General Petraeus Forced To Step Down After Very Bad Mistake In Judgement
By bostonphil
@bostonphil (4459)
United States
November 12, 2012 10:41am CST
One more bad mistake in judgement has had great consequence. Recently, I wrote about a mother who took her 2 year old son to the zoo and placed him on top of a viewing railing. He lost balance, fell into a pit of wild dogs and died. This mistake in judgement by the mother had dire results,
Now General Petraeus has also made a serious mistake in judgement and has paid dearly with possible more consequences to come.
For those who do not know, General Petraeus is a very well decorated American military hero . Recently, he was appointed as Director of our CIA. Friday, the country was shocked when he was forced to resign because of an extra marital affair with his biographer when he was serving in Afghanistan.
It is a very strange and complicated story. His biographer has some kind of mental problems and was sending threatening emails to a woman who went to the F.B.I. The threatening emails referred to General Petraeus although not by name. The emails said something about keeping your hands or eyes off of my man. When the FBI began to dig into these emails, they found that "my man" was none other than General Petraeus.
And all because of this extra marital affair while in the military, he has been forced to resign as Director of our CIA. He may still be facing legal actions because it is against military law or policy to commit adultery and he has been publicly shamed and embarrassed.
We all make mistakes in judgement but some people pay very dearly.
5 people like this
4 responses
@lampar (7584)
• United States
17 Nov 12
I disagree with your conclusion, he doesn't pay dearly for his own misgiving and irresponsible action, his wife and children are the one who pay dearly for his adultery. It is those who served under the agency and those young soldiers who put their trust in the man who control the agency are paying dearly for his irreponsible action. Who know what else had been compromised by his mistress when classified information is easily obtained by her, and how many more life of those who serve this nation in hostile region are placed in danger by the action of one high ranking official adulterous action. Those who are placed in charged of the nation's intel. gathering agency has the duty to conduct himself in a professional manner and shouild always remember that many life of those who served for this nation can be jeopardized due to those leaked classified information to those who threaten our national security. Yes we all make mistakes, but not of us having extra marital affair outside our marriage and cheat on our wives, which is a personal choice and hardly is a mistake. 
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
18 Nov 12
Lampar, you would be surprise how many married people in this world "cheat" on their spouses. In France , most men have mistresses! And the wives? They may have lovers. And there are many open marriages out there too.
@lampar (7584)
• United States
18 Nov 12
But when someone who is in such a high position and has access to so many sensitive information about our nation and government, it is inexcusable for him to commit such adultery and place the national security of a nation at risk, especially when our young soldiers look at him as a role model; were constantly being reminded to live a life of honor to God, nation, and family, it sure sound like those who are in highest rank and position constantly see themselves should be treated with a different moral standard than the rest of the population they often preached, it is quite a disgrace and shameful event for this nation no matter how senseless it is to say many men and women also commit adultery like him, and compare his conduct with others even though there are only a handful of married men actually commit adultery in this world. 
1 person likes this
@bostonphil (4459)
• United States
17 Nov 12
The story gets more interesting and fascinating with every day. You can not make this stuff up. There is such intrigue involved.
Many persons, both men and women, commit adultery but the more that you have, the more that you have to lose. The more important that you are, the greater the fall. I especially feel bad for the wife and the children but I feel bad for The General also.
1 person likes this
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
12 Nov 12
I find it interesting that the FBI did not tell the President (as required by law) that there was a possible security breach.
I also find it interesting that this woman says the general knew immediately that it was not a video that caused the attack, and that it was a planned and coordinated terror attack, YET, the general told Congress in a briefing that it was. Along with Sec. Clinton, Amb. Rice and the president. THEN once it was known for a fact that it was terror, and that the victims begged for help from military, Petraeus said it was NOT the CIA who denied them help, opening up a big can of worms for the White House.
I believe that the general outed himself so that he could tell the truth at the Congressional hearings on Benghazi, without the affair being used to shut him up, we just may find out who denied aid to those four Americans.
1 person likes this
@bostonphil (4459)
• United States
12 Nov 12
There is an awful lot to this situation. One thing is certain and that is more is coming. It is going to be very interesting to see what begins to come out of all of this. There has to be very good reasons that the FBI did not tell the President nor Congress about the Petraeus affair.
I have no opinions about what is going on at this point. I am taking a wait and see attitude but I will be following the hearings on Benghazi and the now General Petraeus saga very closely and with great interest.
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
12 Nov 12
It is the LAW that they tell him as soon as it is known that there has been a security breach. Lawmakers are asking when the FBI began the investigation, what they knew and when they knew it. BECAUSE, it is against the law to withhold this sort of info from security committee members of Congess and the President.
@bostonphil (4459)
• United States
13 Nov 12
There are a lot of questions about the behavior of the FBI and of the Attorney General around what might now be called the Petraeus affair. We are going to hear a lot more in days and weeks to come. Some high profile politicians are very unhappy that they were not notified by the FBI of the investigation.
There has to be a reason that the FBI did not do in this matter what they are supposed to do.
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
16 Nov 12
His mistake was breaking with his first mistress to seek another one! If he had stayed we would have never known! Oh well.
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
16 Nov 12
The " Other mistress" is the woman who told the FBI. He wanted her but she didn't want him and that's where the downfall happen. And I believe that e had to go not because of the affair but that he couldn't keep it secret!
@bostonphil (4459)
• United States
16 Nov 12
I did not know there was more than one mistress.
Interestingly enough, Eisenhower and another General both had mistresses. Nothing was said back then and nothing was done. Eisenhower remained in his post as General. If Petraeus had remained in the military and not accepted the position as head of the CIA, I wonder if he would have been "exposed". Maybe someone wanted him out of the CIA.
1 person likes this
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
18 Nov 12
What does Kelly's gig have to do with it? If the general wanted to spy on her, he didn't have to try to pick her up.
@mariaperalta (19073)
• Mexico
12 Nov 12
Yes seems he was caught. I think many in high places do this kind of thing. They just never get caught. Have a great week there.
1 person likes this
@bostonphil (4459)
• United States
12 Nov 12
As you might imagine, this is the talk of the TV talk shows and more is coming out. Some find it strange that he hired this woman to write his biography since she had never written a biography before but then he took her to Afghanistan with him for a year. Why? Why did he not take his wife as well?
Some feel that it is a private matter between him and his wife and that he should not have lost his job over it.
It is giving many of us something to think about.
1 person likes this
