Defense Dept blocks testimony of sexual assault prevention official

[JackBeck]

by: Pam Spaulding
Sat Aug 02, 2008 at 11:00:00 AM EDT

I want to know why the wingers who have their knickers in a twist about gays openly serving in the military aren't raising hell about the dishonorable soldiers who are raping enlisted women and the whole matter is being swept under the rug by officials. (http://thinkprogress.org/2008/08/01/dod-defies-subpoena/">Think Progress):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmyuZPf1bXQ&eurl=http://www.pamshouseblend.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=6359

Yesterday, the House Oversight Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs, http://nationalsecurity.oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=2125">held a hearing on sexual assault in the military. During the hearing, Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA) explained that "women serving in the military today are more likely to be raped by a fellow soldier than be killed by enemy fire in Iraq."

As part of their investigation, the subcommittee http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=56486">and then subpoenaed Dr. Kaye Whitley, the director of the Defense Department's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office, to testify. But Deputy Defense Undersecretary Michael Dominguez ordered her not to appear before the committee, claiming that the responsibility "rests with me."

...Dominguez said no claim of executive privileged was invoked, the department simply chose to ignore the subpoena.

Of course Elaine Donnelly's "solution" to the problem of rape in the military is for women not to serve at all. Obviously she doesn't think U.S. men in uniform are capable of controlling violent tendencies, or perhaps from her POV, women are too much of a distraction from manly, beastly urges and thus women's mere presence sets off this beastly, disgusting behavior.

http://www.pamshouseblend.com/

The Right Wingers want to keep the gays out of the U.S. Military because the homo boys wouldn't be able to keep their hands off other men during those intimate foxhole and shower situations (I know...cue porno music).

Yet, where's the outrage from the theosexuals over the disproportionate number of enlisted women being raped by their colleagues?

At least we now know it's not the lesbians perpetrating the rape.

[BlooInBloo]

1. As if the rapists would ever allow rape investigations to go forward.

[JackBeck]

2. It appears our military has become increasingly lawless

over the last 8 years.

Enlistment requirements have been lowered, while criminal activity at home and abroad gets short shrift from those who should be providing oversight.

It's as if the attitude has shifted to a "boys will be boys" excuse as to why these things are happening.

[JackBeck]

3. Another thought I just had:

I'm wondering if this continued lack of oversight, coupled with an "anything goes" type of atmosphere, is merely yet another building block in the lead up to a privatized military industrial complex, run by the likes of Halliburton, KBR and Blackwater.