Retired General Changes Mind on 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'

(CNSNews.com) - A former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff says Congress should seriously reconsider the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy that forbids homosexuals and lesbians from serving in the military if they openly admit their sexual preferences.

In an op-ed in Tuesday's New York Times, retired Gen. John Shalikashvili -- who earlier supported the policy -- wrote, "I now believe that if gay men and lesbians served openly in the United States military, they would not undermine the efficacy of the armed forces."

He also says the U.S. military "has been stretched thin by our deployments in the Middle East, and we must welcome the service of any American who is willing and able to do the job."