David Petraeus resigns as CIA director

[loki81]

Petraeus visited the White House on Thursday to ask President Barack Obama to accept his resignation “for personal reasons,” he said in a statement to CIA staff. “After being married for over 37 years, I showed extremely poor judgment by engaging in an extramarital affair. Such behavior is unacceptable, both as a husband and as the leader of an organization such as ours.”

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories...#ixzz2Bl8n1nN7

so much for that talk about him being the next Secretary of Defense... kinda sad that he had to resign over this, I quite liked him.

[justdra]

Can't keep their dick in their pants. Losing your job over pussy when u could have gotten a divorce and got the pussy for free but then again I doubt his wife is gonna leave him. She probably been a housewife all her life and couldn't fathom being alone. I would also bet it was regular sex with this other woman and not a one nighter. Wonder If it was someone in service with him or an Iraqi woman.

[palemale]

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories...#ixzz2Bl8n1nN7

so much for that talk about him being the next Secretary of Defense... kinda sad that he had to resign over this, I quite liked him.

I don't have a strong opinion of him and it doesn't bother me that he is resigning. It's the reason he is resigning that bothers me. It's his personal business and, as long as it doesn't affect his ability to do his job, should not be a factor in whether he stays or goes (unless he wants to stay with his wife and she made it a condition of staying together).

[Just_Believe18]

You are held to a higher standard when you serve in public service. This is the cost for squandering such a high, public position in government. You can't cheat on your wife of 37 years.

[rareboy]

Really David?

[GiancarloC]

Absolutely terrible judgment on his own part. Yes in public service people are (and at least should be) held to a higher standard... especially those in military/defense positions.

[Seasoned]

It's not a question of public service it's a question of how one's private life subjects one to blackmail. As head of the CIA he really had no choice. For you younger guys, this is why gays weren't allowed to have positions in government. Virtually all had to be in the closet and therefore all were subject to blackmail. The more sensitive and covert the job the more dangerous to have it held by someone with a secret.

[rampantpleasure]

Look on the bright side, now he doesn't have to testify on the Libya disaster next week. Obama's string of luck continues.

[Jack Springer]

Absolutely terrible judgment on his own part. Yes in public service people are (and at least should be) held to a higher standard... especially those in military/defense positions.

Really? You believe that?

[GiancarloC]

Yes I do. Have a problem with it?

[Jack Springer]

You feel that Bill Clinton should have resigned?

Petraeus should have resigned. You can't cheat on your spouse and expect to have respect.

[GiancarloC]

Nope. Anything else? I guess desperation is still kicking in.

Oh and show me where I said anything advocating resignation for Petraeus.

[Just_Believe18]

Clinton suffered the consequences on his end by tarnishing his legacy into an embarrassing public spectacle that ultimately brought charges of impeachment against him. He didn't have to resign over it, but he did suffer the consequences.

[justdra]

Nope and I didn't think David should have resigned. He should have fessed up and continued on until he was forced to. Obviously he was found out and someone was going to tell otherwise he would have kept his mouth shut. Also I dont think he wants a divorce. I think his wife saw this as a way to get out of the service. You can quit and save our marriage or stay and will leave. My motto is stay til they run you outta town and don't fess up to shit.

[loki81]

You feel that Bill Clinton should have resigned?

Petraeus should have resigned. You can't cheat on your spouse and expect to have respect.

if he were an office holder in his own right, I wouldn't think that an affair is an offense that should immediately require a resignation (depending on any other mitigating factors)

but as a high-profile employee of the Executive, I can see why he probably felt compelled to resign. any kind of scandal is just going to distract from the President's new term and take away from his ability to do his job.

[eastofeden]

I respect him alot for owning it and have no judgement whatsoever concerning his indiscretion..."consenting adults" trumps everything for me and I consider his personal sex life absolutley none of my business EXCEPT...

....and it is a big EXCEPT...did he lecture anyone else about "moral values" and point fingers at other people who were caught with their pants down?

If so..I then have an opinion. Scumbag...

The holier than thou folks who pointed fingers at Clinton who where doing the same or worse is what annoys me...and having to listen to their slimy "Moral Values" speeches (BARF)....

Newt Gingrich, Tom Delay, Mark Sanford....and soooooooooooooooooooooo many more.

