America's largest gay group: Washington
US President Barack Obama has said he will end the ban on gay people serving openly in the military.
He said he would repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" policy that allows gay people to serve in the military if they do not reveal their sexual orientation.
Mr Obama was speaking to America's largest gay group - the Human Rights Campaign - in Washington.
He had been criticised by some in the gay community for the lack of action on gay marriage and the military issue.A big gay rights protest march is planned in Washington for Sunday.
Disquiet
Mr Obama was addressing thousands of gay and lesbian people at a fundraising dinner in the US capital. He said the US had made progress on gay rights and would make more.
On the military issue he said the US could not afford to lose those people who had much needed skills for fighting.
"We should not be punishing patriotic Americans who have stepped forward to serve the country," Mr Obama said."We should be celebrating their willingness to step forward and show such courage."
Mr Obama did not give a timetable for repeal of the policy, passed by Congress in 1993, under which thousands of service members have been discharged.
The US president has repeatedly pledged to tackle issues important to the gay community.But he has faced criticism for what many in the gay community see as lack of action on his promises.Mr Obama asked the audience to trust his administration.
“I appreciate that many of you don’t believe progress has come fast enough,” Obama said. “Do not doubt the direction we are heading and the destination we will reach.”
A day after the president’s remarks, Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said he expects the ban to be lifted, but he said it’s critical that the administration have the support of military leaders.
A Republican on the committee, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, agreed with Levin that support within the military is important and said such a policy decision shouldn’t be based on a “campaign pledge.” Both senators appeared on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
There was also this puzzling bit of explanation from the Nobel committee's chairman, Thorbjoern Jagland: "Some people say, and I understand it, isn't it premature? Too early?. Well, I'd say then that it could be too late to respond three years from now. It is now that we have the opportunity to respond - all of us."
Say what? If we wait three years to actually see what the president accomplishes, it will be too late to award him the Peace Prize? Just what dread future does the Nobel committee envision?
Perhaps they are worried that with President Obama overseeing war efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, with the Middle East remaining a tinderbox, with nuclear disarmament a near impossibility, and with climate-change treaties facing an increasingly cool reception, there is almost no hope that the president will be able to win the Peace Prize based on his record. It is therefore best to honor him for his rhetoric of change and for the committee's hopes of a better future.
He said he would repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" policy that allows gay people to serve in the military if they do not reveal their sexual orientation.
Mr Obama was speaking to America's largest gay group - the Human Rights Campaign - in Washington.
He had been criticised by some in the gay community for the lack of action on gay marriage and the military issue.A big gay rights protest march is planned in Washington for Sunday.
Disquiet
Mr Obama was addressing thousands of gay and lesbian people at a fundraising dinner in the US capital. He said the US had made progress on gay rights and would make more.
On the military issue he said the US could not afford to lose those people who had much needed skills for fighting.
"We should not be punishing patriotic Americans who have stepped forward to serve the country," Mr Obama said."We should be celebrating their willingness to step forward and show such courage."
Mr Obama did not give a timetable for repeal of the policy, passed by Congress in 1993, under which thousands of service members have been discharged.
The US president has repeatedly pledged to tackle issues important to the gay community.But he has faced criticism for what many in the gay community see as lack of action on his promises.Mr Obama asked the audience to trust his administration.
“I appreciate that many of you don’t believe progress has come fast enough,” Obama said. “Do not doubt the direction we are heading and the destination we will reach.”
A day after the president’s remarks, Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said he expects the ban to be lifted, but he said it’s critical that the administration have the support of military leaders.
A Republican on the committee, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, agreed with Levin that support within the military is important and said such a policy decision shouldn’t be based on a “campaign pledge.” Both senators appeared on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
There was also this puzzling bit of explanation from the Nobel committee's chairman, Thorbjoern Jagland: "Some people say, and I understand it, isn't it premature? Too early?. Well, I'd say then that it could be too late to respond three years from now. It is now that we have the opportunity to respond - all of us."
Say what? If we wait three years to actually see what the president accomplishes, it will be too late to award him the Peace Prize? Just what dread future does the Nobel committee envision?
Perhaps they are worried that with President Obama overseeing war efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, with the Middle East remaining a tinderbox, with nuclear disarmament a near impossibility, and with climate-change treaties facing an increasingly cool reception, there is almost no hope that the president will be able to win the Peace Prize based on his record. It is therefore best to honor him for his rhetoric of change and for the committee's hopes of a better future.
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