David Petreaus Resigns

[Kyle Ricky]

Just like the mob, silence the canaries. They will still get obama some way. Couldn't they still make them testify?

[sybilll]

Why does resigning stop him from testifying?

Instapundit is asking the same thing on Twitter, and hell, he IS a lawyer. 

[BEG]

This whole administration is disgusting. Petreaus has disappointed me greatly and it has little to do with his "affair".

[JakeStyle]

You don't become the Joint Chief and the lead of CIA by accident, this guy is as clean as as it's possible to be.  This smells really bad.

[BlueStateSaint]

The story that I just heard is that the "other woman" was his biographer (Paula Broadwell), and it probably took place in Afghanistan.  Here's the really mysterious part--the FBI found out about it as part of "something bigger" that they were investigating.  What is that "bigger story?"  No one is saying.

Dianne Feinstein is saying that she doesn't think that Petraeus should have resigned.

[Delmar]

Maybe Petreaus wanted to come clean with what he knows about Benghazi but Bronco Bama was blackmailing him, threatening Petreaus with exposing the affair or helping to cover it up if Petreaus plays ball.  I will give Petreaus the benefit of the doubt.  I think he's probably doing a brave thing. 

[thundley4]

Maybe Petreaus wanted to come clean with what he knows about Benghazi but Bronco Bama was blackmailing him, threatening Petreaus with exposing the affair or helping to cover it up if Petreaus plays ball.  I will give Petreaus the benefit of the doubt.  I think he's probably doing a brave thing. 

Unless he volunteers to testify about his knowledge of Benghazi, he's taking the easy way out. 

[Delmar]

Unless he volunteers to testify about his knowledge of Benghazi, he's taking the easy way out. 

I agree.  I think that he wants to testify and that The administration tried to shut him up with the threat of exposing the affair.  If he admits to the affair, takes his lumps, and resigns then he is free to testify.  If he can stay safe.

[Chris_]

According to this source, Hillary Clinton is resigning as Secretary of State.  There was another story earlier today about Eric Holder retiring as well.

Rats and sinking ships... that sort of thing.

[Delmar]

According to this source, Hillary Clinton is resigning as Secretary of State.  There was another story earlier today about Eric Holder retiring as well.

Rats and sinking ships... that sort of thing.

Dropping like flies.  Or is it rats deserting a sinking ship?

[Kyle Ricky]

According to this source, Hillary Clinton is resigning as Secretary of State.  There was another story earlier today about Eric Holder retiring as well.

Rats and sinking ships... that sort of thing.

Hillary Clinton said in the beginning that she is only going to last one term. She will focus on 2016 then ...

[thundley4]

According to this source, Hillary Clinton is resigning as Secretary of State.  There was another story earlier today about Eric Holder retiring as well.

Rats and sinking ships... that sort of thing.

Very few appointees stay around for a second term.  A lot left from President Bush's first term, too. 

[Undies]

Carter Ham was the 4 star General in charge of Europe, who then went to take over the Africa command after Gen Kip Ward was "reassigned" for an investigation over impropriety. SecDef Panetta announced unexpectedly that Gen Ham would be replaced on 18 Oct. Several days later, Gen Ham announced his sudden early retirement. The man who replaced Gen Ham in Europe was Gen Hertling. Gen Hertling's replacement was announced in June, but it was just now revealed by Stars and Stripes that Gen Hertling departed Europe on 1Nov and then suddenly retired unannounced at West Point on Nov5! No notice was given, not even to Soldiers in Europe. No retirement ceremony. No change of command ceremony. No warning. No replacement on the ground. Today we find out that Gen Petraeus, the head of the CIA, has suddenly resigned. And he is not going to be testifying on Benghazi as previously scheduled. Benghazi you say? Yes. Lybia. Which is in Africa. Where Gen Ham was in charge during the 9/11 consulate attack. Where the military response teams who were not deployed were based in Europe. Where Gen Hertling was in charge! Are you starting to connect the dots yet? Because even FOX news hasn't gotten this far yet.

^^From a know-it-all I know

[rich_t]

Carter Ham was the 4 star General in charge of Europe, who then went to take over the Africa command after Gen Kip Ward was "reassigned" for an investigation over impropriety. SecDef Panetta announced unexpectedly that Gen Ham would be replaced on 18 Oct. Several days later, Gen Ham announced his sudden early retirement. The man who replaced Gen Ham in Europe was Gen Hertling. Gen Hertling's replacement was announced in June, but it was just now revealed by Stars and Stripes that Gen Hertling departed Europe on 1Nov and then suddenly retired unannounced at West Point on Nov5! No notice was given, not even to Soldiers in Europe. No retirement ceremony. No change of command ceremony. No warning. No replacement on the ground. Today we find out that Gen Petraeus, the head of the CIA, has suddenly resigned. And he is not going to be testifying on Benghazi as previously scheduled. Benghazi you say? Yes. Lybia. Which is in Africa. Where Gen Ham was in charge during the 9/11 consulate attack. Where the military response teams who were not deployed were based in Europe. Where Gen Hertling was in charge! Are you starting to connect the dots yet? Because even FOX news hasn't gotten this far yet.

