Patraeus Resigns due to affair

[hobbsyoyo]

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/11/09/15054517-cia-director-david-petraeus-resigns-cites-extramarital-affair?lite

Former General David Patraeus, architect of the surges in Iraq and Afghanistan and current director of the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) resigned today.

So apparently he had an affair and that was enough to resign over. What a shame. I'm really in shock over this as an affair is terrible, but is it a resignable offense?

Maybe I'm wrong since his position is so vital to the nation. I don't know. What do you all think?

I guess the devils will be in the details on this one as *maybe* it could have compromised security somehow. I also suspect the timing was deliberately so as to wait till after the election to keep from reflection on Obama. Surely the Republicans would have tried to pin it on Obama somehow.

Here is Petraeus' resignation letter:

HEADQUARTERS Central Intelligence Agency

9 November 2012
Yesterday afternoon, I went to the White House and asked the President to be allowed, for personal reasons, to resign from my position as D/CIA. 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. This afternoon, the President graciously accepted my resignation.

As I depart Langley, I want you to know that it has been the greatest of privileges to have served with you, the officers of our Nation's Silent Service, a work force that is truly exceptional in every regard. Indeed, you did extraordinary work on a host of critical missions during my time as director, and I am deeply grateful to you for that.

Teddy Roosevelt once observed that life's greatest gift is the opportunity to work hard at work worth doing. I will always treasure my opportunity to have done that with you and I will always regret the circumstances that brought that work with you to an end.
Thank you for your extraordinary service to our country, and best wishes for continued success in the important endeavors that lie ahead for our country and our Agency.

With admiration and appreciation,
David H. Petraeus

 

[Joecoolyo]

God, he is such a class act. Shame to see him go.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

God, he is such a class act. Shame to see him go.

My thoughts exactly. And an affair? Didn't even see this coming.

The only way I can forgive this is if it were frakkin Eva Green.

 

[Formaldehyde]

Since he has now refused to abide by the heterosexual DADT statutes, why isn't Patraeus being court martialed for adultery and conduct unbecoming an officer? Why isn't his pension and benefits being stripped away as they were for so many other victims of the hypocrisy rampant in the US military?

Or is this conduct only limited to his tenure in the CIA after he resigned his commission in August of last year?

 

[hobbsyoyo]

Since he has refused to abide by the heterosexual DADT statutes, why isn't he being court martialed?

 

[Borachio]

There's more to this surely. Unless the cultural norms of American politics demand it. I don't know - do they?

In France, politicians openly keep mistresses.

In the UK, a politician would only be in trouble if he had an affair but lied about it. Though I think the PM would be in big trouble for an affair.

Isn't it just possible that he's had enough of the job, and this is as good a reason as any to quit?

 

[hobbsyoyo]

There's more to this surely. Unless the cultural norms of American politics demand it. I don't know - do they?

Sadly, quite often.

Isn't it just possible that he's had enough of the job, and this is as good a reason as any to quit?

Very possible, especially given how hard he's had to work over the last decade.


I still don't know what Formaldehyde meant.

 

[ace99]

I think with the CIA its the whole concern about possible blackmail.

 

[Formaldehyde]

I still don't know what Formaldehyde meant.

I am suggesting he likely committed adultery while in the US military, as have many others who were never persecuted for it.

I think with the CIA its the whole concern about possible blackmail.

Right. Because everybody knows that people would far rather be traitors to their own country than to have it divulged that they did what the majority of married men in the US have done at least once.

It is simply nobody's business except for the parties involved. It is time the US stopped acting like it was still legal to stone people to death for committing adultery.

 

[ace99]

It's likely to be more than that. When you apply for a job with security clearance of Secret or Top Secret you're expected to disclose pretty much everything that you've ever done and anything that could ever possibly be used against you, from illegal drug use, foreign travel, everywhere you've ever lived, all the places you've gone to school, all the employers you worked for, neighbors, foreign contacts, and a whole slew of other things. Failure to disclose generally is a bad thing and can preclude you from getting the job, and getting the job and it being found out later that you failed to disclose is even worse. I suspect that's probably the case here.

 

[kochman]

Since he has now refused to abide by the heterosexual DADT statutes, why isn't Patraeus being court martialed for adultery and conduct unbecoming an officer?

Because he RETIRED...

Jeez.

 

[kochman]

I am suggesting he likely committed adultery while in the US military, as have many others who were never persecuted for it.

WTH are you talking about?

I know MANY officers who were "persecuted" for having adultrous "affairs" in violation of the "heterosexual DADT" policy, which is no longer in effect... They were fined and/or forced to retire...
This just happened...
http://www.stripes.com/news/former-173rd-commander-handed-reprimand-300-000-fine-1.180356
$300k fine and relieved of command.

Goodness gracious man, what are you on about?!?!?!
Do you even look into this stuff before you post?

 

[hobbsyoyo]

I am suggesting he likely committed adultery while in the US military, as have many others who were never persecuted for it.

Er...well it's not clear he was in the military when this happened. And now that he's out, that doesn't mean he'd be prosecuted for it.

But yeah if you have an affair in the military you can potentially face a lot of problems. My grandfather was forced out of the Air Force for it.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

Hey Form:

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told NBC News that Petraeus’s personal mistake should not have led to his departure.

They've updated the link at the top.

 

[timtofly]

Does it matter what causes a man to distrust his personal judgments? I'm not sure why one would need to state their reason for leaving, but it seemed Patraeus felt he needed to. Seems to me just a trust issue, and the man seemed to think it would effect his job to some degree.

 

[FriendlyFire]

I have a sick feeling that Petraeus was set up.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

This is all MSNBC has up now:

BREAKING NEWS: FBI investigating Petraeus biographer Paula Broadwell for trying to access his email

No article yet. Blackmail? Jealous lover? Not Eva Green? I'm so pissed off.

 

[dutchfire]

One would expect the CIA directors email to be decently protected. I would be disappointed if his password was Dav3P3tra3us.

 

[ace99]

Paula Broadwell, a Harvard researcher who co-wrote a biography of David Petraeus, is the woman with whom the retired four-star general had an affair, prompting his abrupt resignation on Friday as director of the CIA, according to Slate's Fred Kaplan.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/09/paula-broadwell-david-petraeus-affair_n_2104427.html

 

[Mr. Dictator]

Good thing he didn't leak any secret info, or he would have "raped" the poor woman too.