Posted on 11/10/2012 6:04:06 AM PST by COUNTrecount
Cia Director David Petraeus’ career came crashing down like a cheap spy novel yesterday when he resigned over an extramarital, wartime affair with a woman who wrote a flattering biography about the retired four-star general.
The bombshell — revealed after Petraeus resigned his post — stunned the political, military and intelligence establishments with reports of steamy e-mails between the two, including a reference to sex under a desk.
Petraeus’ lover was identified as Paula Broadwell, 40 — the co-author of a fawning biography, “All In: The Reuters
“After being married for over 37 years, I showed extremely poor judgment by engaging in an extramarital affair,” Petraeus said in a letter to CIA colleagues yesterday.
“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.”
The relationship dated to Petraeus’ days commanding troops in Afghanistan in 2010 and 2011. The affair prompted an FBI investigation over fears that Broadwell had accessed the general’s e-mail, possibly gaining access to classified information.
But another FBI source told Newsmax that the FBI had been intercepting Petraeus’ e-mails since last spring after it mistook one exchange with his girlfriend as a reference to corruption.
His position as CIA director allowed him top security clearance, and since he’s married, the FBI continued to monitor the exchanges.
One e-mail included graphic references about having sex under a desk, the Newsmax report said.
As head of the CIA, philandering is considered a breach of security that could compromise national security by opening him up to blackmail.
The affair itself could be considered grounds for a court-martial.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
She was a thorough biographer. She was able to write the final chapter on his career while he was still alive.
The FBI was monitoring his emails written when he was still on active duty.
If Petraeus truly loved this country, he would have come out in October and told the nation what really happened. Howvever, as with all of the top brass in Washington, he cared more about his self-interests than about the nation.
And her book will now become a best seller.
I read somewheres that the FBI first stumbled onto the affair when Broadwell tried to access Petraeus’ confidential emails..if so, that’s a totally different story..
Who monitors Holder’s email? Is he above scrutiny?
I believe that Petraeus’ affair was known when he was offered the position. It was held until mecessary. The General was going to testify next week and he would tell the truth. That story would differ from the Whitehouse version. Therefore, he must be painted as an unscrupulous cheat; an adulterer who cannot be believed about anything.
He had alrerady made the statement that the CIA did not give the orders to stand down, and pointed the finger at the WH. He was, and is, a threat to this administration.
If he does testify, and he should, look for it to be denied completely. I think he is an honorable man who made a mistake. He gave most of his life to this country and I thank him for his service. He used bad judgement and God will forgive him if he is repentant. I hope that his family will be strong enough to get through this.
CIC Bill Clinton carried on an affair IN the WH and it was no big deal....nothing to be upset about, they said. More evidence of the double standard here.
If he had just agreed to end it when she wanted to, this may never have come out. Now, his foolishness has destroyed both their careers & families.
No fool like an old fool
It's just amazing how there is so much garbage out there about Soetoro that the FBI just doesn't seem to be able to find.
That does not appear to be correct. According to the NYTimes:
Government officials said that the F.B.I. began an investigation into a “potential criminal matter” several months ago that was not focused on Mr. Petraeus. 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.
Petraeus resigned from the Army on August 31, 2011.
So this means he the affair, resigned from the Army to take the CIA position, knowing he had had a recent affair. Then "someone" notified the FBI to start looking at his e-mails "several months ago". Several months ago like September 12, 2012. Get the drift?
Finally, this gem from the AP
Morell rather than Petraeus now is expected to testify at closed congressional briefings next week on the assault on the consulate in Benghazi, which occurred on the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
Maybe the fact that he was not the only general having affairs in Afganistan can explain some of the “strange” ways this war has gone. Maybe the relations with the government - which many have called corrupt - did not take cleaning out their house when they saw corruption in the higest ranking officers. (this may also point to the the similar issues of SPENDING in congress - the millions that did not vote see corrution and no solution...pass it along - it must stop.)
Interesting timing.
I might be wrong, but I had the impression that the emails were written when he was still on active duty but the investigation was recent.
Yes, it’s possible both items are correct. The e-mails were written while Petraeus was on active duty but the investigation began after he was with the CIA.
So he may have already started at CIA when these emails continued. This would be the source of the statement that the FBI was concerned that she had access to his CIA email account.
Check out this letter to the editor of the NYT earlier this year. (July 13, 2012)
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/15/magazine/a-message-from-beyond.html?_r=0
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
Don’t expose the affair in any high-profile way. It would be different if this man’s project was promoting some (contextually hypocritical) family-values platform, but that doesn’t appear to be the case. The only motive for exposing the relationship would be to humiliate him and your wife, and that’s never a good reason for doing anything. This is between you and your spouse. You should tell her you want to separate, just as you would if she were sleeping with the mailman. The idea of “suffering in silence” for the good of the project is illogical. How would the quiet divorce of this man’s mistress hurt an international leadership initiative? He’d probably be relieved.
The fact that you’re willing to accept your wife’s infidelity for some greater political good is beyond honorable. In fact, it’s so over-the-top honorable that I’m not sure I believe your motives are real. Part of me wonders why you’re even posing this question, particularly in a column that is printed in The New York Times.
Your dilemma is intriguing, but I don’t see how it’s ambiguous. Your wife is having an affair with a person you happen to respect. Why would that last detail change the way you respond to her cheating? Do you admire this man so much that you haven’t asked your wife why she keeps having sex with him? I halfway suspect you’re writing this letter because you want specific people to read this column and deduce who is involved and what’s really going on behind closed doors (without actually addressing the conflict in person). That’s not ethical, either.
That’s wild.
Isn’t it? I sure hope he blows every whistle that he’s got, now that he has been fully burned.
And he should stay away from Fort Marcy Park, avoid solo boating trips, etc.
OMG - so the NYTimes knew.
She was able to write the final chapter on his career while he was still alive.
Unlike the rest of us, he is going over the “physical” cliff.
Just like Bill Clinton doing things with Monica in the Oval Office, the OVAL OFFICE! If there is ANY spot on the entire earth that our government or any number of foreign governments would want bugged it would be the Oval Office, duh.
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