The Petraeus Resignation

Someone dear to my heart—and high on my "highly respected" list— believes General David Petraeus should not have resigned.   He thinks the President shouldn't have accepted the resignation, based on the General's service record.   The General wouldn't have compromised national security under any circumstances.  I tend to believe that the General was likely a safe bet on that.  It's other elements that complicate the situation.

 

 Under ordinary circumstances, neither the puritanical nor prurient interest in the General's infidelity should have carried significant weight in his decision to resign.  In the context of the anything-but-ordinary CIA culture, the resignation of General Petraeus probably makes sense.  Although he wasn't likely to share classified information in pillow talk or through any form of carelessness, he can't model that it's okay for those under his supervision to take similar risks.  Mainly the blackmail risk.  Even if an agent embraces the General's professional ethics and love of country, the person in the relationship with a CIA agent might not be traveling with the same patriotic compass.

 I've kept my commitment to write about the CIA Director's resignation here, even though I ultimately can't agree with my friend's position.  Since the resignation, much has happened with the Benghazi witch hunt and attempts by Senators McCain and Graham (and others) to demonize U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice— an effort to cook up yet another non-existent scandal involving the President.   Much for the President to deal with in the days ahead, much fodder for all writers/blog-keepers.

 

Forward!