By DPA,
Washington : US President Barack Obama repeated his past pledges to overturn the military’s policy of expelling troops who express homosexual orientation, in a speech Saturday to a national gay rights group.
He told the Human Rights Campaign’s annual black-tie gala, held in downtown Washington: “I will end, ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’,” as the policy in force since 1993 is known.
Obama, who made similar promises during his 2008 election campaign, did not say when or how he would act to allow homosexuals to openly serve in uniform.
It was the president’s first major appearance outside the White House since he was named Nobel Peace Prize winner Friday.
Obama said that the country could not afford to remove skilled people from the military as now occurs under the “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. The US has had an entirely volunteer military for four decades.
He told gay-rights campaigners in a 25-minute address that his commitment to their cause is “unwavering”. Some in the movement have criticised his lack of action on gay-rights issues since taking office in January.
“Do not doubt the direction we are headed and the destination we will reach,” Obama said. “We have made progress, and we will make more.”