Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann's
pledge to reinstate the military's ban on gay troops serving openly
is technically feasible but not necessarily likely, The New York
Times reported.
The Republican candidate for president
told CNN's Candy Crowley on Sunday that she would work to reinstate
“Don't Ask, Don't Tell,” the policy set to expire on September 20
that bans gay and bisexual troops from serving openly.
“The 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy
has worked very well,” Bachmann said.
“I would be in consultation with our
commanders, but yes, I probably will reinstate the ban,” she added.
The
Times
noted that in theory Bachmann could easily accomplish this.
“[B]ecause Congress did not require
the military to allow open service, a new president could order his
or her new secretary of defense to issue new regulations that
effectively reinstate the ban, said Aubrey Sarvis, executive director
of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, which advocates for gay
and lesbian troops,” the paper wrote.
Sarvis, however, added that legislative
reinstatement of the ban would be difficult and resistance to change
from military leaders, who prefer consistency, would be strong.
“This is not going to be a very easy
thing to undo,” Sarvis told the paper.
(Related: Michele
Bachmann's gay comments praised by Chris Barron.)