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Obama warns rampant sexual assaults in military harming national security

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ANI Washington

President Barack Obama has warned a spate of sexual assaults in the military is endangering US national security and vowed to do everything possible to fix the problem.

Obama huddled with his top military leaders at the White House to find a way to put an end to the problem.

According to Politico, flanked by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey, Obama convened the meeting in the Cabinet Room.

Vice President Joe Biden also attended, along with the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the service secretaries and others.

Obama said that sexual assault in the military 'is dangerous to our national security' and is 'not a sideshow'.

 

The president called the meeting after another sexual assault case rocked the Pentagon.

On Tuesday, defense officials revealed that a soldier who worked as a sexual assault response coordinator at Fort Hood in Texas was under investigation for pandering and sexual assault.

Obama said he would work with military leaders and Congress to quash sexual violence in the ranks, but he cautioned that changes will not come overnight, the report added.

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First Published: May 17 2013 | 1:42 PM IST

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