FROM THE EMAIL BAG

Commentary by Lt. Colonel John Lewis Cook, USA Retired.

Just when you think the Obama administration cannot possibly engage in any more stupid, embarrassing episodes, you suddenly discover that you are wrong. This administration's capacity for insanity appears to be limitless.

The latest example of this occurred on Tuesday when the Pentagon hosted something called the Second Annual Gay Appreciation Day.  This tribute to the Lavender Set took place in the Pentagon's auditorium which is in the basement of the building. Normally, special events such as this take place
in the bright sunlight of the center courtyard. In any event, the basement is the perfect place for this venue.

Valerie Jarrett, the President's all purpose, all weather cheer leader was in charge and she was definitely ready for the challenge. Ms. Jarrett is famous for over-the-top statements that bear little resemblance to reality and on Tuesday, she did not disappoint. "Because we repealed 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell', our military is stronger and our country is safer now that
homosexuals may serve openly" she told the cheering audience.

This is a most sweeping assertion and it would, under normal circumstances, be accompanied with something in the way of proof to lend it credibility. After all, she is making the gay soldiers sound like supermen and, without them, the nation would be in grave danger.  However, there is nothing normal
about these circumstances we are facing today with this administration. It's as if Obama has repealed the requirement for any supporting documentation, on any issue.  In short, if the administration says it, it has to be true.

If the administration decides to make gays in the military the new Golden Boys, then they become Golden Boys. Period.  Next up was Chuck Hagel, the current Secretary of Defense who was selected to be the fall guy for the loss of Afghanistan. Unfortunately, he doesn't know it yet.  Taking his cue from Ms. Jarrett, he fell right in line. We're very proud of everything the gay and lesbian community have contributed and continue to contribute, he echoed, with the same amount of proof and less enthusiasm that Ms. Jarrett offered, which was none.

Then Eric Fanning, Air Force acting Secretary, heaped praise on a gay Marine Captain and said when he deploys in August, He'll be taking his husband with him.

I admit, it will take some of us some time to get used to these odd possessive pronouns, such as his husband, and her wife, but I suppose we should all make the effort because they are not going away. However, in the interim, it does appear a bit, well, queer.

To make the event complete, there was actually a gay General officer in the audience. Not much of a General, to be sure, only a Brigadier and not active duty but reserve, but technically, a General none the less.  BG Tammy Smith
is duly noted as the groundbreaking General officer that actually came out of the closet. She and her wife were duly recognized.

I'm sure the organizers are praying for a two or three star active duty General just to give the whole thing a touch of class.


While it is all too easy to make fun of these officials fawning over gays as if they were rock stars or an endangered species, there is a far darker side to gays serving openly in the military and none of these officials have the courage to address it.  The dirty little secret is this. During 2012, the
first full year where gays could serve openly in the military, there were 26,000 sexual assaults across all services. Of these 26,000, 14,000 were
male-on-male assaults. 

Yes, you read that correctly. More men in the military were sexually assaulted than women in 2012. 

So who is committing the majority of sexual assaults in the military? Well, it's the new hero who is making our country safer, according to Ms. Jarrett, the homosexual serving openly.  It's the same homosexual soldier that Chuck
Hagel is so proud of.  In fact, Hagel is proud of everything the homosexuals and lesbians are doing.

Well, do you think he's proud of this report that was reluctantly released last month that blamed the homosexual community for most sexual assaults in 2012? And why was there a 35% increase in sexual assaults from 2011 to 2012,
most involving male-on-male assault?

Could it be that throughout all of 2012, gays were serving openly and apparently taking full advantage of the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell, and came out of the closet in droves, determined to celebrate their liberation with anyone they encountered, regardless of consent?

When viewed through this lens of cold, hard reality, free from the distortion of political correctness, the whole gay issue quickly ceases to be humorous. In fact, it becomes utterly disgusting.  The truth is, gay soldiers are a real threat to real soldiers and this report bears that out. Instead of putting them on a pedestal, they should be tried and put in jail.
If this is allowed to continue, this virus has the potential of killing the military from the inside. For anyone who still has doubts about this, then I advise them to read the Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military, May 2013.

So, what is being done about this epidemic of male rape in the military? Precious little because if it is forced into the bright light of day, it is an admission that the great gay experiment was a total failure.

Meanwhile, as the military leadership was partying with gays in the basement on Tuesday, the last remaining grownups in the Pentagon, the operational folks who always have to make the hard calls during times like this, were wrestling with the latest orders from the President to cut ten combat brigades from a force that is already too lean. That will be roughly 45,000 soldiers who will, eventually, lose their jobs and the chance to finish their careers.

Soldiers who have done nothing wrong, raped no one, just doing their job, will be cut loose.  But have no fear. None of those who get cut will be gay. 

God knows, in this environment, being gay is being golden and the gays will keep getting a free pass until sanity is restored to the system.  When that will happen is anybody's guess because there are no George Patton's on the horizons.

Like those guys at Benghazi  the military right now is on its own. No help will be coming from this administration.

About the Author.
Lieutenant Colonel John Lewis Cook, United States Army (ret), served as the Senior Advisor to the Ministry of Interior in Kabul , Afghanistan , with responsibility for developing the force structure for the entire Afghan National Police. As of 2012, this force totals 157,000. From March 2008 until August 2012, his access and intimate associations with all levels of the Afghan government and coalition forces have provided him with an unprecedented insight into the policies which will determine the outcome of the war. It is this insight, coupled with his contacts and associations throughout Afghanistan that form the basis of "Afghanistan:  The Perfect
Failure."