David Petraeus Steps down from D/CIA

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/...

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

Who was he schtupping?

That's a shame. Anytime someone willing to serve at that level is unable to continue to do so is a loss for us all.

Rahmen wrote:

That's a shame. Anytime someone willing to serve at that level is unable to continue to do so is a loss for us all.

I'm confused, was he giving state secrets to the lady he had on the side? Otherwise, I don't see the events matching up here. Newt was an adulterer, didn't stop him from running for President this year. Clinton was an adulterer (if you count what he did as sex), didn't stop him from being a widely respected figure after the DNC.

Should he apologize to his wife and family? Certainly. Does this mean he shouldn't be a public figure? Meh. Not really. Unless you count the fact that he couldn't keep this secret as a disqualification for an organization kind of built on secrets... I guess I could see that then.

Demosthenes wrote:

I'm confused, was he giving state secrets to the lady he had on the side? Otherwise, I don't see the events matching up here. Newt was an adulterer, didn't stop him from running for President this year. Clinton was an adulterer (if you count what he did as sex), didn't stop him from being a widely respected figure after the DNC.

I suspect that there's an argument that evidence of a secret affair could be used to blackmail someone.

Not saying it's right, but there it is.

I have no personal knowledge of the situation but if the woman worked at or was involved in the CIA quitting would make sense. Alternatively if he really wanted to repair the situation with his family I could see the responsibilities that come with being the head of the CIA as a significant obstacle to that.

Really, there could be any number of things that tie his extramarital affair to his position, all the way down to wanting to deal with it quietly, which would be hard to do if he were a public figure.

Respect. He's shown it, and he has mine.

Rezzy wrote:

Respect. He's shown it, and he has mine.

Didn't seem to respect his wife much.

Maybe not at that high of a level, but as a person with a clearance, engaging in an extramarital affair is a big no-no; on either end of it. It might not mean you would turn state secrets, but it displays a fundamental lack of good judgement. I'm sad to see him go, but proud of him for holding himself to the same standards as other people have to be.

Maybe it's not a moral reason. Perhaps his tryst was discovered, thus making him a really bad spy.

Atras wrote:

I'm sad to see him go, but proud of him for holding himself to the same standards as other people have to be.

Plus, better to fess up now than have this turn into a big media circus like the Clinton-Lewinski one.

EDIT: Although it looks like Fox News is already trying. How surprising!

Player Hater wrote:
Rezzy wrote:

Respect. He's shown it, and he has mine.

Didn't seem to respect his wife much.

I wasn't paying him for his qualities as a husband.

Player Hater wrote:
Rezzy wrote:

Respect. He's shown it, and he has mine.

Didn't seem to respect his wife much.

Don't player hate, bro.

Rezzy wrote:
Player Hater wrote:
Rezzy wrote:

Respect. He's shown it, and he has mine.

Didn't seem to respect his wife much.

I wasn't paying him for his qualities as a husband.

This. I get that it's skeevy. I agree that I would not do that (not that I have anything against consensual extramarrital relationships, those are fine if that's your thing). And with him being a man who cheated on his wife, I dunno that I'd want to be his friend all that much. Certainly wouldn't want him around my wife.

I don't care about it when it comes to public servants doing their job. I want the most qualified people doing the jobs that need to be done, unless they are somehow screwing up the system they're working in... or doing something illegal and prosecutable outside of work.

Stuff like this just makes me feel like our "GOTCHA!" culture is so focused on contraversy that we are shooting ourselves in the foot for the sake of being able to say, "What a jerk and bad husband. I'm glad he's not leading the CIA anymore," as if the first had some bearing on the second.

EDIT: Weird wording on trying to identify Pat, made it sound like I was someone who had cheated.

Slate magazine is reporting he had the affair with his biographer. link. The name of the book? All In:The Education of General David Petraeus

Letting classified information fall into hands that it shouldn't... or almost anyway... see now that I would expect a resignation for.

Player Hater wrote:
Rezzy wrote:

Respect. He's shown it, and he has mine.

Didn't seem to respect his wife much.

Haters gonna hate.

Sorry was fitting and I have nothing to add to this thread.

edit: Garion beat me!!! *shakes fist*

Lucky Wilbury wrote:

Slate magazine is reporting he had the affair with his biographer. link. The name of the book? All In:The Education of General David Petraeus

*childish giggle*

This is disappointing to me. I have no personal knowledge of the man but I served with several who did and they spoke highly of him.

