Top U.S. General Calls Homosexuality Immoral, Opposes Policy Change
WASHINGTON (AP) - The chairman of the U.S. military's joint chiefs of staff said Monday he considers homosexuality immoral and the military should not condone it by allowing gay soldiers to serve openly, the Chicago Tribune newspaper reported.
Marine Gen. Peter Pace likened homosexuality to adultery, which he said is also immoral, the newspaper reported on its website.
"I do not believe the United States is well served by a policy that says it is OK to be immoral in any way," Pace told the newspaper in a wide-ranging interview.
Pace, a native of Brooklyn, N.Y., and a 1967 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, said he bases his views on his upbringing.
He said he supports the Pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell policy" in which homosexual men and women are allowed in the military as long as they keep their sexual orientation private. The policy, signed into law by former president Bill Clinton in 1994, prohibits commanders from asking about a person's sexual orientation.
"I believe homosexual acts between two individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts," Pace said.
The newspaper said Pace did not address concerns raised by a 2005 government audit that showed some 10,000 troops, including more than 50 specialists in Arabic, have been discharged because of the policy.
With Democrats in charge of Congress, U.S. Representative Martin Meehan has introduced legislation to reverse the military's ban on homosexuals serving openly.
For all information related to this story please see:
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2007/03/12/3741608-ap.html
Marine Gen. Peter Pace likened homosexuality to adultery, which he said is also immoral, the newspaper reported on its website.
"I do not believe the United States is well served by a policy that says it is OK to be immoral in any way," Pace told the newspaper in a wide-ranging interview.
Pace, a native of Brooklyn, N.Y., and a 1967 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, said he bases his views on his upbringing.
He said he supports the Pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell policy" in which homosexual men and women are allowed in the military as long as they keep their sexual orientation private. The policy, signed into law by former president Bill Clinton in 1994, prohibits commanders from asking about a person's sexual orientation.
"I believe homosexual acts between two individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts," Pace said.
The newspaper said Pace did not address concerns raised by a 2005 government audit that showed some 10,000 troops, including more than 50 specialists in Arabic, have been discharged because of the policy.
With Democrats in charge of Congress, U.S. Representative Martin Meehan has introduced legislation to reverse the military's ban on homosexuals serving openly.
For all information related to this story please see:
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2007/03/12/3741608-ap.html
