Ordering the military to stop the firing would be a great way for Obama to sack up. He’d gain immeasurable respect from the rank-and-file, and the generals would be too busy trying to implement his new order to complain.

Dude needs to understand Americans respect strength and resolve, especially the strongest and most resolute among us, our warrior class.

You mention strength and resolve. That’s what he resonated at that GOP event. He needs to put that into action a little more.

Indeed. Judging from the service folks that I know, this isn’t a concern in the ranks. They’ve known they had gay comrades all along and care almost exclusively about competence and reliability.

So the fact that it’s a concern in the upper echelons tells me one thing: it’s political. The Bush years advanced a whole gang of highly politicized officers. They pull stunts like this to curry favor with the (ir)Religious Right, favor that, in turn, secures places in the post-retirement lobbying or defense-contracting industries.

When I was in the USAF in the late ’70s/early ’80s, I served with a number of gay and lesbians, both in MI and HI. It was pretty much no big deal and most folks didn’t care as long as the individuals did their jobs, which of course, they did.

The biggest problem was when someone in a supervisory position decided to hold the information over someone’s head just to screw with them (which also happened)

I am wondering how much stirring, by the Talibangelicals in the military, is already happening in anticipation of the eventual decision.

This president is like watching a cat dying of thirst too afraid to drink the water it needs. And the only thing the cat is willing to consider is begging the snake to bring it water.

If he can’t use authority with the very folk who are trained only to respect authority… he’s doomed.

Probably a lot.

That is probably the biggest difference between today and when I was in; there were the religious types around but no where near the levels as they are today and also no where as influential

Yes, the Air Force Academy comes to mind.

The Army has it’s own Talibanical clique too…!

or tucked into the defense authorization bill…

IMHO, that’s the only way Congress will pass a repeal…!

I’m sure they do.
Strange how the one that got so much press a few years back for ridiculous disciplinary tactics and religious exclusion was in Colorado Springs.

I remember that sordid affair…!

I think we can all expect by now the cautious approach

Cautious leadership. If ever there was an example of an oxymoron that described the current situation. Assuming that is, that cautious is more or less interchangeable with nearly non-existent. It’s embarrassing how far we all stretch in our attempts to offer Team Obama one last shot at redemption. Embarrassing and irrelevant because they have a plan and it makes almost no sense to anyone else.

the strongest and most resolute among us, our warrior class.

I include yourself and myself in that class Teddy. Just different warriors, and pursuing our goals for decades.

That is all.

Here we go. Of course, I have a more cynical take on this situation.
Watching Obama closely for a year, he rarely does what he says,
nor does he seem the least bit troubled about it.
I don’t think he’s weak. But I do think he’s sneaky. And a coward.

He talks out of both sides of his mouth on almost everything. Publicly,
he tells both sides what they want to hear while remaining void of convictions.
Behind the scenes he’s an operator. I imagine he says and does whatever
it takes to get what he wants and that’s all he cares about.
In this instance, my guess is he wants to keep the status quo.

I believe this Pentagon push back was planned to give him cover. Obama comes out claiming he wants to end DADT, then has Gates and company make a stink. The military worshipping will prevail, and Obama will use Congress to vote it down.
Just a hunch.

Dya think? O is so status quo. I’d have loved to be a fly on the wall when the PTB told him what he had to do. And to be a further fly when he plotted how to create the cover to do it. Gruber comes to mind on HCR, but the generals are the Grubers of DADT.

This is from item 46 of my Obama scandals list:

Since becoming President, Obama has significantly backtracked on his pledge. On June 8, 2009, the Supreme Court denied cert to James Pietrangelo II, a former Army Captain in the JAG corps, who was contesting DADT. He was forced out of the military in 2004 after coming out. In an opposing brief, Elena Kagan, Obama’s Solicitor General, stated, that the prohibition on gays serving openly in the military was “rationally related to the government’s legitimate interest in military discipline and cohesion.”

and

In June 2009, Obama’s Press Secretary Robert Gibbs began putting out the line that the proper avenue to repeal the 1993 DADT act was legislation, but, in fact, Obama has proposed no legislation on the subject.

The simple fact is that if Obama was going to repeal DADT administratively or legislatively he already would have done it. He certainly is not going to do it now in an election year. This is not to say he couldn’t. He won’t. The truth is that if he wanted to there will be a supplemental bill coming up to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He could attach it to that, a must pass piece of legislation. But like I said I don’t see it happening.

I’m sure there will be a study.

Maybe two. Or even three.

While I agree with David, I’m also tired of the willingness of many especially, the media to let Democrats off the hook! Sure, while an Executive order would be great, Congress is the legislative branch and I’m just wondering when they’re going to actually legislate? Polls have shown that the majority of Americans think they should lift this ban. The President was a Senator, who was part of the legislative branch but, he’s NOT anymore. When are they going to move their asses and why aren’t more people demanding that they do? He showed them the way yesterday. When will they get their shit together?

As a gay man living in San Diego, which has a large military population, I am deeply offended by Obama, Gates, and Congress. More than 4500 members of the military have died unspeakable deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan. These were not quiet, peaceful, passings. For the most part these people were the victims of massive violence to their bodies and if they were at all conscious, they died in fear, terror and pain. They also died doing their duty and with honor. We know that something on the order 450 of these 4500 were our gay brothers and sisters. Many of those 450 are probably buried in military cemeteries from Arlington to here at Fort Rosecrans. DADT was no doubt an unneeded burden to them while they served. Having made the ultimate sacrifice, it is now a profound insult to them and to their families.

Hear. Hear.

This is a tragic disgrace. Obama made it worse by lying about it in the SotU.

He should draw up an Executive Order, sign it, and be done with it. Then let Congress tarnish themselves by legislating to overturn Obama. When they get around to it. After they get all their lies in order. If they dare even try. Hah!

These people were FUCKING VOLUNTEERS!!!!!!

They VOLUNTEERED to be trained to kill and maim people they didn’t know for the benifit of multi-national corporations.

NO ONE should join the military.

PERIOD!!!!