Did Petraeus REALLY resign over an extramarital affair?

mac · Nov 10, 2012

Sarcogito said:
I was thinking he could have just resigned without mentioning the affair. But I am guessing he knew it was going to come out anyway. If the FBI knew about it then it is likely someone informed on him. Best to get ahead of the story to minimize the damage to your reputation.

And I do think he should have stepped down just out of fairness. The underlings who work a the CIA have to undergo lifestyle polygraphs and adultery can get them booted from the agency so why should the Director get special treatment?

If he resigned with no reason, it would be assumed that it was over Benghazi.

We know that his resignation was postponed so as not to influence the election...that's scandalous enough, if you ask me.

If I had to guess, Patreaus is pissed about Benghazi and wanted to get out of the administration and cut a deal with the Obama administration. If I had to guess...

joko104 · Nov 10, 2012

Unfortunately, partisan controls the views of most people, or at least on this forum.

OVERWHELMING, when the question comes up of should someone tell their spouse if he/she cheated in the past - the majority of members say NO.

To the generic question of "If someone cheated on his/her spouse in the past, should that person tell everyone about it?" I think nearly all would say "of course not."

BUT since this is partisan, all the Democrat hacks are tripping over themselves praising him for announcing in press conferences that he cheated on his wife of 37 years - something the public did NOT know until he announced it. Obviously that is not a necessary humilation to his wife to be able to resign - regardless of why since NO reason need be given to resign any position or job. The typical generic "to spend more time with my family" would have been sufficient.

Thus, I say he is a total asshole. What a s/itty thing to do to his wife and children. Like the ultimate narcisst.

Gonzo Rodeo · Nov 10, 2012

Manc Skipper said:
Why does there HAVE to be more? Because you want it to be so? Life isn't like that.

Because it doesn't make sense. Clinton got caught in an extra-marital affair, and went on camera and lied about it, and then later admitted it when there was no way to suppress the truth anymore. But he didn't resign over it. Once the secret is out, there is no more leverage someone can hold on you. So why did Petreus quit?!? There isn't another reason simply because I want one; there is another reason because... there is another reason.

I just wonder what that reason is.

grip · Nov 10, 2012

mac said:
If he resigned with no reason, it would be assumed that it was over Benghazi.

We know that his resignation was postponed so as not to influence the election...that's scandalous enough, if you ask me.

If I had to guess, Patreaus is pissed about Benghazi and wanted to get out of the administration and cut a deal with the Obama administration. If I had to guess...

I think it's possible from what is known that the affair was common in DC and only a cover for a Benghazi screw up. The Kennedy brothers were famous womanizers. Hillary was very upset about the Ambassadors death, which seems could be partially from something hidden. Panetta Sec Of Defense, Clinton Head of State Department and Patraeus Head of CIA all quitting with one taking the fall?

I believe the press will dog this for awhile.

mac · Nov 10, 2012

grip said:
I think it's possible from what is known that the affair was common in DC and only a cover for a Benghazi screw up. The Kennedy brothers were famous womanizers. Hillary was very upset about the Ambassadors death, which seems could be partially from something hidden. Panetta Sec Of Defense, Clinton Head of State Department and Patraeus Head of CIA all quitting with one taking the fall?

I believe the press will dog this for awhile.

Panetta and Patreaus are the few Obama appointees that I would say have some integrity (except for the affair, of course). I'm certain that their resignations have to do with disgust with the administration. Hillary's is very likely politically motivated in order to distance her from Obama and free her up for 2016. There is no way she kowtows to Biden and let's him run unopposed in the primary.

The majority of the press will report the line the administration gives them.

edit: I haven't seen anything official on Panetta's resignation, have you?

Dooble · Nov 10, 2012

I'm willing to give the General a break, given his history, but his reason still sounds a bit fishy.

Somerville · Nov 10, 2012

roflpublican said:
perhaps he was threatened or had his family threatened.

funny how we can find out more about Washington in foreign newspapers

Canada's Globe & Mail

Threatening e-mails may have led to discovery of Petraeus’s affair: report

The abrupt resignation of CIA director David Petraeus may have brought about by threatening e-mails that a woman “close to him” received, according to a report from the Washington Post Saturday afternoon.

