Yesterday, a federal judge ordered an immediate end Tuesday to the Pentagon enforcement of its ban on openly gay service members, rejecting the Obama administration's argument that an injunction to stop the "don't ask, don't tell" policy might harm military readiness.
The ruling by U.S. District Judge Virginia A. Phillips in California marks the first time that the controversial policy-which forbids the military to ask about a service member's sexual orientation but retains a ban on gays serving openly--has been halted.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates declined to answer directly when asked Wednesday whether the administration should appeal. But he said he wants to proceed with his preferred approach: to allow the Defense Department to complete, by Dec 1, a review of how to integrate gay men and lesbians in the armed forces, followed by an act of Congress that would overturn the don't ask, don't-tell law.
Gates said the Pentagon needed until Dec 1. to study and resolve questions such as whether heterosexual troops would be required to share housing with gays and whether the military would be required to provide benefits for partner of gay service members.
No matter what this issue will continue into next year.
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