WASHINGTON: The White House said on Wednesday it was inevitable that a ban on gays and lesbians serving openly in the military would end, adding the only question remaining was how it would be done.
A new furor over Obama's plans to end the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy erupted after a judge ordered the government to suspend it, but the Pentagon said lifting the ban should be the job of Congress not the courts.
"It is not a question of whether it will end, but the process by which it will end," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said on Wednesday.
"The courts have demonstrated that time is ticking on the policy of ' Don't Ask, Don't Tell.'
"The president strongly believes that this policy is unjust, that it is detrimental to our national security and that it discriminates against those who are willing to die for their country."
Earlier, defense secretary Robert Gates was asked to comment on Tuesday's federal court ruling ordering the halt of the policy, and said he felt "strongly that this is an action that needs to be taken by the Congress.
A new furor over Obama's plans to end the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy erupted after a judge ordered the government to suspend it, but the Pentagon said lifting the ban should be the job of Congress not the courts.
"It is not a question of whether it will end, but the process by which it will end," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said on Wednesday.
"The courts have demonstrated that time is ticking on the policy of ' Don't Ask, Don't Tell.'
"The president strongly believes that this policy is unjust, that it is detrimental to our national security and that it discriminates against those who are willing to die for their country."
Earlier, defense secretary Robert Gates was asked to comment on Tuesday's federal court ruling ordering the halt of the policy, and said he felt "strongly that this is an action that needs to be taken by the Congress.
"
Speaking to reporters on his plane en route to Brussels, Gates said ending the ban on gays serving openly in uniform "requires careful preparation, and a lot of training and a lot of revision of regulation."
"It has enormous consequences for our troops and as I had said from the very beginning I think there should be legislation," he said, without commenting directly on the court decision.
Republicans in Congress blocked an attempt to end the ban this last month.
A federal judge ordered the government to immediately suspend a law barring gays from serving openly in the military, in a move hailed by activists battling to end the 17-year-old ban.
The judge placed an injunction preventing US authorities from enforcing the so-called "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, which requires gay and lesbian service members to keep quiet about their sexuality or face being kicked out.
Critics say the law, a 1993 compromise aimed at resolving a long-thorny issue, violates the rights of gay military personnel and has harmed US national security by forcing out some 14,000 qualified troops.
Speaking to reporters on his plane en route to Brussels, Gates said ending the ban on gays serving openly in uniform "requires careful preparation, and a lot of training and a lot of revision of regulation."
"It has enormous consequences for our troops and as I had said from the very beginning I think there should be legislation," he said, without commenting directly on the court decision.
Republicans in Congress blocked an attempt to end the ban this last month.
A federal judge ordered the government to immediately suspend a law barring gays from serving openly in the military, in a move hailed by activists battling to end the 17-year-old ban.
The judge placed an injunction preventing US authorities from enforcing the so-called "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, which requires gay and lesbian service members to keep quiet about their sexuality or face being kicked out.
Critics say the law, a 1993 compromise aimed at resolving a long-thorny issue, violates the rights of gay military personnel and has harmed US national security by forcing out some 14,000 qualified troops.
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