Thursday, February 4, 2010; A16

FORMER SECRETARY of state Colin L. Powell was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1993 when he opposed efforts by President Bill Clinton to repeal the ban on gay men and lesbians serving openly in the military. On Wednesday Mr. Powell announced, "I fully support the new approach presented to the Senate Armed Services Committee this week by Secretary of Defense [Robert M.] Gates and Admiral [Mike] Mullen." That new approach is a carefully considered one that officially starts the clock ticking on the end of an unjust policy.

Mr. Gates has appointed a high-level working group to look at all issues related to ending the ban and wants its recommendations by the end of this year. The group will do three tasks simultaneously. It will get troops' views about the repeal. It will thoroughly review all of the practical issues involved in overturning the current "don't ask, don't tell" policy, such how to revise housing, benefits and fraternization policies. And it will consider the impact on military readiness and effectiveness.

A lot of work has already been done on the last two assignments, which gives us hope that Mr. Gates's group will complete its work long before the end of 2010. The group surely will look at a fall 2009 article from Joint Force Quarterly, which found few negative impacts on the military in other nations that allow gay men and lesbians to serve openly in the military. And Adm. Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) that he'd spoken with several NATO allies in Afghanistan who reported "no impact" on their performance in theater.

In the meantime, Mr. Gates has ordered recommendations within 45 days on how to "enforce this policy in a more humane and fair manner." Accusations leveled by snitches or third parties could be ignored. We'd urge consideration also be given to tolerating people who come out publicly.

Mr. Gates and Adm. Mullen did their duty Tuesday. They explained the steps they're taking to be ready when Congress finally repeals "don't ask, don't tell." Congress should be listening to them and to Mr. Powell. Before his unprincipled change in position this week, Sen. John McCain said in 2006, "The day that the leadership of the military comes to me and says, 'Senator, we ought to change the policy,' then I think we ought to consider seriously changing it because those leaders in the military are the ones we gave the responsibility to." Mr. Gates and Adm. Mullen have spoken with a force and clarity that must not be ignored.