Retired US General: Gay Dutch Troops Contributed to Srebrenica Massacre
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A former top U.S. and NATO commander says the Netherlands' inclusion of gays in their military rendered Dutch peacekeeping troops unable to prevent the slaughter of thousands of Bosnian Muslims at Srebrenica in 1995.
Retired U.S. Marine General John Sheehan led the U.S. Atlantic Command and served as the top NATO commander in the mid-1990s, the height of ethnic cleansing in former-Yugoslavia.
He told the Senate Armed Services Committee that allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the U.S. military would breed friction and undermine unit cohesion in the armed forces. Asked by Senator Carl Levin whether other nations, like Britain and Israel, had suffered as a result of ending their nation's bans on gay military service, the general said "yes."
Sheehan pointed to the Netherlands, which he said embarked on a process of social engineering in the Dutch military once the Cold War ended. "They declared a peace dividend and made a conscious effort to socialize their military. It included open homosexuality. That led to a force that was ill-equipped to go to war," he said.
In fact, the Netherlands was among the first nations to end discrimination in the military based on sexual orientation, affirming the right of gays to serve years before the fall of the former Soviet Union.
Sheehan backed his contention that gay soldiers undermined Dutch combat readiness by pointing to the massacre of Bosnian Muslims at Srebrenica in 1995. Four-hundred Dutch peacekeepers protecting the area were overwhelmed by Serbian forces, which killed an estimated 8,000 Muslim men and boys.
Linking the massacre to the Netherlands allowing gays in the military prompted this exchange with Senator Levin, who seemed perplexed by Sheehan's assertion.
SHEEHAN: "That [Srebrenica] was the largest massacre in Europe since World War II."
LEVIN: "And did the Dutch leaders tell you it was because there were gay soldiers there?"
SHEEHAN: "It was a combination …"
LEVIN: "Did they tell you [that gay soldiers were to blame], that is my question."
SHEEHAN: "Yes."
LEVIN: "They did?"
SHEEHAN: "They included that as part of the problem."Asked for comment, Dutch military officials expressed astonishment. The spokesman for the Netherlands Ministry of Defense, Roger van de Wetering, told VOA Sheehan's assertions are "total nonsense" and that he "cannot believe that a man of that rank is stating such a thing." He added that he had never heard Sheehan's allegation before from any source in the Netherlands or anywhere else.
Many historians have argued that Dutch peacekeeping forces in the Balkans were under-equipped and hampered by operational limitations imposed by the United Nations.
The Senate hearing is being held two months after President Barack Obama called on Congress to repeal a law mandating the U.S. military expel gay service members who do not keep their sexual orientation a secret.
Since then, many of the nation's top military officials and commanders have voiced support for changing the policy after a thorough review process. Some have expressed their personal opposition to repealing the law, but have pledged to enforce any new rules set forth by Congress
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Not surprisingly, the only references to his claims are that he is making them now.
There's nothing before his statement, which shows it's not true. If it were true, then it would be all over the internet as homophobes would grab the bull by the horns and parade it it out in front of everyone.
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If it were true, then it would be all over the internet as homophobes would grab the bull by the horns and parade it it out in front of everyone.
Totally agree with this statement. I take this as a sign of just how truly desperate "THEY" are to prevent the end of DADT and find it highly offensive that Gays are now to be blamed for what was obviously a doomed Peace Keeping Mission from the start.
You would think that a Peace Keeping Mission would be equipped with all the necessary gear to "keep the peace" ,however, a bunch of Boy Scouts may have been better equipped for this task than the Dutch forces assigned this honor.
Good Post!!!! martini20
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FROM : 365Gay Agenda
BY : James Withers, contributing editor, 365Gay Blog 03.19.2010 8:32am EDT
Please take this advice: put down that tasty beverage before you continue. If you have children and don’t won’t their ears assaulted by you cussing, send them outdoors. You ready? Gen. John Sheehan, a former NATO commander, said at a Senate DADT hearing the Bosnia massacre was caused by gay Dutch soldiers.
Stop cursing and don’t blame me for the coffee all over your computer screen. You were warned. The general’s argument goes like this: when the Cold War ended European military leaders decided “there was no longer a need for an active combat capability.” This led to “open homosexuality” and the next step was “a focus on peacekeeping operations because they did not believe the Germans were going to attack again or the Soviets were coming back.” Quick translation: Nancy boy soldiers make a military weak.
The retired general said he was told all of this by a former Netherlands army chief of staff. Before moving on let’s do some quick history. In 1995, Srebrenica was a UN safe haven, protected by 400 Dutch peacekeepers. Bosnian Serb forces attacked the town and massacred approximately 8,000 Muslim men and boys.
It should come as no surprise officials from the Netherlands don’t think much of Sheehan’s history lesson.
“It is astonishing that a man of his stature can utter such complete nonsense,” Netherlands defense ministry spokesman Roger van de Wetering said. “The Srebrenica massacre and the involvement of UN soldiers was extensively investigated by the Netherlands, international organizations and the United Nations. Never was there in any way concluded that the sexual orientation of soldiers played a role.”
Blaming gay soldiers for a massacre? That’s the tactic? Really? What’s next?
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My reaction when I read the article was along the same lines. To blame an utterly shameful episode of 'peace-keeping' in recent history on gay soldiers, in order to justify his agenda, is totally despicable. I know it's quite soon after he uttered that crap, but isn't there a free thinking media in the USA that shames and ridicules such bile?
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Sheehan claims the Dutch told him that the gay soldiers were the reason the Dutch position was overrun by Bosnian Serb forces.
But all of the Dutch authorities - 100% of them - have been claiming the opposite.
So, Sheehan either has a very flawed memory or he is lying.
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Of course it is not true and the claim is purely based on personal bias, but it did make it in our Dutch newspapers.
I don't think I have ever felt as insulted by a paper as then.
