Prospect of war reignites debate on gays in U.S. military
Washington --- With U.S. forces gearing up for possible action in Iraq, advocacy groups for gay and lesbian rights are pushing for change in the military's decade-old "Don't ask, don't tell" policy.
Human Rights Watch released a report that says the United States "permits its military to remain a bastion of officially sanctioned discrimination against homosexuals." In a letter to President Bush, the group urged him to "take the necessary steps to end military rules that discriminate against gay and lesbian service members."
This week, the 10-year-old Servicemembers Legal Defense Network announced its five-year strategic plan for repeal.
And a book exploring the topic --- "Don't Ask, Don't Tell: Debating the Gay Ban in the U.S. Military" --- is just out from the Center for the Study of Sexual Minorities in the Military at the University of California at Santa Barbara.
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