Gay Soldiers

Admiral Mike Mullen, on Twitter:

Stand by what I said: Allowing homosexuals to serve openly is the right thing to do. Comes down to integrity.

Three things. First: the chairman of the Joint Chiefs is on twitter?

Second: That a careerist military boss like Mullen can be so strongly in favor of openly gay servicemen shows how much things have changed in America.

Third: This is a good illustration of Obama's approach to government. He has spent the past year working very closely with the military brass to develop new approaches to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, he has solicited their advice on weapons programs, he has gone out of his way to avoid conflict with them. And now, instead of ordering them to ignore the law on gay soldiers, as his liberal critics think he should, he is working with them to enlist as many supporters as possible for a gradual lifting of the ban. If he succeeds, he will put the issue to rest forever, and the support of the generals will give a great deal of political protection against Republican attacks. Of course, he might fail. But until he does, I think we should let him try this his way.