The reason Barack Obama made a call to repeal “don’t ask, don’t tell” in his State of the Union speech is obviously political.  He is in a tough way and needs a win to bring home to his base.  That said, he has been consistent on this position from the beginning, and it’s not just his base that should be pleased.  Conservatives should support repealing the policy as well, for the simple reason that it’s the right thing to do.

The enforcement of DADT has resulted in the loss of key personnel, such as translators, at a time when we cannot afford such.  Why must we fight with one gay hand behind our back?

For years, concerns over unit cohesion have been sufficient to prevent revisiting the 90’s era rule.  But are these concerns justified?  Twenty-five countries allow gays to serve openly in the military, including the highly effective Israeli Defense Force.  The Israeli decision in 1993 to allow gays to serve openly, if they choose, had no negative impact on their effectiveness.

It’s time for the U.S. to stop limiting our resources by denying qualified soldiers the chance to serve on the basis of their preferences in the bed room.

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