Zero Snaps for Tony

White House press secretary Tony Snow recently said at a news conference that "You don't snap your fingers and have the Arabic speakers you need overnight." As TPMMuckraker.com reported, the military has “been kicking out Arabic speakers who they think snap their fingers a little too much.” That is a reference to the case of SGT Bleu Copus, who, in the process of his homosexual conduct investigation, was asked if he was involved in community theater.

Since the beginning of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the military has discharged 300 service members with “important language skills,” at least 55 of whom, like Bleu, were Arabic linguists.

It’s time to call proponents of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” on their hypocrisy. Don’t defend a lack of Arabic translators in one breath while supporting a stay-the-course mentality on “Don’t’ Ask, Don’t Tell” in the other. The President could snap his fingers and get more linguists if he got behind a repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” encouraged Congress to pass HR 1059 (The Military Readiness Enhancement Act), and agreed to sign it when it reaches his desk. You can keep snapping and hope the administration starts dancing to a different tune, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. Instead, let's get busy and tell our Congressmen and Senators to get behind repeal now.

- Aaron Tax