racist - does that mean we should ban black people from the military because it MIGHT be distracting to someone?

Anybody that thinks Gays aren't capable of serving valiantly, with Honor, in the Military has NO sense of Classical History...I daresay Few Modern Soldiers would find themselves able to Overcome a Spartan Warrior in hand to hand combat....and for Greeks of that era, Women were for breeding, other Men were for Fun & Relationships...(not MY tastes, different cultural age,but live & let live)
& I didn't realize Barney Frank was Gay, either, & He's STILL one of the few Politicians I respect!

I reckon Ares' argument makes a lot of sense... just think about it. Say for instance a soldier is under heavy fire in the middle of the desert, looks to the left sees his fellow soldier Marko. The problem is – is that the only thing he can think about is the fact that Marco is an immoral gay. Do you know how much danger said soldier is in because the only thing he can focus on is Marco's sexuality, and not the hundreds of bullets flying his way.

Now, if you think this is plausible, some on over here to Australia because I have some spider webs guaranteed to bring you wealth and love if you eat them in a Kangaroo burger. When push comes to shove, the only thing on their mind is going to be survival, not the fact that their fellow soldier likes to sleep with members of the same sex.

Lastly... no homo.