Originally posted: March 13, 2007
Warner hits Pace on gay remarks
Posted by Jill Zuckman at 12:05 p.m. CDT
The ranking Republican of the Senate Armed Services Committee sharply rebuked the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Tuesday, taking issue with General Peter Paceâs view that homosexual acts are immoral.
Sen. John Warner (R-Va.), a former Secretary of the Navy, said, âI respectfully but strongly disagree with the chairmanâs view that homosexuality is immoral. In keeping with my longstanding respect for the Armed Services committee hearing process, I will decline to comment on the current policy until after such hearings are held.â
The power to schedule hearings rests with the current chairman, Carl Levin (D-Mich.).
But Warnerâs comments suggest that he may be willing to revisit U.S. military policy of âdonât ask, donât tell,ââ which was crafted under President Clinton and backed by Pace. A spokesman said Warner has not discussed his view of the policy in past years.
Pace told The Chicago Tribune Tuesday that âI believe homosexual acts between two individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts."
He said he supports the âdonât ask, donât tell policy,ââ explaining that "I do not believe the United States is well served by a policy that says it is OK to be immoral in any way.
As an individual, I would not want [acceptance of gay behavior] to be our policy, just like I would not want it to be our policy that if we were to find out that so-and-so was sleeping with somebody else's wife, that we would just look the other way, which we do not. We prosecute that kind of immoral behavior," Pace said.
The general was responding to a question about the Clinton-era policy that is coming under renewed scrutiny amid fears of future U.S. troop shortages. Former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.), a candidate for president, for example, has sharply criticized the policy and called for it to be dismantled. So has Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.), the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination for president.
Pace said the Pentagon should not "condone" immoral behavior by allowing gay soldiers to serve openly. He said his views were based on his personal "upbringing," in which he was taught that certain types of conduct are immoral.
Warner hits Pace on gay remarks
Posted by Jill Zuckman at 12:05 p.m. CDT
The ranking Republican of the Senate Armed Services Committee sharply rebuked the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Tuesday, taking issue with General Peter Paceâs view that homosexual acts are immoral.
Sen. John Warner (R-Va.), a former Secretary of the Navy, said, âI respectfully but strongly disagree with the chairmanâs view that homosexuality is immoral. In keeping with my longstanding respect for the Armed Services committee hearing process, I will decline to comment on the current policy until after such hearings are held.â
The power to schedule hearings rests with the current chairman, Carl Levin (D-Mich.).
But Warnerâs comments suggest that he may be willing to revisit U.S. military policy of âdonât ask, donât tell,ââ which was crafted under President Clinton and backed by Pace. A spokesman said Warner has not discussed his view of the policy in past years.
Pace told The Chicago Tribune Tuesday that âI believe homosexual acts between two individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts."
He said he supports the âdonât ask, donât tell policy,ââ explaining that "I do not believe the United States is well served by a policy that says it is OK to be immoral in any way.
As an individual, I would not want [acceptance of gay behavior] to be our policy, just like I would not want it to be our policy that if we were to find out that so-and-so was sleeping with somebody else's wife, that we would just look the other way, which we do not. We prosecute that kind of immoral behavior," Pace said.
The general was responding to a question about the Clinton-era policy that is coming under renewed scrutiny amid fears of future U.S. troop shortages. Former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.), a candidate for president, for example, has sharply criticized the policy and called for it to be dismantled. So has Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.), the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination for president.
Pace said the Pentagon should not "condone" immoral behavior by allowing gay soldiers to serve openly. He said his views were based on his personal "upbringing," in which he was taught that certain types of conduct are immoral.
