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[BballTim]

David Patraeus resigns over extra-marital affair

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/11/09/15054517-cia-director-david-petraeus-resigns-cites-extramarital-affair?lite&ocid=msnhp&pos=1

Who's buying this?

I'm not. A CIA Director that has an extra-marital affair and

1.) Can't keep it secret
2.) Has to resign over it

He is being blamed for Libya and this is his way out without disgracing a heroic military career.

  There's probably more to the story than we're hearing. Might be he's resigning because of Libya, might be because of who he's having an affair with (like a subordinate at the CIA or something).

[Brendan]

If Benghazi is mainly the fault of Petraeus, I hope they don't let him slink away using this as an excuse.

I would think it would be the right thing to do to protect a great military leader's legacy.

No way they cover up for DP if that's true. And with leaks it won't be possible.

In fact this makes him perfect fall guy, even if its not his fault.

[Bombastic Jones]

If Benghazi is mainly the fault of Petraeus, I hope they don't let him slink away using this as an excuse.

I would think it would be the right thing to do to protect a great military leader's legacy.

Really?  I would prefer to see the good with the bad then decide what legacy he deserves.  I cannot think of a person without some mistakes and baggage, that includes war heroes.  That said, I dont believe he will turn out to be 'at fault' in Benghazi.

On a gut level I agree with the "subordinate" theory.

[thirstyboots18]

Since I don't know any more about it than any of you, my opinion is that he is resigning to try to save his marriage...which will probably mean a lot of time and hard work.    I can make things up too, we should all work for the press.  I think my version has as much validity as anyone's.  Gossip is Gossip, lack of facts remains lack of facts.

[LooseCannon]

It just seems weird that he announces he had an affair.  Isn't the normal sequence that it is reported that a guy has an affair, then he resigns.  (Although, do Republicans usually resign when they get caught having an affair...that isn't same-sex?)

[thirstyboots18]

It just seems weird that he announces he had an affair.  Isn't the normal sequence that it is reported that a guy has an affair, then he resigns.  (Although, do Republicans usually resign when they get caught having an affair...that isn't same-sex?)

He has been married 37 years?  Maybe his wife found out, and he has nothing left to lose.   Speculation is EVIL.  I quit.  If you want to keep guessing, maybe you have never been the object of gossip?  Go to it.

[LooseCannon]

If I never speculate in advance, I never get to say "I told you so" when I turn out to be right.

[Chris]

Since I don't know any more about it than any of you, my opinion is that he is resigning to try to save his marriage...which will probably mean a lot of time and hard work.    I can make things up too, we should all work for the press.  I think my version has as much validity as anyone's.  Gossip is Gossip, lack of facts remains lack of facts.

Yeah, I don't buy this whole cover up thing.  Although I also think there is probably more to it.  Maybe I have been too much homelandesque shows, but I would be surprised if there is not some level of blackmail going on here, where someone is threatening to leak information or documents about the affair that would hurt his family, if he doesn't step down.

I just can't see anyone willingly using an extra-marital affair as an excuse to cover up something else. 

[LooseCannon]

I just can't see anyone willingly using an extra-marital affair as an excuse to cover up something else.

I can, if that something else is significantly worse.  So, what can you think of that would be worse?

[Chris]

I just can't see anyone willingly using an extra-marital affair as an excuse to cover up something else.

I can, if that something else is significantly worse.  So, what can you think of that would be worse?

But why would he choose an affair?  Just say he needs to spend more time with his family, and walk away.

Someone was going to break this story, and he was getting out in front of it by breaking it himself.

[IndeedProceed]

That's a shame about Petraus. The US needed more guys like him, regardless of who he's sleeping with.

[BudweiserCeltic]

I just can't see anyone willingly using an extra-marital affair as an excuse to cover up something else.

I can, if that something else is significantly worse.  So, what can you think of that would be worse?

But why would he choose an affair?  Just say he needs to spend more time with his family, and walk away.

Someone was going to break this story, and he was getting out in front of it by breaking it himself.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/09/paula-broadwell-david-petraeus-affair_n_2104427.html

[nickagneta]

Okay...now I buy the affair thing.

[OmarSekou]

On the other hand Obama went into Libya without any reason, half heartedly led from behind, failed to secure ANY kind of peace and resulted in a NET change that weakens American security AND prestige. WITHOUT Congressional authorization. Ever.

That is the fundamental American philosophy of military control: military serves the civilian gov't, congress declares war - executive executes it. The fundamentals of American Foreign policy are not static - so your claim that Bush violated them is absurd: Manifest destiny, the Monroe Doctrine, the FDR get involved every where doctrine, the containment doctrine, the end of history doctrine? Laughable - every admin brings its own philosophy of foreign affairs and can and should be judged. Obama's doesn't look very different from Bush's. We're fighting 6 or 7 active conflicts right now. Media just doesn't care.

I have to comment on this to clarify some of the points that were brought up.

Here's the Wikipedia page on the civil war in Libya: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libyan_civil_war. There are several links at the bottom if you don't consider Wikipedia to be valid.

Let's start at the beginning. Obama and several other leading nations in the UN Security Council became involved in Libya because it was in crisis; the whole thing was seen as an atrocity that demanded intervention. At the time this was going on, a lot of people here were arguing that we should have gone in and directly intervened with military force (thankfully we did not). In the aftermath, Gaddafi has been deposed (which was the objective) and Libya is attempting to form a new government. While that has not ensured peace, it was a significant accomplishment and one that should ultimately help stabilize the region. Furthermore, Obama did not "go in," the US played a supporting role throughout the ordeal.

The statements about our weakening security and prestige are subjective. Whenever there is a successful attack on the US it will hurt our reputation and perceived strength. However, our restraint in not "going in" to Libya has been seen in a positive light by a lot of nations, and our military strength is immense. The American deaths of the Libya are highly publicized because we are talking about prominent officials and terrorism in a political seasons. They are not even in scale to the deaths of US citizens due to the compounding issues at pharmaceutical companies, let alone other foreign attacks/interventions that began before Obama came into office.

The idea that our foreign policy depends primarily on military control is outdated. It depends on economic and geopolitical control (and possibly cultural influence), which is supported by our vast military strength. That means it's important to build relationships and impose our will without direct conflict (like currently in Iran) as opposed to with a show of force (like in Iraq and Afghanistan).

What are the 6 or 7 active conflicts that we're fighting right now? I'm honestly interested in these unreported conflicts that the Obama administration has led us into.

[Cman]

That's a shame about Petraus. The US needed more guys like him, regardless of who he's sleeping with.

Agreed.

This is a story that is going to take many twists and turns. Eg: It now turns out that Cantor knew about the affair (and more importantly the potential that sensitive information was leaked) in late October after being approached by a whistle-blower.