The policy is working! Let's count the cost

The Palm Center has a new report on the total costs of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, the military ban on open gays. The reports says that dismissing gay service members:

* Wastes the talents of critical personnel.

* Hurts unit cohesion by breaking up cohesive fighting teams (DADT was sold because it was supposed to help cohesion).

* Hurts recruitment and retention.

* Lowers quality of military personnel by kicking out gays and then having to admit felons.

* Reduces the morale of the gay troops because they must serve in dishonesty and fear.

* Hurts the readiness of gay partners (and thus the soldiers) because the military can't know about them.

* Invades the privacy of all service members by being suspicious of everyone's private lives.

* Increases harassment, which soldiers cannot safely report, and make it harder to investigate because honest information cannot be gathered.

* Embarrasses the military through bad press. They're seen as out of touch.

* Costs of hundreds of millions to replace troops, enforce the policy, and defend it in court.

* Uses up officer time in investigation and discharge of gay troops.

The policy has the opposite of the intended effect.