Initial reports suggested that the FBI was concerned about a security breach involving Mr. Petraeus’s emails, but three anonymous senior law enforcement officials told the newspaper that a woman had sent the e-mails, and that the recipient was so frightened, she approached the Federal Bureau of Investigation for protection and help tracking the sender.

The threats were traced to Paula Broadwell, co-author of a biography on Mr. Petraeus. The sexual nature of the e-mails led investigators to conclude the Mr. Petraeus and Ms. Broadwell were having an affair and that Ms. Broadwell perceived the other woman as a threat to her relationship with Mr. Petraeus.

The identity of the female recipient of the e-mails is unknown.

from the same article, another example of how stuff gets published in foreign press that never makes the US media

At the time of Mr. Petraeus’s appointment to the CIA, the Agence France-Press reported that critics of the four-star general described him “as a hyper-ambitious ‘King David’ with designs on the presidency.”

the_recruit · Nov 10, 2012

joko104 said:
Unfortunately, partisan controls the views of most people, or at least on this forum.

OVERWHELMING, when the question comes up of should someone tell their spouse if he/she cheated in the past - the majority of members say NO.

To the generic question of "If someone cheated on his/her spouse in the past, should that person tell everyone about it?" I think nearly all would say "of course not."

BUT since this is partisan, all the Democrat hacks are tripping over themselves praising him for announcing in press conferences that he cheated on his wife of 37 years - something the public did NOT know until he announced it. Obviously that is not a necessary humilation to his wife to be able to resign - regardless of why since NO reason need be given to resign any position or job. The typical generic "to spend more time with my family" would have been sufficient.

Thus, I say he is a total asshole. What a s/itty thing to do to his wife and children. Like the ultimate narcisst.

I've already explained to you why Petraeus's only option was to publicly disclose it and why doing so has nothing to do with further disrespecting his wife. But it seems you'd rather ignore my sound arguments, which you seem unable to refute, and continue believing something that is wrong. Suit yourself.

grip · Nov 10, 2012

mac said:
Panetta and Patreaus are the few Obama appointees that I would say have some integrity (except for the affair, of course). I'm certain that their resignations have to do with disgust with the administration. Hillary's is very likely politically motivated in order to distance her from Obama and free her up for 2016. There is no way she kowtows to Biden and let's him run unopposed in the primary.

The majority of the press will report the line the administration gives them.

edit: I haven't seen anything official on Panetta's resignation, have you?

Obama and his appointees aren't all biased beyond reasonableness, anymore than are the GOP. Ultimately, they all work for the whole country.

Hillary is struggling in hiding it. Something went down that is probably more embarrassing than substantive in Libya and we may never know. I also don't know if Patraeus played a bluff game with the Admin and lost or if it's even related?
The Press knows we're not hearing it all but will only push so long before another story breaks.

mac · Nov 10, 2012

grip said:
Obama and his appointees aren't all biased beyond reasonableness, anymore than are the GOP. Ultimately, they all work for the whole country.

Hillary is struggling in hiding it. Something went down that is probably more embarrassing than substantive in Libya and we may never know. I also don't know if Patraeus played a bluff game with the Admin and lost or if it's even related?
The Press knows we're not hearing it all but will only push so long before another story breaks.

Hillary actually looks like she's about to puke in every picture she shares with Obama.

Just saying.

Smeagol · Nov 10, 2012

My thinking is yes. Here's why. Although cheating on your spouse is not a crime in the civilian world, if I'm correct it is illegal for US Military personnel. Petraeus is a career soldier and the relationship might have started when he was still in the Army.

Secondly, I saw something that suggested his girlfriend might have had unauthorized access to his computer. If you're running Central Command during war and you're Director of the CIA, your computer is classified. If she got on his computer even just to check her own email, he might have compromised US national security.

Thirdly, intelligence officers always have to be on guard against foreign spy agencies using romantic plants commonly called "honey traps" who lure them into relationships for the purpose of getting them to spill their guts on national security matters or blackmail them into handing over national security secrets. Staying on the job as the top CIA officer could send the wrong message to subordinates and water down the standards of not putting yourself in a compromising situation that could compromise American security.

Neomalthusian · Nov 10, 2012

Hatuey said:
Sorry... what? How about.... either you simply accept the world isn't full of conspiracies with big bad boogie men, or you come up with a realistic interpretation for why Petreaus resigned.

I don't have to realistically explain whatever the reason Petraeus resigned. All I have to do is believe he really did resign over an affair like he said he did... or not believe it.

