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David Petraeus & Barack's Benghazi Bungle
Ricochet.com ^ | November 10, 2012 | Paul A. Rahe

Posted on 11/10/2012 10:24:09 AM PST by billorites

Here is what I wonder. Did David Petraeus allow himself to be blackmailed by the minions of Barack Obama?

The testimony Petraeus gave Congress on Benghazi shortly after the assassination of our ambassador to Libya was a restatement of the patently false narrative foisted on the country by Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and their underlings -- to wit, that the assault on the American consulate was a spontaneous demonstration in reaction to the Coptic Christian's Youtube video.

Petraeus had to know better. The Benghazi bungle took place on the anniversary of 9/11. There was plenty of intelligence available to Petraeus prior to the event suggesting that Al Qaeda was becoming a real force in the region, and the e-mails that the CIA sent the White House at the time indicate that the folks in the agency knew within hours that the attack had been carefully planned and knew who in Benghazi was responsible.

So why did a man always known for his honor and integrity go before a Congressional committee and lie through his teeth? If Washington were Chicago, we would know the answer. Blackmail is, in Chicago, standard operating procedure. Is Washington now Chicago? Is Petraeus leaving office a disgraced and broken man because one act of dishonor and betrayal led him to commit another far more shameful?

I hope not. I greatly admire the man. What he achieved in Iraq was little short of miraculous, and it took tremendous courage and moral stamina. It saddens me to think that such a man would wantonly betray his wife of 37 years, but that sort of foolishness I can easily understand. The spirit may be willing, but the flesh is weak. What I do not want to think is that David Petraeus betrayed his country as well -- by lying to Congress about a matter as important as this in the middle of a presidential campaign.

But I, nonetheless, have to ask, "Why did Petraeus lie?" And given the fact that the lie was part of a preposterous narrative being peddled by a President who knew that the truth might well be fatal to his reelection -- and who depended on his lies being echoed by a pliable, servile press -- I have to ask, "How did they get an honorable man to disgrace himself so utterly?"

If this line of questioning makes sense, then we have to entertain the possibility that David Petraeus is resigning because doing what he did in his testimony to Congress is distasteful in a fashion that a man of his mettle cannot long bear.

Congress should not let this pass. David Petraeus should be made to testify about Barack's Benghazi Bungle. We have a right to know the truth. We had a right to know it well before the 6th of November. We now have a right to know why we were denied the truth.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: benghazi; benghazicoverup; davidpetraeus; idiotsdidntvote4mitt; kenyanbornmuzzie; libya; navyseals; petraeusaffair; thirdworldwar; threatmatrix; threatmatrixbenghazi; waronterror
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To: blueunicorn6; billorites
Blackmail only works until the secret is revealed. By Petraeus announcing the affair in his resignation, Obama lost the leverage. Or another way of phrasing it, Obama should have kept Petraeus in the tent pissing out; rather than now he is outside the tent, pissing in.

The investigation into the emails was already over, I heard John Miller say. I agree this is Chicago politics bigtime.

John Bachelor posted this watch the video http://johnbatchelorshow.com/blog/2012/11/beauty-didnt-kill-beast

Spoke to colleague Larry Kudlow of CNBC's "Kudlow Report" late in the day (above) with regard the sudden announcement of DCI David Petraeus's resignation. My information is that Petraeus did not resign because of the affair he mentions in his resignation latter. My information is that Petraeus quite because he misled carefully the relevant intelligence committees on their inquiries on the Benghazi tragedy in the first wave of investigation in September and October. Am told that Petraeus did not testify to the committees while under oath. Am told that Petraeus did not want to return to the Hill under oath next week and confront the inconsistences in his remarks about the CIA's part in the fiasco. The impolite word is "lie." The White House developed the "hateful video" explanation on September 11/12. It was nakedly fallacious. Petraeus did not correct the record in public. The election stalled a full Congressional inquiry. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will not take to the idea of a commission, however Senatior Diane Feinstein has the whip hand with her intelligence committee in the Senate. The House will proceed at all possible speed in the Lame Duck. This will go far and high. The leaking is daily and brutal. At risk right away is the administration's plan to advance Susan Rice, perhaps as the next Secretary of State. However all the principals of the national security apparatus are at risk, Tom Donilon, Hillary Clinton, Leon Panetta, the Joint Chiefs, President and Vice President. It appears that the American people were purposefully misinformed by the Obama administration. Why, what purpose? The election? Or worse? Why did the DCI keep silent? Beauty

