The Double Nickel

As in 55. And that's not a speed limit I'm talking about. That's the number of Arabic language specialists who have been dismissed from the US military solely because they are gay.

If this isn't the most shortsighted, stupid and unnecessary military decision ever, then it's right up there with the top ten. (You can supply your own list -- whatever is on it will just have to move over and make room for this one.)

The latest victim of this onerous witch hunt, Army Sergeant Bleu Copas of the 82nd Airborne, was outed by a stream of anonymous emails to his commanding officer. After an investigation that lasted eight months the Army finally kicked him out, even though he never told investigators that he was gay, and the identity of his accusers remains unknown.

Now you would think, when we are apparently "at war" with the entire Arab world, the military would be doing everything possible to recruit and retain Arab language specialists. So once again I don't get what the fuck is going on in the minds of these Christo-fascist rightwing assholes, who seem to be focused on "aberrant" sexuality to the complete exclusion of everything else that really matters.

But there I go again, looking at things through the foggy spectacles of Reality.