Petraeus resigns

[57Coastie]

Obviously another Liberal conspiracy.

Gen. Petraeus is an honorable man, who has maintained the code of generations at the Military Academy. I respect him and his record immensely. However, the higher one climbs the more risky is one little mistake. A spokesman for the general has reported that the general explicitly denies these politically-based rumors unhappily renewed in this thread. Gen. Petraeus did the honorable thing, as I would have expected.

This is not a case of a politician resigning because of the embarrassment of the revelation of his adultery. This clearly does not have the adverse moral stigma it once had. It is a case of the keeper of our nation's greatest secrets making a judgment call which might have endangered our country via pillow talk. The FBI is still looking at the question of whether his mistress had access to his email or papers.

One news report used unfortunate language in reporting the fact that Ms. Broadwell was "...embedded with Gen. Petraeus in Afghanistan...." I couldn't help but chuckle when I read that, but I realize that this is not a funny thing -- it is a tragic incident and I do not think it serves our nation well.

I thank the general for his service well beyond the call of duty, and I wish him well in his future endeavors. I am confident that we will see him again under better circumstances.

Jim

[puma guy]

I think highly of General Petraeus and consider him an American hero, but I now have to contrast that with his recent resignation and the implications of that act. As I see it, there is no way the Obama Administration was ignorant of the affair with his biographer. The vetting process would have uncovered it. Now that the cluster known as Benghazi is a major threat to the Obama administration the general is threatened with misconduct and forced to resign. Therefore negating him testifying except by subpoena. The investigation will be stymied by any and every means possible by the Obama Administration. Any one with a lick of common sense knows Obama and his staff were fiddling while Rome burned leaving four good Americans dead. Failing to report to the American people of the firing on our unmanned aircraft by Iran in international territory until after the election further strengthens my belief Obama is the most corrupt and devious President in our history. Further evidenced among many other things, by his real estate deal with Tony "Pay for Play" Rezco and political aliance with Bill Ayers. What saddens me is the inability and/or capability of Americans to vet a person they will vote for to hold the highest office in the land.

[Slowplay]

I haven't closely followed the General and his "accomplishments," but I have to wonder about the praise I see for him based on the length of time our U.S. troops have been engaged over in Afghanistan. Maybe some of the liberal leaning folks that proclaimed Afghanistan was where we needed to be (parroting what Obama campaigned on in 2008) can clarify, but I have a hard time understanding exactly what we are trying to accomplish there. If we think the years we've spent over there (costing thousands of lifes and $), has effected real change, I have a hard time believing it. It makes as much sense as me trying to plant some avocado trees in the wood floor of my den - thinking I could end up with free guacamole for the rest of my life (sorry, I'm out of guacamole).

[Slowplay]

By the way, his resignation should not absolve him of testifying in regards to the September 11 attacks in Libya. There should be no conspiracy. He should still testify, period.

[Keith B]

The problem with Petraeus is not that he had an indiscretion with a neighbor lady, his 'girlfriend' is a journalist and he was apparently sharing confidential information with her. Who knows, maybe she was sharing it with someone else that could use it against us. He is not immune from having to testify on any issues, he will just not be testifying as CIA Director.

When you are in a position such as his previous two jobs, you have to be careful who you socialize with and what you share. Remember the WWII adage 'Loose lips sink ships', that still applies in today's world of terrorists if you have Top Secret information.

[puma guy]

By the way, his resignation should not absolve him of testifying in regards to the September 11 attacks in Libya. There should be no conspiracy. He should still testify, period.

I didn't say he won't have to testify only that it would be by subpoena as he's already been removed from the list of witnesses. Someone with more legal smarts than me will have to explain what obligations, options, exceptions, etc he has as a military officer vs. civilian. The main issue I see is he may veil some of his testimony to protect himself from retaliation. On the point of Afghanistan the course of that war is under Obama and we have lost more soldiers in the last year or so under Obama than the entire period prior.

[57Coastie]

I haven't closely followed the General and his "accomplishments," but I have to wonder about the praise I see for him based on the length of time our U.S. troops have been engaged over in Afghanistan. Maybe some of the liberal leaning folks that proclaimed Afghanistan was where we needed to be (parroting what Obama campaigned on in 2008) can clarify, but I have a hard time understanding exactly what we are trying to accomplish there. If we think the years we've spent over there (costing thousands of lifes and $), has effected real change, I have a hard time believing it. It makes as much sense as me trying to plant some avocado trees in the wood floor of my den - thinking I could end up with free guacamole for the rest of my life (sorry, I'm out of guacamole).

