CIA Director David Petraeus resigns

[Andalusian girls]

famed for turning the Iraq war around, and oft-cited as a future presidential candidate, it looks as though his public career is over on account of an extramarital affair

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012...al-affair?lite

HEADQUARTERS Central Intelligence Agency
9 November 2012
Yesterday afternoon, I went to the White House and asked the President to be allowed, for personal reasons, to resign from my position as D/CIA. After being married for over 37 years, I showed extremely poor judgment by engaging in an extramarital affair. Such behavior is unacceptable, both as a husband and as the leader of an organization such as ours. This afternoon, the President graciously accepted my resignation.

As I depart Langley, I want you to know that it has been the greatest of privileges to have served with you, the officers of our Nation's Silent Service, a work force that is truly exceptional in every regard. Indeed, you did extraordinary work on a host of critical missions during my time as director, and I am deeply grateful to you for that.

Teddy Roosevelt once observed that life's greatest gift is the opportunity to work hard at work worth doing. I will always treasure my opportunity to have done that with you and I will always regret the circumstances that brought that work with you to an end.
Thank you for your extraordinary service to our country, and best wishes for continued success in the important endeavors that lie ahead for our country and our Agency.

With admiration and appreciation,
David H. Petraeus

[Xno Kappa]

Wow, that's a shame. I've done PST missions for him and he always came off as a cool as fuck dude.

[venikk]

famed for turning the Iraq war around, and oft-cited as a future presidential candidate, it looks as though his public career is over on account of an extramarital affair

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012...al-affair?lite

So that makes 3 high-profile military resignations in the past month or so.

[Mazmaz]

I don't understand. How does having an affair affect being the director of the CIA?
What I mean is, why does he have to resign exactly?

[Lucavi]

You're in a position of trust and you can't be trusted to not cheat on your wife. Its a compromise of interest and it leads to issues with susceptibility to blackmail or coercion. Most any federal position adopts a similar stance - I know mine does.

[hey]

I don't understand. How does having an affair affect being the director of the CIA?
What I mean is, why does he have to resign exactly?

Because sex is bad.

[Mazmaz]

If it's an issue of blackmail, he can just announce he did it and then say "but that's my personal life". I don't understand why personal life has to affect professional life. Is it a US thing because US is mostly religious?

[Milkster]

If it's an issue of blackmail, he can just announce he did it and then say "but that's my personal life". I don't understand why personal life has to affect professional life. Is it a US thing because US is mostly religious?

Because 'Murica, the bible, liberal conspiracy, etc.

[Lucavi]

If it's an issue of blackmail, he can just announce he did it and then say "but that's my personal life". I don't understand why personal life has to affect professional life. Is it a US thing because US is mostly religious?

Doesn't work that way. You've lost the ability to be trusted in the eyes of your employer, essentially. Trust is trust and a liar is a liar; it probably stems from religion but its also about employees being able to trust a person who is a proven liar. Can we trust them to act in our best interests? Can we trust that they aren't giving secrets out to any hot chick that hits on them?

There's a lot to it, but its pretty simple: you've shown that you cannot be trusted. If you can't protect the sanctity of your marriage on your end, it opens up a lot of other issues. I know that in my job, there's a shit ton of questions I have to ask whenever someone is divorced, including obtaining up-to-date address information, just in case the ex-spouse needs to be interviewed.

[Stromgarde]

Adultery is a punishable offense under the UCMJ. Usually it's not pursued but when you have that high a profile it can cause problems.

While he's no longer with the service, this is what the law was when he was still in the army.
Article 134

[Xno Kappa]

UCMJ isn't applicable to the CIA but Lucavi is right.

[archibaldcrane]

No wonder the CIA agents tasked with protecting the embassy in Benghazi were so slow to react, busy getting their dicks wet in some local poon

- to be hinted at in a major news broadcast at some point in the next 24 hours

[venikk]

trying to delete this post.

[Andalusian girls]

No wonder the CIA agents tasked with protecting the embassy in Benghazi were so slow to react, busy getting their dicks wet in some local poon

- to be hinted at in a major news broadcast at some point in the next 24 hours

imagine the dude is too venerated for his past service, this will, and should, be regarded more as a sad day for the nation than as the opportunity for some punch-line by a comedian or belabored attack point by a partisan hack

i don't admire many people in public service but he seemed better than most and is the main reason the Iraq war ended as it did. wish him all the best in his future endeavors

[Churchill]

I actually never really liked him as a leader and I feel he's another individual receiving credit for a lot of things he wasn't the cause of.

[Seraph]

It's the CIA. He is probably already being blackmailed, and this is just the front they are using for him to step down. =P

[venikk]

There's a rumor that he's not going to testify on benghazi incident, like he was supposed to.

[Churchill]

is this rumor from drudge

[Shuvo]

Stupid. You guys lost your 2 best generals (Patraeus + McCrystal) for stupid reasons. Such a shame.

[Kurokikaze]

Incoming link to Benghazi.