General Petraeus Resigns as CIA Director

This evening's breaking news from Associated Press and CNN is that David Petraeus, the retired four-star general who led the US military in Iraq and Afghanistan, has abruptly resigned as director of the CIA after admitting he had an extramarital affair, thus abruptly ending a public career of the best-known general of the post 9/11 wars. Petraeus, 60, said in a statement to CIA employees that he had asked President Barack Obama on Thursday to allow him to resign and that the President accepted today. Petraeus said he had shown "extremely poor judgnent....Such behavior is unacceptable, both as a husband and as the leader of an organization such as ours", the retired general said. He has been married for 38 years to Holly Petraeus, whom he met as a cadet at the US Military Academy. She was the daughter of the West Point superintendent. It has been announced that Michael Morell will serve as acting director. "I am completely confident that the CIA will continue to thrive and carry out its essential mission," President Obama stated. Engaging in an extramarital affair is considered a serious breach of security and a counter-intelligence threat for a CIA Director. If a foreign government had learned of the affair, it is possible that Petraeus or the person with whom he was involved could have been blackmailed. Petraeus said in his statement to CIA employees, "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." Petraeus'resignation represents the loss of one of America's most respected public servants. Before Obama brought Petraeus to the CIA, the General was credited with salvaging the US war in Iraq. President George W. Bush sent Petraeus to Iraq in February 2007, at the peak of sectarian violence, to turn things around as head of US forces. He oversaw the "surge" of 30,000 U.S. troops and moved troops out of big bases so they could work more closely with Iraqi forces. Petraeus' success was credited with paving the way for the eventual US Iraq withdrawal. General Petraeus then turned to Afghanistan, doing the same job of leading the push to add more US troops to that war and dramatically boost the effort to train Afghan soldiers and police. House Homeland Security Chairman Peter King, R-N.Y., said he regretted Petraeus' resignation, calling him "one of America's most outstanding and distinguished military leaders and a true American patriot." Senator Diane Feinstein regretted the resignation, calling him "one of America's most outstanding and distinguished military leaders. She gave Morell high marks, too. Senator Feinstein said she wished the President had not accepted the resignation but said she understood and respected the decision. .........Dear readers, I thank AP and CNN for this breaking news, and I can only add that today America has lost a major strategic thinker and practical doer in the areas of military and intelligence operations. General Petraeus will be missed and we hope that, when he has resolved his personal issues, he will find a way to serve once more the country he loves and that loves and greatly respects him.