(Petraeus resigned after an FBI investigation on his biographer Paula Broadwell was revealed.) I tell Larry Kudlow that this is not only about Benghazi, a nightmare on the face of it that the American people can understand as heroism and betrayal, but also goes to the Obama administration's secret policy in the Arab Spring of aiding strongmen and warlords regardless of their Jihadist connections. The Petraeus resignation makes the scandal that much easier to sell in headlines. Beauty (the widespread rumor is that the correspondent is Patricia Broadwell, biographer and former Army major, West Point graduate) didn't kill the beast. Benghazi killed the beast. Will Petraeus talk? Yes, if he is called. Did Petraeus resign to outmaneuver the White House that was making threats against him and Broadwell about security? Did the White House get surprised by the resignation? Ask yourself, would the White House engineer a Petraeus resignation about an affair of the heart with a glamorous married mother of two on the same day that the president was making headlines about the fiscal cliff and the second term? Pop the popcorn.

tweet from Aaron Klein ‏@AaronKleinShow Is this REAL reason CIA chief resigned? http://kleinonline.wnd.com/2012/11/10/is-this-real-reason-for-cia-chiefs-resignation-alleged-gun-running-to-jihadists-could-dwarf-fast-and-furious-scandal/ …

21 posted on 11/10/2012 12:24:02 PM PST by tomd2
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To: billorites; maica; Freee-dame

That is my hope today, that Petreaus spills his guts to regain his honor.

He might already be spending his days with Bob Woodward. The ex-general likes working with writers; it’s his M.O.

Or he could go John Dean Cubed in front of a hearing.

(He’d better stay out of Fort Marcy Park, and skip the canoe trip.)


22 posted on 11/10/2012 12:58:52 PM PST by Travis McGee (www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com)
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To: Travis McGee
"He might already be spending his days with Bob Woodward."

Not sure they could both fit under the desk.

23 posted on 11/10/2012 1:03:32 PM PST by billorites (freepo ergo sum)
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To: tomd2; MestaMachine; Nachum; Grampa Dave; Ann Archy

Great post at 21, outstanding.


24 posted on 11/10/2012 1:04:10 PM PST by Travis McGee (www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com)
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To: billorites

I hope he goes John Dean Cubed, and blows the entire Obama farce out of the water.


25 posted on 11/10/2012 1:10:38 PM PST by Travis McGee (www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com)
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To: Travis McGee; annieokie; penelopesire; maggief; Protect the Bill of Rights; thouworm; SE Mom; ...
What we've been saying all along.

Anyone wanting on the Benghazi ping list, please advise.


26 posted on 11/10/2012 1:28:11 PM PST by MestaMachine (obama kills and none dare call it treason)
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To: tomd2

If that is true, then I can bet you he will plead the 5th.


27 posted on 11/10/2012 1:40:09 PM PST by DarkWaters ("Deception is a state of mind --- and the mind of the state" --- James Jesus Angleton)
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To: billorites

Perhaps Paula Broadwell should write another book; and, since she teaches classes at West Point, use it as a basis for a class.

The book should include, among other ethic based subjects for officers, why having an extra-marital affair can blow up your career in short order.

Broadwell now has first hand experience as to why sleeping your way up the chain of command can be fast reward and an abrupt end to a lot of hard work and talent.

Petreaus was a fool. Seems the guy has had too much time on hands over the years. Instead of surrounding himself with adoring fanboys and fangirls, he should have lead by example and not so much ego like most of the political types in the upper command.

Now people are going to say, well it has always been that way; yeah, and it hasn’t always worked out too well either.

