General Janet Karpinski (USAR-Ret): "I am very interested in the timing of this"

[TwilightGardener]

4. Hard to say. I assume Obama wanted this, but the public green light really had to come

from commanders and those who study how personnel changes like this will impact readiness. DADT repeal, though ultimately legislated, was the product of work and study WITHIN the DoD (impact studies, etc.). Obama doesn't want to have an angry military on his hands, so it's good that the brass seems to support this--plus, there are lawsuits about women serving in combat that kind of sped this along. I suspect the next SecDef prefers not be involved with this decision (being a combat infantry vet himself), and that's why Panetta did it now, in his last three weeks.