Petraeus resigns

[TxA]

Petraeus, in a message to staff, said President Obama accepted his resignation after the two met on Thursday afternoon. Petraeus said that he asked "to be allowed" to step down.

"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," Petraeus said. "This afternoon, the President graciously accepted my resignation."

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/11 ... -director/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Oldgringo]

Isn't 60 a little old to be engaging in extramarital affairs? On second thought....

[45 4 life]

If 60 is to old Oldgringo, I need to hurrry. Only 3 years left.

[RoyGBiv]

I had lunch today with a customer that, as a Marine, worked with the General when Petraeus was a 3-Star in Iraq. After finishing our business discussion, I asked him about whether he thought the General could sit idly by while Americans were under fire or participate in the obvious Benghazi after-action cover up. My customers general sentiment was that Petraeus was one of the most honorable men he's ever known.

Not 10 minutes after we parted ways this afternoon, he calls me on my mobile. "Did you hear the news? Petraeus resigned", and he gave the details. My only question was "is this real or just an excuse to remove himself from the detritus that is the Obama administration?..

The abbreviated answer was (paraphrasing) "No... Petraeus could have quit for any reason. He'd never admit to infidelity unless it was true, and it shows he's willing to step up to his mistake and not allow his position to be compromised by anyone who might try to hold this over his head."

A sad day for America. Not many honorable people running this country right now.

Dear General Petraeus,
Thank you for your service, Sir.
God bless and best wishes.


Regards,
RGB.

[Dad24GreatKids]

This is disappointing for a variety of reasons. I had hoped he would replace Leon Panetta as Secretary of Defense.

[Rex B]

This is disappointing for a variety of reasons. I had hoped he would replace Leon Panetta as Secretary of Defense.

SOMEbody sure needs to!

[The Annoyed Man]

I've been an admirer of Petraeus's for a long time. It's sad to see him bring his public service career to an end with this shadow over his head. But I'm inclined to agree with RoyGBiv's client in assuming that he made a strategic retreat to avoid the arty fire mission headed his way from the administration if he told the truth—which he would because it is entirely consistent with his character—during his testimony at the Benghazi hearings next week. Now that he has stepped down, he will not be required to testify.

Interestingly, Senator Diane Feinstein announced that she would have stood up for Petraeus if he had chosen to stay. She—despite being too far to the left on too many issues—has a track record of having taken the administration to task for its disgraceful handling of opsec and classified programs, and she held Petraeus in very high regard....to the point that she openly declared that his strength of character would keep him from being a blackmail risk because of the affair.

[C-dub]

They are now saying that as a result of this he will not testify regarding Benghazi. I think there are at least three distinct possibilities here.

1. He really was so foolish to actually have an affair.
2. He resigned so he wouldn't have to testify.
3. She was put up to it by someone so that they could expose this at the opportune moment.

[powerboatr]

They are now saying that as a result of this he will not testify regarding Benghazi. I think there are at least three distinct possibilities here.

1. He really was so foolish to actually have an affair.
2. He resigned so he wouldn't have to testify.
3. She was put up to it by someone so that they could expose this at the opportune moment.

they are saying he wont testify.....
but the news forgets
congress can subpena him regardless, can he NOT speak of classified items? sure....but then they can re-activate him to active duty and then bbq his rear for adultery while on active duty, and then get classified info.

I think he was told to leave because he will have to outline the contradicting statements from the admin, and maybe show the public how deep the "watergate" cover up goes.
maybe we can get hearings afterwards for impeachment proceedings......

[baldeagle]

they are saying he wont testify.....
but the news forgets
congress can subpena him regardless, can he NOT speak of classified items? sure....but then they can re-activate him to active duty and then bbq his rear for adultery while on active duty, and then get classified info.

I think he was told to leave because he will have to outline the contradicting statements from the admin, and maybe show the public how deep the "watergate" cover up goes.
maybe we can get hearings afterwards for impeachment proceedings......

That's the most hilarious thing I've read here since the election. Do you seriously think Congress would even attempt to impeach Obama? They've already had multiple reasons to do so, with ample justification, and haven't done a thing.

It's amazing how hopeful people still are despite all the evidence staring them in the face. America is over. The Constitution is dead. Obama is now your ruler. You'd better get used to it, because he's not going away in four years.

[AlphaWhiskey]

He can be subpoenaed by congress? So could Holder, how much closer to the truth did that get us?

There will be no truth to come out of these hearings. Period. Accept it.

It is a shame that honorable men (or women) who accept responsibility for a mistake such as an affair are villified and lose careers, while dishonorable ones go on to thrive (or second terms!).

[ffemt300]

This was disappointing, yes. However, Petraeus did the honorable thing by stepping down. Alot of people would attempt to downplay something like this or worse, cover it up. This is nothing that any of us fellas are immune to. Guard your marriages, gents.

[RoyGBiv]

It is a shame that honorable men (or women) who accept responsibility for a mistake such as an affair are villified and lose careers, while dishonorable ones go on to thrive (or second terms!).

QFT

[Dad24GreatKids]

This was disappointing, yes. However, Petraeus did the honorable thing by stepping down. Alot of people would attempt to downplay something like this or worse, cover it up. This is nothing that any of us fellas are immune to. Guard your marriages, gents.

[philip964]

I was listening to the news about Petraeus last night and something really awful came to me. I am not saying I think this is true, as it is really so over the top that I can't imagine that it is. However, it fits the pattern of what happens and explains why Petraeus resigned right before he was to testify about attack in Benghazi.

Some of the things they said about Petraeus last night on the news as background:

He is a very honorable man.
Brilliant.
The affair was with a biographer, who is very pretty, She interviewed him extensively while he was overseas in Afghanistan (away from home) well before he was being considered for his current role as CIA director.
The FBI extensively vetted him before he was selected as CIA director.
He is very popular.
An affair would be something that could be used to bribe him. Bad for a director of the CIA or anyone at the CIA.
The affair was apparently over and no one knew about it.
Eisenhower had an affair with Kate Summersby in a similar situation, never resigned and became president. (BTW look up his red/blue electorial map on Wiki)

What if the FBI discovered the affair, told the president, but the president decided to keep it a secret and to select him anyway due to his popularity and the fact the affair was over and no one knew about it.

What if the bribery was on the part of the president or his staff, to get him to "be a team player" on the Benghazi testimony next week. The bribery could have been as simple as during discussions on what he would say, someone said something like "you know we know about your affair".

Petraeus being the honorable man he is, decided to resign and admit the affair, rather than "being a team player" as that would be the honorable thing to do.

Ok I am ready for the "tinfoil hat comments"