Saying that he resigned so he wouldn't have to testify in front of congress makes you looks about as clueless as the average pundit.

I didn't say any such thing anywhere. Derp.

Rocketman · Nov 11, 2012

Josie said:
I highly doubt it. The admin didn't want him testifying about Benghazi.

I agree, did Clinton resign? no, why because their was no extortion involved.

Mustachio · Nov 11, 2012

joko104 said:
BUT since this is partisan, all the Democrat hacks are tripping over themselves praising him for announcing in press conferences that he cheated on his wife of 37 years - something the public did NOT know until he announced it. Obviously that is not a necessary humilation to his wife to be able to resign - regardless of why since NO reason need be given to resign any position or job. The typical generic "to spend more time with my family" would have been sufficient.

Thus, I say he is a total asshole. What a s/itty thing to do to his wife and children. Like the ultimate narcisst.

I don't understand what you're saying, can you clarify your post? I agree that it would be illogical to announce to the world that you've cheated on your wife, but doesn't that cause you to assume that he had reason to believe that it was going to come out anyway and he wanted to do the right thing before it turned into a circus? John Edwards tried to keep his affair hush hush and it ruined his career and reputation, while from what I've read today Petraeus still has a lot of bipartisan respect.

The only other explanation is that he was either forced by the administration to resign and make his affair public or he chose to in order to take the heat or wag the dog. However, the former requires some kind of proof (and it seems a bit ridiculous) and the latter is way too ambiguous to even debate at this point in time. Benghazi cover up? It's possible but I don't see how this would function as any kind of cover up.

This may turn into an argument of whether or not the release of the information was delayed or timed to benefit the Obama administration in some way, which is much more reasonable to argue, but also not terribly damaging.

Somerville · Nov 11, 2012

Mustachio said:
I don't understand what you're saying, can you clarify your post? I agree that it would be illogical to announce to the world that you've cheated on your wife, but doesn't that cause you to assume that he had reason to believe that it was going to come out anyway and he wanted to do the right thing before it turned into a circus? John Edwards tried to keep his affair hush hush and it ruined his career and reputation, while from what I've read today Petraeus still has a lot of bipartisan respect.

The only other explanation is that he was either forced by the administration to resign and make his affair public or he chose to in order to take the heat or wag the dog. However, the former requires some kind of proof (and it seems a bit ridiculous) and the latter is way too ambiguous to even debate at this point in time. Benghazi cover up? It's possible but I don't see how this would function as any kind of cover up.

This may turn into an argument of whether or not the release of the information was delayed or timed to benefit the Obama administration in some way, which is much more reasonable to argue, but also not terribly damaging.

I like it when people argue in a rational manner :congrats:

the previous is not sarcasm

mertex · Nov 14, 2012

Simon W. Moon said:
I am worried that you think I wrote the letter. I didn't. I suspect that the husband of the woman Petraeus was fooling around with wrote the letter. That's why I included it in this thread.

OOps, I got so enthralled by the disclosure that I didn't even see the link above it.

I still feel the same way, I can't relate to someone who knows their spouse is having an affair and can go on with life as if nothing is different. I'm glad you're not the one going through that, that's an awful burden to lug around.

mertex · Nov 14, 2012

joko104 said:
BUT since this is partisan, all the Democrat hacks are tripping over themselves praising him for announcing in press conferences that he cheated on his wife of 37 years - something the public did NOT know until he announced it. Obviously that is not a necessary humilation to his wife to be able to resign - regardless of why since NO reason need be given to resign any position or job. The typical generic "to spend more time with my family" would have been sufficient.

I don't know of anyone "praising" him for announcing his adultery. Do you always make **** up? And, FYI, your most vocal Representative Cantor knew about it before it was announced to the public, so why don't you include him in your little rant? Oh, yeah, I forgot, because it is partisan, right?

Eric Cantor Knew of Petraeus Affair in October;... | Gather

Did Petraeus REALLY resign over an extramarital affair?

Did Petraeus REALLY resign over an extramarital affair?

YES - anyone who dares question this is a psychotic conspiracy theorist

NO - we may never really know the real reason, but the official story is a load of BS

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mac

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Gonzo Rodeo

better late than pregnant

grip

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mac

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grip

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mac

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Mustachio

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mertex

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