Log Cabin issues report decrying "don't ask, don't tell"

A 10-year evaluation of the military's antigay "don't ask, don't tell" policy has been released by the Liberty Education Forum, a sister organization to the Log Cabin Republicans. "As the only gay and lesbian organizations that strongly supported President Bush, our troops, and the war to liberate Iraq, the Liberty Education Forum and the Log Cabin Republicans are in a unique position to contribute in the effort to overturn the ban on gays and lesbians serving in our military," said Log Cabin president Patrick Guerriero. "This is a military-readiness issue and a fairness issue as well." The "white paper" study, authored by Aaron Belkin, assistant professor of political science at the University of California, Santa Barbara, examined whether the military ban on gays and lesbians serving openly in the armed forces enhances military effectiveness. "Our study shows that the 'don't ask, don't tell' policy imposes five different types of costs on the armed forces, including talent loss, financial costs, undermining the military's reputation, undermining the work environment and unit cohesion, and increased violence against women," Belkin said.