Ugh.

One of my facebook friends made a comment that he thought it was suspicious and typical of the Obama administration that this happened after the election and not during it.

Really? You think that would really have made a difference?

Jeez.

As a former Army officer, I would like to explain that adultery is a very serious matter in the military. Depending on the situation, it can be a court martialable offense, especially if you are having an affair with a direct subordinate or with the spouse of somebody else in the unit. This would be a major problem even if he shagged some random stripper, as his soldiers would seriously question his ability to make good decisions. Having an affair with somebody trying to access classified info is by all reason a major breach of security. Petraeus is lucky he's a top ranking officer cause a lower ranking soldier would probably be getting a dishonorable discharge and jail time for a similar situation.

Paleocon wrote:

Ugh.

One of my facebook friends made a comment that he thought it was suspicious and typical of the Obama administration that this happened after the election and not during it.

Really? You think that would really have made a difference?

Jeez.

Well typical of all politics. Nice to see Obama finally got the playbook.

I am more shocked that with all of the microscopy on the CIA after the Embassy attacks, that this was kept under wraps. Under Bush and Clinton the CIA seemed as tight as a sieve some times.

KingGorilla wrote:
Paleocon wrote:

Ugh.

One of my facebook friends made a comment that he thought it was suspicious and typical of the Obama administration that this happened after the election and not during it.

Really? You think that would really have made a difference?

Jeez.

Well typical of all politics. Nice to see Obama finally got the playbook.

Honestly it could be a mutual decision between Obama and Petraeus. Wait until the election is over and quietly resign, or else.

MrDeVil909 wrote:
Lucky Wilbury wrote:

Slate magazine is reporting he had the affair with his biographer. link. The name of the book? All In:The Education of General David Petraeus

*childish giggle*

jdzappa wrote:

As a former Army officer, I would like to explain that adultery is a very serious matter in the military. Depending on the situation, it can be a court martialable offense, especially if you are having an affair with a direct subordinate or with the spouse of somebody else in the unit. This would be a major problem even if he shagged some random stripper, as his soldiers would seriously question his ability to make good decisions. Having an affair with somebody trying to access classified info is by all reason a major breach of security. Petraeus is lucky he's a top ranking officer cause a lower ranking soldier would probably be getting a dishonorable discharge and jail time for a similar situation.

I thought he had left/retired from the army to take the job as director? if so, is he still able to court martialed after retirement?

He most certainly could be, to lose his commission-pension, rank, honorable discharge, VA benefits.

But as this is with a civilian biographer, I do not think a court marshal will be used.

Lucky Wilbury wrote:
MrDeVil909 wrote:
Lucky Wilbury wrote:

Slate magazine is reporting he had the affair with his biographer. link. The name of the book? All In:The Education of General David Petraeus

*childish giggle*

jdzappa wrote:

As a former Army officer, I would like to explain that adultery is a very serious matter in the military. Depending on the situation, it can be a court martialable offense, especially if you are having an affair with a direct subordinate or with the spouse of somebody else in the unit. This would be a major problem even if he shagged some random stripper, as his soldiers would seriously question his ability to make good decisions. Having an affair with somebody trying to access classified info is by all reason a major breach of security. Petraeus is lucky he's a top ranking officer cause a lower ranking soldier would probably be getting a dishonorable discharge and jail time for a similar situation.

I thought he had left/retired from the army to take the job as director? if so, is he still able to court martialed after retirement?

Yeah, he's a former military officer.

KingGorilla wrote:

But as this is with a civilian biographer, I do not think a court marshal will be used.

She graduated from West Point and is a Major in the Army Reserves.

I do not believe she is active duty OG, unless I missed that part.

IMO, if you can break a serious promise without being honest with the person you made the promise to then you are not trustworthy in any aspect of your life. That is why cheating is treated so poorly in modern society - whether it's the captain of the football team or the head of the CIA. Whether you cheat or not has no bearing on how good you are at what you do... but it does bear on who allows you to do it.

KingGorilla wrote:

I do not believe she is active duty OG, unless I missed that part.

KingGorilla wrote:

I do not believe she is active duty OG, unless I missed that part.

Her Wiki and LinkedIn profiles say she's still active duty reserve, though it looks like her Wiki needs updating. She's a Lt. Colonel now.

It's a shame, really. She has one hell of a CV.

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