I wonder if Broadwell still has that job at West Point?


28 posted on 11/10/2012 1:58:51 PM PST by BlessingsofLiberty (Remember Brian Terry...)
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To: Travis McGee

Sadly, I’m betting that PATRAEUS LIES AGAIN!!! He will NOT TESTIFY UNDER OATH TO THE TRUTH!!! ANY TAKERS??


29 posted on 11/10/2012 5:02:45 PM PST by Ann Archy ( ABORTION...the HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: billorites
The weapons smuggling to terrorist angle also needs to be investigated. We need to know exactly what weapons were given to the terrorists. Obviously man pads would be bad, but Libya also had a significant stockpile of chemical weapons.
30 posted on 11/10/2012 6:24:18 PM PST by justa-hairyape
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To: tomd2

Batchelor and Klein have tremendous contacts int he ME, especially in Israel. IMO, Bibi and the Mossad have to know what really went down in Bengazi. I was surprised they didn’t leak damning info before the election to get rid of Zero. Let’s hope Batchelor and Klein stay on this story!!


31 posted on 11/10/2012 6:39:47 PM PST by Batman11 (We came for the chicken sandwiches and a Sweet Tea Party broke out!)
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To: Sacajaweau
Obama is nothing more than a Chicago thug.

yes ... and another sorry truth is probably half the country, at a minimum, is walking behind zer0. What a mess!

32 posted on 11/11/2012 2:22:56 AM PST by no-to-illegals (Please God, Protect and Bless Our Men and Women in Uniform with Victory. Amen.)
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To: billorites

To answer the posted thread, can only remember something heard long ago. God and Generals.


33 posted on 11/11/2012 2:24:50 AM PST by no-to-illegals (Please God, Protect and Bless Our Men and Women in Uniform with Victory. Amen.)
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To: petitfour

Just a guess from here at my keyboard. The theory could go a number of ways. That’s the trouble with theories, a theory can go almost any number of ways. Since we do not have the truth, at this point, and are guessing and reading opinion articles. I’ll offer a guess or theory later up thread on the pings coming in. I’ll perhaps be wrong, but will try to make sense.


34 posted on 11/11/2012 2:31:50 AM PST by no-to-illegals (Please God, Protect and Bless Our Men and Women in Uniform with Victory. Amen.)
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To: tomd2
Obama should have kept Petraeus in the tent pissing out; rather than now he is outside the tent, pissing in.

Great point. Remember though, America is dealing with a thug.

35 posted on 11/11/2012 2:34:16 AM PST by no-to-illegals (Please God, Protect and Bless Our Men and Women in Uniform with Victory. Amen.)
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To: justa-hairyape
The weapons smuggling to terrorist angle also needs to be investigated.

Agreement. Our people need to know who and what groups have those weapons. Chems and Bios are on the loose with rocket launchers, per reports.

36 posted on 11/11/2012 2:38:27 AM PST by no-to-illegals (Please God, Protect and Bless Our Men and Women in Uniform with Victory. Amen.)
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To: no-to-illegals

true. ‘dont bring a knife to a gun-fight and if they send one of yours to the hospital, you send 2 of theirs to the morgue’ Sean connery in the’Untouchables’ movie. great line, better description of the thugocracy we have running the country.

piss on them all LOL


37 posted on 11/11/2012 7:51:22 AM PST by tomd2
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To: Batman11
IMO, Bibi and the Mossad have to know what really went down in Bengazi.

Israel can trust Romney about as well as they could trust GWB during his last two years. GWB refused to help Israel attack the Syrian Nuclear reactor. Israel has bigger issues then which hand is controlling the US puppet. They can use this information to stop Obama from counter attacking them. They now have a free hand in the region. And Obama is going to get real mad under the collar.

38 posted on 11/11/2012 11:09:21 AM PST by justa-hairyape
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To: MestaMachine

Could you add me to the Benghazi ping list? Thanks -


39 posted on 11/11/2012 6:43:57 PM PST by little jeremiah (Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point. CSLewis)
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