OK, maybe it's just me:

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

But why is it that sleeping with a woman he's not married to is all it takes to get a CIA director out of office? I mean it seems a rather underwhelming offense given how many people who retain their positions in office *coughDavidVittercough* happen to have done much worse things and retain their position and shamelessly keep doing the same kind of foolishness they got in trouble for beforehand. In today's America where the self-appointed defenders of traditional marriage cheat on their cancer-stricken wives to establish the bases for their third marriages and where sexual mores have changed for the better, how is this is at all a cause to dismiss anyone or for anyone to resign?

Sure, it might be bad 'if they talk' but then again, people like J. Edgar Hoover got away with much more than this. I really don't know what to make of Petraeus's resignation, so I'm basically asking you guys:

If someone in that position is boinking someone who's not his wife, should that alone be enough to lead to his resignation? (I admit to gendered bias in the question here but there aren't too many female politicians involved in sex scandals yet so that can be excused). I don't think it should be and I find the whole reaction to have more to do with puritanical pseudo-moralism than anything inherent in the offense. What do you think?

Comments

[musicpsych.livejournal.com]

Do you think he wanted out? I had the feeling that he accepted the position out of duty to country, but that he may not be a big fan of Obama.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

If he wanted out, he wouldn't have wanted to go out this way. Whether or not he's a fan of the POTUS is irrelevant, most generals don't have the least patience with politicians. No matter which country they're from, or which party the politicians in question are members of.

[mikeyxw.livejournal.com]

Yep, he had to resign. In the military and the CIA, having an affair is a no-no. If you're a senior officer, you'll pretty much have received your last promotion, if you're in the CIA, you get fired. It's a cultural thing, also the CIA believes that having an affair puts a person at risk of blackmail. It may not be the most sensible thing, but it definitely would have caused problems for the folks in the CIA who are held to this standard if the director was held to a different one, even if the standard folks outside the organization agree with.

He could run for congress. Having an affair seems to be a requirement for that. This one didn't involve an intern, drugging, or a men's bathroom, but I still think it will count.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

Hmm......that does make some sense. OTOH, in the military that prohibition doesn't seem to hold as well as it seems for the officers in high places.

[yes-justice.livejournal.com]

LOL.

[rimpala.livejournal.com]

I heard it might have something more to do with a possible security breach then the actual affair. I don't know the whole story of course.

Or maybe possibility of blackmail like mikey has stated. This is the CIA we're talking about here.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

Fair point, but unless it were proved blackmail is a bit too much in the vein of conspiracy theorist lines of thinking.

[politikitty.livejournal.com]

A sweep of the Ms Broadwell's computer uncovered classified documents that she appears to have gotten through her relationship with Petraeus. (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324073504578113460852395852.html)

[jonathankorman.livejournal.com]

Whoa.

[stewstewstewdio.livejournal.com]

The text that you have in the link is misleading and inaccurate.

Ms. Broadwell was an officer in the Army reserves and as a result, had a high security clearance herself. The article that you link to states that the classified documents found on Broadwell's computer did not originate from Mr. Patreaus. There also was no evidence of a security breach found and, as such, no charges were sought.

[yes-justice.livejournal.com]

So, is this stuff she got as a biographer, or is she a spy and stole classified documents?

Interesting spy story: Ana Belen Montes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ana_Montes). She never took a red cent for her spying. She did it out of hate of war and love of her people.

[404.livejournal.com]

Being incompetent usually isn't a fireable offense for government workers, but the culture of he CIA is for officials to resign if thy are caught in affairs.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

Does having an affair make one incompetent? If so, it would seem to argue that Rudy Giuliani and Newt Gingrich were not only incompetent but the temporal manifestations of the Peter and the Dilbert Principle.

[notmrgarrison.livejournal.com]

It makes them open to blackmail.

[anfalicious.livejournal.com]

Things That Shouldn't Be An Issue But Are #8572

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

Because it's how they are trying to prevent him from testifying about Benghazi. It may not work in the long run, but then again, it might.

http://news.yahoo.com/petraeus-may-called-u-inquiry-benghazi-feinstein-040127558.html

Petraeus had been scheduled to testify about the Benghazi case on Thursday in a closed session of the committee; Mike Morrell, the acting CIA director, is now expected to do so.

But on a more pertinent note, in the intelligence community, having an affair is always a security risk, and you can't have a security risk at the head of the CIA.

[stewstewstewdio.livejournal.com]

Because it's how they are trying to prevent him from testifying about Benghazi.

From the same article you linked to:

"The California Democrat said there was no connection between Petraeus' resignation and the September 11, 2012, killings in Benghazi."

Maybe it's time for this unfounded conspiracy theory to die.

[kylinrouge.livejournal.com]

I love how every right-wing conspiracy or blatantly false talking point ends up here in one way or another. It's like I'm subscribed to freerepublic.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

I'm still missing why Benghazi is worth raking people over the fire and Beirut and the 1998 incidents were not.

[dwer.livejournal.com]

you're right. Your last sentence is more pertinent, because your first is so unpertinent, it's as pertinent as something that's not pertinent at all.

[yes-justice.livejournal.com]

The "cover up" in Benghazi is the rights 9/11 trutherism.

[yes-justice.livejournal.com]

Because it's how they are trying to prevent him from testifying about Benghazi.

He will testify.

http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Feinstein-Petraeus-to-testify-on-Benghazi-attacks-4036537.php

[yes-justice.livejournal.com]

The power afforded to the penis placement police is astonishing. We are still in the clutches of our puritanical beginnings.

[politikitty.livejournal.com]

In most scenarios, I'd agree with you.

But sleeping with your biographer, who you were giving preferential access, and who would have good reason to take advantage of additional access, when your job is protecting state secrets?

Yikes.

This is on the same level as Edwards using campaign contributions to take care of his mistress and lovechild. Not shopping around for your next wife.

[sandwichwarrior.livejournal.com]

It's simple really.

Vulnerability to blackmail renders one ineligible for a security clearance.

[yes-justice.livejournal.com]

He's no longer vulnerable to blackmail, everyone knows.

Couldn't any misdeed could make you vulnerable to blackmail.

So, any infidelity nullifies security clearance?

[peristaltor.livejournal.com]

Too soon to tell, but there is sniffing about indicating that this is more a breach of security issue. Broadwell, turns out, was military intelligence. Petraus may have been indiscrete somewhere along the line.

I doubt the investigation will concentrate on the boinking.