Former Joint Chiefs Chairman: Allow Gays to Serve

In an op-ed column in today's New York Times, General John Shalikashvili, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, argues that the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy should be repealed and that gay men and women should be allowed to serve in the military:

I now believe that if gay men and lesbians served openly in the United States military, they would not undermine the efficacy of the armed forces. Our military has been stretched thin by our deployments in the Middle East, and we must welcome the service of any American who is willing and able to do the job.

It won't happen under this president...or any other Republican president. At least not in the immediate future.