Fear Is the Path to the Dark Side

Fear leads to anger...

It's no surprise that the former Navy pilot sees himself as a champion of the military, and he chides Obama for inexperience in pushing to lift the ban on openly gay service members. But McCain is indulging in semantics when it comes to Don't Ask Don't Tell. 

In 2006, he said on MSNBC that "the day that the leadership of the military comes to me and says, 'Senator, we ought to change the policy,' then I think we ought to consider seriously changing it." Now that Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, supports the Pentagon's move toward junking DADT--and even McCain's wife, Cindy, has appeared in a gay rights group's video opposing the policy--the senator is blocking Obama's plan.

Anger leads to hate...

"I understand that's his commitment to the gay and lesbian community," McCain says. But while a Pentagon study released Tuesday found more than two-thirds support for the change among service members and said disruptions would be minimal, McCain wants a broader study that would focus on combat readiness.

Hate leads to suffering...

His explanation: "The Marine commandant is opposed to [dropping] Don't Ask Don't Tell. I know for a fact the other three service chiefs have serious reservations."

As for their superiors, McCain casually mentions the commander in chief and defense secretary, "neither of which I view as a military leader."

H/T to Andrew.