Yup.... Something stinks to high heaven.

[Ausonius]

If Petraeus STILL does not testify as a private citizen, then he is the one who stinks.  He can in that case join John Roberts as another traitor who stabbed America and made it bleed.

Or:

Possible scenario: something bigger is happening, and there is no mistress.  The administration is blackmailing Petraeus in some other "Chicago-style way," and tells him to resign with this phony admission.  He then will take the Fifth Amendment, if subpoenaed by Congress.

Possible scenario B: there is a mistress, pro-MAObama forces used it as leverage to keep the lies coming about Benghazi, Petraeus has resigned to expose the lies as a private citizen.  He has been the source of the leaks.

Timing is everything!

[Freeper]

What I suspect is happening is he is getting blackmailed by the administration and instead of caving, he has extended his middle finger by resigning and telling us why he resigned. Of course I could be wrong though.

[WinOne4TheGipper]

This is just breaking.  One report says it's because of an affair, but I'm not buying it.  Not with the Benghazi hearings next week.



http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2012/11/09/statement-on-resignation-of-petreaus/

Question:

I've read a story that this came to light because of an "unrelated security investigation" by the FBI.  Is it possible that the investigation started at the request of the Romney campaign, trying to do the due diligence on potential vp nominees? 

[Chris_]

Is an extramarital affair enough to cost someone their security clearance?  I heard some chatter on another site that it was considered contraband and could be grounds to have your clearance revoked.  I wonder if that's why he resigned.

[Eupher]

Is an extramarital affair enough to cost someone their security clearance?  I heard some chatter on another site that it was considered contraband and could be grounds to have your clearance revoked.  I wonder if that's why he resigned.

Picking your nose in public is enough to have a security clearance withdrawn, if the powers-that-be determine that your access to that information could be prejudicial.

[txradioguy]

Unless he volunteers to testify about his knowledge of Benghazi, he's taking the easy way out. 

Not really. Think about it. If he'd resisted this...they would have fired him...which is really what they did...called him back to active duty and courts martialed him. Then you're talking reduction of rank and loss of pay and benefits.

They've got him by the short hairs..he's gonna do what they want now.

[Eupher]

According to this article, the bimbo that Petraeus allegedly plugged was Paula Broadwell, his biographer.

WTF? His biographer?

Broadwell is supposedly being investigated by the FBI for improperly attempting to gain access to Petraeus' emails and other classified information.

Uh huh. Riiiiiiight.   

http://www.zimbio.com/Paula+Broadwell/articles/uQQBbhKSPdu/David+Petraeus+Wife+Holly+Knowlton+Petraeus

[txradioguy]

Is an extramarital affair enough to cost someone their security clearance?  I heard some chatter on another site that it was considered contraband and could be grounds to have your clearance revoked.  I wonder if that's why he resigned.

Chris this President has won practically every election he's run in by digging up stuff like this on an opponent or perceived enemy.

Of course it's enough.

[Ausonius]

Newsmax is reporting that the FBI is outraged that the regime sat on the knowledge of Petraeus' pursuit of the biographer, who supposedly broke things off in 2011.

"Thousands of e-mails"     continued to go from Petraeus to her, and the article says that the blackmail potential from such an affair meant that Petraeus should have been fired immediately, according to Top Secret Clearance protocols.

One thinks immediately of Billy Jeff Clinton and The Lewinsky Affair!

That the regime sat on the information until AFTER the election has infuriated the FBI, according to the article.

FBI agents on the case were aware that such a decision had been made to hold off on forcing him out until after the election and were outraged.

“The decision was made to delay the resignation apparently to avoid potential embarrassment to the president before the election,” an FBI source says. “To leave him in such a sensitive position where he was vulnerable to potential blackmail for months compromised our security and is inexcusable.”

http://www.newsmax.com/Headline/petraeus-resigns-cia-affair/2012/11/09/id/463573

[Ausonius]

NBC at 9:05 just whitewashed the regime, telling us that the White House knew nothing about this until Wednesday, Nov. 7th!!!   

Absolutely incredible!  The FBI monitors the blackmailing potential of the CIA director because of his affair for months and the Fearless Leader From Behind is not told???

[DumbAss Tanker]

Not really. