The San Francisco Chronicle editorial board today weighed in on the Pentagon’s response to rape and sexual assault in the military:

In a much-needed and long-awaited response to the problem, Panetta announced to members of Congress a series of incremental policy changes on reporting, investigating and prosecuting rapes. “I will change the way they are handled,” he said.

It’s a tiny start. Yet, without changes to the military justice system and the chain of command, which leaves discretion about reporting and punishment of rapes and sexual assaults up to an individual rather than a legal process, such assaults will continue.

Read the full editorial.