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Monday, March 22, 2010
Former Marine General Challenges NATO Military Myths
Now that we are about to get a European-style health-care system, do we want a European-style military too? This was the underlying question discussed at a March 18 Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on legislation to repeal the 1993 law stating that homosexuals are not eligible to serve in the military.
The Center for Military Readiness has posted a detailed article reporting on the strong testimony of retired Marine General John Sheehan, who had served as Atlantic Commander of NATO and American forces during a time when the consequences of harmful social change became evident in European militaries.
Senate Testimony: European Militaries Are Not Role Models for U.S.
CMR appreciates Gen. Sheehan for stepping up to defend the 1993 law in a difficult two-against-one situation. He drew upon 35 years of experience as a Marine Corps infantry officer who has served in combat, led a platoon, three companies, an infantry battalion, and an infantry regiment. And because his career also included command of units from 26 different nations, Gen. Sheehan was well-qualified to refute the notion that European militaries should be role models for ours. The general also noted that the British military capitulated to a 1999 European Court order to include gays in their military-something that America's military would never do.
The apparent agitation of SASC Chairman Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) indicated that Gen. Sheehan had presented his points effectively. Gen. Sheehan's colloquy with Sen. McCain about the male-on-male sexual assault incident in Vietnam exposed the folly of depending on judicial proceedings after the fact to "handle" disruptions in the ranks.
Major media missed some unintended humor from Sen. Roland Burris (D-IL), who tried to play the race card. When Sen. Burris asked Gen. Sheehan whether he had ever commanded minority troops, the general replied that he had never commanded troops that were not fully integrated with blacks, whites, Hispanics, Orientals, etc. Then Burris reminded the general about minority role models such as the tennis champion Williams sisters and golfer Tiger Woods. Tiger Woods in a discussion about sexual misconduct? Score that one as a gaffe.
Raunchy red-headed entertainer Kathy Griffin caused a minor disruption when she left the hearing room for a rally on Freedom Square organized by the Human Rights Campaign. The rally was upstaged by Lt. Daniel Choi, a West Point graduate and professed homosexual who thanked Army officials for their inexplicable forbearance by violating uniform regulations and getting arrested for chaining himself to the White House gate. Many gay activists who were trying to stay focused on Congress were outraged by Choi's stunt. His antics suggested that Choi knows little about team cohesion, even in his campaign to repeal the 1993 law.
Sen. McCain effectively countered the notion that the Pentagon's Comprehensive Review Working Group (CRWG) should only discuss "how" and "when" to repeal the law, but not key questions of "whether" and "why." Showing his LGBT rainbow colors, Sen. Levin asked General Sheehan, "If you could be satisfied that there would be no harm to combat cohesion or effectiveness, would that be satisfactory to you?" Gen. Sheehan said no, members of Congress need to demonstrate how repeal of the law would actually improve military effectiveness.
If Sen. Levin prevails, America's armed forces could start to resemble European militaries-boasting about liberal "equal opportunity" policies that have little to do with military deterrence or effectiveness. Is this what we want? For the sake of national security, America's military must remain the best in the world.
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