[eastofeden]

I forgot to add...the resignation...I don't think it is necessary. Did he do his job well?

I think we collectively throw too many stones.

Alot of people try to define moral values for everyone else but I think we owe it to be true to ourselves and not anyone else's idea of who we should be. Maybe it was a mistake...maybe it was something he and his wife agreed upon? Maybe it did not define him and/or was not a problem with his personal moral compass....

Why should it matter what he does with other consenting adults? We assume we know what marriage...or love...means to him as an individual. We impose our own definition of both love and marriage on others all the time. That sucks.

[maxpowr9]

He seemed like a nice guy but I get the feeling that this will explode to "Jon Edwards" proportions. There's more to this story then what is known right now.

[Jack Springer]

The timing does sound suspicious. Next week he was to appear before Congress.

The latest is that the FBI was involved. hmmmmm

Was he pressured into resigning?

[GiancarloC]

Time for the conspiracy theorists to pull out the tin foil hats after a crushing election defeat.

[Lostlover]

You are held to a higher standard when you serve in public service. This is the cost for squandering such a high, public position in government. You can't cheat on your wife of 37 years.

And you can't suck dick.

Wasn't gay marriage about not having the government and people intruding into our private lives?

Just like with gay marriage bigots, what business is Petraeus' indiscretion of yours?

It's only been three days since gay marriage propositions passed and gay men seem to have already forgotten about prying eyes into people's private lives.

[JayHawk]

I think it was suspicious as well. No man instinctively claws his way to the top and is as competitive and aggressive as Patraeus and then chooses to voluntarily fall on his sword.

We shall see as the fall out comes. I am reminded of Admiral Boorda who committed suicide on his doorstep after an allegation he wore a combat V inappropriately? Men of their stature do not simply give up at adversity.

We will never know the whole story but he stepping down 'just because of infidelity' is ignorant.

[T-Rexx]

30 min before this post, Rachel Maddow tweeted "Story getting bigger by the hour." So, perhaps there is more to this than just a little extramarital sex.

But, I have never understood the puritanical American obsession with the sex lives of its leaders. Who cares? As long as a guy does his job, I don't care what sort of sex life he has.

[JayHawk]

CIA directly involved in Benghazi. Lots of leaks to lean opinion to Romney prior to the election.... FBI investigation? Obama has effectively prosecuted the many leaks that were accepted during the Bush Admin. Those type of leaks from persons taking an oath to not leak such information is illegal and Obama is absolutely correct in prosecuting such violations. Recently the SEALs who leaked details of OBLs lead implant surgery were punished for their failure to adhere to their oath as well.

I suspect something along those lines but that is pure speculation.

[loki81]

In the course of their inquiry into whether a computer used by Mr. Petraeus had been compromised, agents discovered evidence of the relationship as well as other security concerns. About two weeks ago, F.B.I. agents met with Mr. Petraeus to discuss the investigation...

Senior members of Congress were alerted to Mr. Petraeus’s impending resignation by intelligence officials about six hours before the C.I.A. announced it. One Congressional official who was briefed on the matter said that Mr. Petraeus had been encouraged “to get out in front of the issue” and resign, and that he agreed.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/10/us...-director.html

[loki81]

this interview is great knowing she was fucking David Petraeus at the time

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/we...aula-broadwell

the book title "All In" certainly seems awkward in retrospect.

[maxpowr9]

this interview is great knowing she was fucking David Petraeus at the time

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/we...aula-broadwell

the book title "All In" certainly seems awkward in retrospect.

Wait till they start blaming the woman. Although I am sure this will help her book sales.

[loki81]

this is a little tinfoil hat-y, but...

MY WIFE’S LOVER

My wife is having an affair with a government executive. His role is to manage a project whose progress is seen worldwide as a demonstration of American leadership. (This might seem hyperbolic, but it is not an exaggeration.) I have met with him on several occasions, and he has been gracious. (I doubt if he is aware of my knowledge.) I have watched the affair intensify over the last year, and I have also benefited from his generosity. He is engaged in work that I am passionate about and is absolutely the right person for the job. I strongly feel that exposing the affair will create a major distraction that would adversely impact the success of an important effort. My issue: Should I acknowledge this affair and finally force closure? Should I suffer in silence for the next year or two for a project I feel must succeed? Should I be “true to my heart” and walk away from the entire miserable situation and put the episode behind me? NAME WITHHELD

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/15/ma...om-beyond.html

[Constantine]

You feel that Bill Clinton should have resigned?

