Clark: “The Policy Needs to Change”
Retired General (and former presidential candidate) Wesley Clark (pictured) sat down with reporter Andrew Davis for an interview in the current issue of Windy City Times. Clark was promoting his new book, A Time to Lead, but Davis wanted to know about the General's views on gays in the military, too.
Here's their exchange:
Davis: Although I don't remember seeing it in the book, I also want to get your thoughts about Don't Ask, Don't Tell.
General Clark: I was a battalion commander in Fort Carson and the C-company commander came up to me and said, "Sir, we're going to have to let the first arms driver leave the Army." I [asked] why and he said, "Because he brought his boyfriend into the battalion and he said that he loves this guy." Then I asked, "So why are we kicking him out of the Army?" and he said, "Sir, don't you understand? It's Army regulations, and if you say such and such, you have to be kicked out of the Army." I said, "No, I've never seen that regulation."
The services have done a poor job of working with this policy. Some have respected this policy, and some have not. The truth is that we need people in the military who want to be in the military. There are gays serving in the military who simply are under the radar, so to speak, and there are others who would like to be in who don't want to compromise their values and look hypocritical.
I think the policy needs to change. The policy I'm familiar with in the British army is called Don't Misbehave, and it defines specific misbehavior that is sexual orientation-neutral. I think we're moving to that kind of policy.
The entire interview with General Clark - including his thoughts about the Iraq War, affirmative action and Rush Limbaugh - is online at www.WindyCityMediaGroup.com.
- Steve RallsLabels: in the news, wesley clark
-----10-10-07
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