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NATO chairman Di Paola: Allowing gay men and lesbians to serve openly "working out quite well"

February 24, 2010 11:54 am ET

From the February 22 edition of CNN's The Situation Room:

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From CNN.com's transcript of the discussion:

BLITZER: Let's talk about gays serving openly in the military. It's a big debate here in the United States as you well know, right now. Most of the NATO allies, including in Italy, allow gays to serve openly in the military. How is that working out in the NATO alliance?

DI PAOLA: I think it's working out quite well. In the end, fundamentally, the issue here is the sexual orientation is not an issue insofar as you being a soldier or whatever you would be in the environment you are working for, that is not a problem. Sexual orientation is a personal matter, not a matter for state policy.

BLITZER: So it hasn't undermined unit cohesion, combat readiness?

DI PAOLA: Absolutely not. If there is misconduct, applied to a gay or non-gay, that would be treated as misconduct. So your sexual orientation does not have to influence the environment in which you work.

BLITZER: When NATO troops, whether from Canada, Britain, or Germany, or France or Italy, serve in Afghanistan, for example, with U.S. combat troops and there are gays serving side by side, have you seen one example of an incident that has undermined the ability to fight?

DI PAOLA: I have not seen it. I am not aware of it. Of course, I don't know all the cases that might have happened. But I'm not aware of any cases of any relevance.

Previously:

Myths and falsehoods on Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Special Report pushes debunked claim that DADT repeal would "adversely impact" troop readiness

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    • Author by So Fain (February 24, 2010 12:05 pm ET)
      2  
      I hate that something so obvious has to be debated here in the US.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by jmariemo (February 24, 2010 12:22 pm ET)
        1  
        The greatest irony about common sense is that it's not so common.

        I'm looking at you and your shallow attempts to align yourself with Thomas Paine, Glenn Beck.
        Report Abuse
        • Author by Sharpe (February 24, 2010 1:25 pm ET)
             
          It is common just not in this country full of morons who watch someone as ridiculous at glen beck for "news."
          Report Abuse
        • Author by Civic Racecar (February 24, 2010 3:24 pm ET)
             
          You could also mention Beck's continued lack of common sense for his attempts to equate the Jewish Holocaust to the downturn in the economy, progressivism, and to the US, generally, under Obama.

          I just have to laugh at Beck because it seems like he comes to his show everyday, intellectually disarmed.
          Report Abuse
    • Author by dmhack (February 24, 2010 12:10 pm ET)
      4  
      New right wing talking point---

      the countries with gays in their military also have socialized healthcare. That means socialism makes you gay.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by OOzinEvil (February 24, 2010 12:23 pm ET)
        4
      Whats MMfA's agenda? I see no conservative misinformation here.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by The New Pilgrims (February 24, 2010 1:01 pm ET)
        2 1
        Dude, file a grievance. It's on page 31 of your MMFA Handbook for Conservatives (Second Grade Edition).
        Report Abuse
      • Author by soze169880 (February 24, 2010 1:27 pm ET)
        2 1
        MMfA's agenda is a whirlwind of gay feminist abortions, followed by a ritual sacrifice of Trig Palin and Glenn Beck's Christmas sweater. I'm surprised you didn't know that. BAD troll.
        Report Abuse
      • Author by New Frontier (February 24, 2010 1:40 pm ET)
        1 1
        Whats MMfA's agenda? I see no conservative misinformation here.
        We know what your agenda is: to see no conservative misinformation.
        Report Abuse
    • Author by cugagcmu805031 (February 24, 2010 12:45 pm ET)
      5  
      The only people concerned about gays in the military are conservatives who believe in promoting the idea of personal freedom. It's amazing that they don't view these two positions as opposites of each other. You either believe people should have control over their own lives, or you don't. Straddling the fence makes you a liar and a hypocrite.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by Sharpe (February 24, 2010 1:24 pm ET)
      2  
      Yes this country is @I$$ backwards when it comes to progress these days. We aren't just behind the rest of the developed world on this but in fact, we are behind in every major area that desperately requires reform - environment, healthcare, finance. Who is dragging their feet the hardest instead of leading the world of C02 emissions or the development of biofuel, solar and wind energy? That would be us. Who has the most expensive healthcare in the world by far but the 37th best rating on the country's health? Us again. Whos banks caused a financial collapse around the world when our biggest institutions remained deregulated and ran around recklessly? We are number one right now alright in incompetence, we are number one in failing to reform anything including our broken senate. This country is going down the drain - thank you GOP.
      Report Abuse