Petraeus should have resigned. You can't cheat on your spouse and expect to have respect.

Aren't there actually military laws about adultery? I'd think he has worse coming than simply forced retirement.

[TX-Beau]

Wasn't he the head of the CIA - I don't think that falls under the UCMJ.

[loki81]

Wasn't he the head of the CIA - I don't think that falls under the UCMJ.

prior to his post at the CIA, he was a General and oversaw the Iraq/Afghan wars at various points under GWB/Obama... it would probably depend on when the affair happened, but I'd imagine both parties probably don't want to make hay over this if they can help it considering he's associated with both Republicans and Democrats.

[Ninja108]

From the reports coming out know,she may or may not have had access to information she wasn't supposed to because of her relationship with him.
Whether it's true or not,as head of the CIA you can't hold yourself open to allegations like that.

[Just_Believe18]

And you can't suck dick.

Wasn't gay marriage about not having the government and people intruding into our private lives?

Just like with gay marriage bigots, what business is Petraeus' indiscretion of yours?

It's only been three days since gay marriage propositions passed and gay men seem to have already forgotten about prying eyes into people's private lives.

Because they're not private citizens. There will come a day when we will have openly gay married elected officials and women in our country. And some of them will cheat on their spouses. And when that day comes, they too, will be pressured to resign.

[Zingerific]

The fact that he's no longer CIA Director doesn't exempt him from a congressional subpoena.

[GiancarloC]

The fact that he's no longer CIA Director doesn't exempt him from a congressional subpoena.

Yea. He can still be subpoenaed legally... private citizens are not exempted to subpoenas.

[Jack Springer]

this is a little tinfoil hat-y, but...



http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/15/ma...om-beyond.html

That dude has no respect for himself, his wife, or their marriage. Sounds like a total loser.

[Lostlover]

Because they're not private citizens. There will come a day when we will have openly gay married elected officials and women in our country. And some of them will cheat on their spouses. And when that day comes, they too, will be pressured to resign.

His mistakes that led to his resignation occurred in his private life. Even public officials have private lives.

[AngolaZee]

His mistakes that led to his resignation occurred in his private life. Even public officials have private lives.

@Lostlover You are missing the crucial point here. His private escapades could have been used as blackmail in his public office. Surely you understand the gravity of this situation. Are you not familiar with recent spy cases involving CIA employees between US and China where personal info was an invaluable asset in coercing potential spies to come to the fold. The head of the CIA should be the last person to be vulnurable to those kind of tactics and yet here he is.

[bankside]

Public officials have private lives. I guess I just don't find it that hard to respect the man I'm with. I question the mentality of someone who has difficulty staying loyal to his spouse.

It's easy to find people who are okay with three-ways, or open relationships, and those people are honest and ethical about it. But if your deal is to marry someone and promise to be only with them, that's the deal. If Petraeus was done with his marriage, he owed it to his wife to say so. Or if Petraeus and his wife were into swinging, I'm sure all 4 of them would have had a great time in bed and we wouldn't even be hearing about this. Nor would we have a reason to care.

But if his loyalty to anyone is supposed to exceed the loyalty expected in his public duties, it is to his wife, who he freely married without a shotgun.

So yes, it is proper for him to resign, and shows he is willing to perhaps start rebuilding his dignity from nothing.

And yes, I think Clinton should have resigned for the same reason, and I think less of him for not having done so. I want leaders who can either keep it in their pants when they say they will, or who are willing to swing from the chandeliers while being honest about it. I really don't care either way, but I expect them to be up-front.

[JayHawk]

this interview is great knowing she was fucking David Petraeus at the time

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/we...aula-broadwell

the book title "All In" certainly seems awkward in retrospect.

You know I thought the same thing yesterday.... what a perfect title....

He was not in the US military at the time and does not fall under the UCMJ. CIA Director is not a military post it is civilian. He resigned to go onto Intelligence because he was too young a general to assume the lead of the Army yet he had the notoriety to want such a thing.

