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Should David Petraeus be asked to resume his job as CIA Director?

Should David Petraeus be asked to resume his job as CIA Director?

  • Yes

    Votes: 3 12.0%
  • No

    Votes: 20 80.0%
  • Yes, but with certain conditions

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Other

    Votes: 2 8.0%

  • Total voters
    25

marsden

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But is there a better man to fill Petraeus' seat than Petraeus himself? He is blackmail-proof and more than qualified for the job. He not only was a four-star general, a West Point grad (top 5 percent of his class) and a Princeton scholar, but, in the quite recent past, he held the director's job himself. The United States would not only be getting the best man for the job, but striking a blow against the sexual McCarthyism that has destroyed so many careers and, in wretched silence, has aborted many a political career before it was even announced.

At dinner one night, I sat opposite Holly Petraeus. She's charming and deeply concerned about the welfare of our troops -- both active and retired. I can only imagine her hurt. But this is her matter -- and her husband's -- and not ours. He betrayed her, not his country. No more need be said. Now get back to work.

Richard Cohen: David Petraeus is still the best man for the job - San Jose Mercury News

Should Gen. Petraeus resume his job at the CIA?

I say, YES!
 
It's sad that something that is a private matter has become such a public debacle, but once the trust is lost, there is no getting it back. Americans have to believe that the head of the CIA is trustworthy and Petraeus isn't that guy anymore. The secret emails, the potential for classified information leaked; it's just too much.

I guess I really should have vote other. If it can be proved that all this was just an affair of the heart and nothing of national security was compromised, I think I would be okay with him getting his job back.

 
It's better to let sleeping dogs lie. Or in this case, better to let lying dogs sleep.
 
It's sad that something that is a private matter has become such a public debacle, but once the trust is lost, there is no getting it back. Americans have to believe that the head of the CIA is trustworthy and Petraeus isn't that guy anymore. The secret emails, the potential for classified information leaked; it's just too much.

I guess I really should have vote other. If it can be proved that all this was just an affair of the heart and nothing of national security was compromised, I think I would be okay with him getting his job back.

Uhhh... dude... secret emails?

He is the Director of the CIA, do you think everyone should know the contents of all of his emails? Or do you believe secret emails are a part of the job?
 
He's done at the helm of the CIA. There is no sense making this argument.
 
You talking about the ones between him and Paula? Seems pretty standard for an affair.


Uhhh... dude... secret emails?

He is the Director of the CIA, do you think everyone should know the contents of all of his emails? Or do you believe secret emails are a part of the job?
 
I think having a relationship that the agency is not aware of is a violation of security. If the CIA always knew about the affair and, thus, fully investigated the person and everyone connected to them from the git go, then I suppose no national risk was taken.
 
You talking about the ones between him and Paula? Seems pretty standard for an affair.

Okay.....

And the point of this thread is that an affair doesn't necessarily mean jack **** about his ability to do his job.
 
No one is going to argue that the director of the CIA should have a private life, right? Case closed.
 
No one is going to argue that the director of the CIA should have a private life, right? Case closed.

Private from the media? Sure.

Private from the CIA (which is itself a secretive organization), no.
 
I'm not arguing about the affair affecting his ability to do his job. We don't know the whole facts just yet, but there has been talk of classified information possibly having been passed along by him to his mistress. Until everything is all cleared up, I am reserving judgement on whether or not he should get his job back.

Okay.....

And the point of this thread is that an affair doesn't necessarily mean jack **** about his ability to do his job.
 
The poll's option: "Yes, with conditions". I'm wondering what those conditions might be. Like, no more bangin' chicks without telling the CIA?
 
The poll's option: "Yes, with conditions". I'm wondering what those conditions might be. Like, no more bangin' chicks without telling the CIA?

I added that option to make sure that all possibilities were allowed for. Whatever they might be.
 
That is never going to happen. You must be youngish. ;)

The writer of the column cited in the OP, Richard Cohen, is 71 years young(ish).
 
The head of the CIA is a not a regular occupation. You can't simply say "I am off the clock", do something stupid, and then claim that it doesn't effect your job performance. A single careless statement said in the most casual setting has the potential to reveal the wrong information and get someone killed. Foreign intelligence services are probably actively looking for vulnerabilities in such a powerful person to exploit.

Petraeus demonstrated his job is not his number one priority when he took actions he knew would torpedo his career. He judgement was so terrible he couldn't even be bothered to put any effort into concealing his wrongdoings.
 
The head of the CIA is a not a regular occupation. You can't simply say "I am off the clock", do something stupid, and then claim that it doesn't effect your job performance. A single careless statement said in the most casual setting has the potential to reveal the wrong information and get someone killed. Foreign intelligence services are probably actively looking for vulnerabilities in such a powerful person to exploit.

Petraeus demonstrated his job is not his number one priority when he took actions he knew would torpedo his career. He judgement was so terrible he couldn't even be bothered to put any effort into concealing his wrongdoings.


Is your job your number one priority?
 
Is your job your number one priority?

Nope. Make me head of the CIA and it will be. Some jobs have serious responsibilities that require a greater commitment than others.
 
Uhhh... dude... secret emails?

He is the Director of the CIA, do you think everyone should know the contents of all of his emails? Or do you believe secret emails are a part of the job?
Liberals look for transparency in all the wrong places.
 
Does a man that cheats on his wife get fired because of that? No, why should this be different?
 
In my view the real problem with him having a girl on the side is simply his security clearance. When you get a security clearance they teach you not ot do anything you can be black mailed for. One of the things I remember them using an example was buying someone stuff from the PX. You pick up a guy a pack of smokes at the PX (for .45c back then) then the guy would ask for something else and elevate it until he starts blackmailing you to tell him secrets or he would report you. Same as having a gay lover or not gay lover, or girlfriend if you are married, or anything you can be blackmailed over. Gen P knows an affair would make him a prime target for blackmail.
 
Does a man that cheats on his wife get fired because of that? No, why should this be different?

Do you understand that being head of the CIA has different requirements than your typical job? For example, a typical employee wouldn't face any penalties for chatting to his buddy about his co-worker named Bob who has a stapler obsession. If Petraeus had done that, he would be committing a federal crime and potentially putting someones life in danger.
 
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