A pat on the back for U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut for playing a leading role in the effort to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" policy and allow gay soldiers and sailors to serve openly. As a defense hawk and political moderate, Sen. Lieberman is in a particularly good position to help end this unfair policy.

Among the chief problems with "don't ask, don't tell" is that it is, in practice, the "live a lie" policy, running counter to the military code of honor and honesty. To cover up their sexual orientation, homosexual soldiers often pretend to have opposite-sex partners. Since the military punishes few soldiers for "asking" but boots many from the service for "telling," gay military personnel must deny the reality of their nature or face expulsion.

It is long past time that this outmoded construct go the way of segregation. Its foundation is already crumbling, with a district judge ruling it unconstitutional, a decision now under appeal. The president, his defense secretary and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are all urging an end to the policy.

The unfortunate reality, however, is that it will be more difficult to end the ban in the next Congress, when Republicans take over the House and gain strength in the Senate.

So Sen. Lieberman is among a group of senators pushing for repeal during the lame-duck session. The effort seems to be gaining momentum, with a few courageous Republicans ready to come on board.

The House has already voted for repeal, contingent upon a positive report from the Pentagon, due Dec. 1. Given that 22 of 26 NATO allies permit gay people to serve, with no big problems, the expectation is that the U.S. military is ready to manage the transition and will provide a favorable evaluation to Congress.

Procedural pitfalls could also block the repeal attempt. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada plans to include it in a military policy bill. He must allow debates and amendments and not act so heavy-handed that he drives away potential Republican votes.

Repeal the ban now.