That is all done now. he will be a security contractor or a lobbyist and make tens of millions each year. Sucks to be him.....

[T-Rexx]

I question the mentality of someone who has difficulty staying loyal to his spouse...

And yes, I think Clinton should have resigned for the same reason, and I think less of him for not having done so. I want leaders who can either keep it in their pants when they say they will...

You would have hated FDR - that mentally-unstable security risk who led us through the Great Depression and WWII.

[JayHawk]

Ahh but T-Tex it is a entirely different world these days. Not only did the people around power not talk about indiscretions, the press refused to talk about it as well.

We are all way to selfish a creature to allow such things to occur these days. Somebody can make a buck; country be damned.

[T-Rexx]

^ There were people knew what was going on.

And those people could have (and would have) blackmailed if they had had cause.

The spirit of those times would have made such blackmail more effective, not less.

I don't think of FDR as less of a human simply because he was acting human. For better or for worse, that is who we are as a species. There are a lot of people out there who want homo sapiens to be something that it is not. They act indignant every time a prominent member of the species acts like a member of the species.

[White Eagle]

It's not a question of public service it's a question of how one's private life subjects one to blackmail. As head of the CIA he really had no choice. For you younger guys, this is why gays weren't allowed to have positions in government. Virtually all had to be in the closet and therefore all were subject to blackmail. The more sensitive and covert the job the more dangerous to have it held by someone with a secret.

So true. I joined the Navy in '61 and blackmail was the reason gays couldn't serve. However, if everyone came out there wouldn't be a reason for blackmail. Now with gays serving, there is no reason anymore. Except in a high secret situation it is still there.
I was Top Secret Crypto and had to watch what I did constantly.

[JayHawk]

Oh I wasn't arguing against blackmail. I must have missed that part of your original post on the matter. Blackmail of course but blackmail has no chance in this day and age because it goes straight to public humiliation.

People who are trying to conflate this with what occurred in Benghazi are simpletons in my humble opinion. Does anyone seriously think they expelled Patraeus because he was going to testify in a bad light on the Benghazi matter? This forced exit already makes public Petraeus's one sin and makes him all that much more venomous as a witness.

No. If they had attempted anything it would have been to squash this for him so they get agreeable testimony. Hell maybe they did and he one upped them by resigning.

I agree people are people and with the vast majority of America from single parent homes and having experienced divorce there can be no question that it is our nature.

[White Eagle]

this interview is great knowing she was fucking David Petraeus at the time

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/we...aula-broadwell

the book title "All In" certainly seems awkward in retrospect.

I went to your link and got sidetracked. I found

Post Democalypse 2012 - America Takes a Shower - Karl Rove's Math

Megyn Kelly teaches Karl Rove the power of scientific gobbledygook.

And the new Fox News slogan:

Math you do as a Republican to make yourself feel better.

[BostonPirate]

Terrible loss for the nation. He provided great insight on Mideast. This will be a sputter in the family machinery, but it always grinds on.

Disturbing for many reasons. No one ready to replace him, IMO.

[AngolaZee]

Some interesting thoughts

I hate to say it, but Mrs Petreas have let herself go. I'm not blaming her in any way, but if you're married to a power player with a high public profile, you have to make an effort. And a military man at that... type is big on appearance.

- Glenda J. , Toronto Canada, 10/11/2012 16:30

If you're not able to hide an affair, are you really qualified to be head of the CIA - a spy organization?

- Michael , London, United Kingdom, 10/11/2012 16:37

Women have no taste, please tell me what she sees in him, it's like a young man sleeping with a 90yr old woman at least men have their limit I mean all this for what money, fame, I do not get it. She even has a nice husband and house what else, I give up on women talk about taste

- DAVID , london, United Kingdom, 10/11/2012 16:30

She sounds like a predator of the worst sort. You can imagine the impact on his ego: a young, fit, smart and attractive young woman shows her desire for him...and at home, his wifey mouse...hmm, not a hard decision.

- Laurence of Pewsey , Pewsey Wiltshire England, United Kingdom, 10/11/2012 16:22

[Jack Springer]

Now you have to ask --

When did the FBI know?

When did the FBI tell Petraeus they knew?

If and when did the FBI tell the President?

[JayHawk]

Already has been reported Jack. Read the news please.