I understand, Slowplay. Notwithstanding my having served for more than 20 years, I am one of those who have been convinced for a very long time that we have no business being in either Iraq or Afghanistan. As we continue to lose and abuse young American lives, male and female, over there, our new generation which might have served to pull us out of our national mess at home had they lived, with nothing to show for it but a massive national debt, I become more and more convinced.

On the other hand, I recognize that Gen. Petreaus did not put us in Iraq and Afghanistan, the politicians did -- politicians both Democrat and Republican. It may have once been Bush's war, but one must recognize that today it is Obama's war. Gen. Petreaus is just a very great soldier -- he saluted the politicians and did his duty. I must believe that absent his service to our country our casualties may well have been greater.

And I salute him for giving that service to all of us.

Jim

[C-dub]

IMHO, he was an honorable man right up until he committed adultery. Commandment #7

It doesn't matter what your job is.

[The Annoyed Man]

OK, it is now officially a cover up, as far as I am concerned:

http://washingtonexaminer.com/house-ask ... J8KlGl24p8

House investigators asked Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to testify next week about the September 11 terrorist attack in Benghazi, but she declined citing a scheduling conflict.

“[Clinton] was asked to appear at House Foreign Affairs next week, and we have written back to the Chairman to say that she’ll be on travel next week,” State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters yesterday.

[Oldgringo]

OK, it is now officially a cover up, as far as I am concerned:

http://washingtonexaminer.com/house-ask ... J8KlGl24p8

House investigators asked Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to testify next week about the September 11 terrorist attack in Benghazi, but she declined citing a scheduling conflict.

“[Clinton] was asked to appear at House Foreign Affairs next week, and we have written back to the Chairman to say that she’ll be on travel next week,” State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters yesterday.

Maybe she's going to the beauty shoppe?

[C-dub]

OK, it is now officially a cover up, as far as I am concerned:

http://washingtonexaminer.com/house-ask ... J8KlGl24p8

House investigators asked Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to testify next week about the September 11 terrorist attack in Benghazi, but she declined citing a scheduling conflict.

“[Clinton] was asked to appear at House Foreign Affairs next week, and we have written back to the Chairman to say that she’ll be on travel next week,” State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters yesterday.

Maybe she's going to the beauty shoppe?

Australia, I heard on the news this morning. Just about as far away from congress as you get on this planet.

[The Annoyed Man]

OK, it is now officially a cover up, as far as I am concerned:

http://washingtonexaminer.com/house-ask ... J8KlGl24p8

House investigators asked Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to testify next week about the September 11 terrorist attack in Benghazi, but she declined citing a scheduling conflict.

“[Clinton] was asked to appear at House Foreign Affairs next week, and we have written back to the Chairman to say that she’ll be on travel next week,” State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters yesterday.

Maybe she's going to the beauty shoppe?

Australia, I heard on the news this morning. Just about as far away from congress as you get on this planet.

And it is more vitally important for her to attend a conference in Australia than it is to answer to the American people who pay her salary....

[gringo pistolero]

IMHO, he was an honorable man right up until he committed adultery. Commandment #7

It doesn't matter what your job is.

[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"

Well I was all wrong. Something much simpler. Mistress number one was concerned that another woman was paying too much attention to "her man" and so sent threatening emails under a fake name to woman number two. Fearing for her life she went to the local fbi cyber crimes unit, who discovered the rest of the story.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/t ... z0sGKuxHSN" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Note to self, don't have affairs.

[Slowplay]

The media will run with this story and you'll continue to see more disparaging coverage or sordid details revealed.

Of course, the questional judgment and obvious character issues (you'll be conditioned to accept as the reality), will be a great shock to the Obama administration, who placed great faith in this man to perform duties very critical to intelligence gathering and the national security of this nation. He had a steller record over many years and there was no indication of what personal issues the General might have brought with him to serve the admin (he's a Bush guy...so it's really Bush's fault).

This will provide great cover and insulate Obama. It won't matter now if in reality Obama and top cabinet members were sitting in the situation room watching all the events in Libya (and sitting on their hands). Petraeus, with all his character flaws, certainly let them and the nation down and there's no telling what other missions or critical plans have faltered with Patraeus at the helm (the admin. can't be held responsible for them either).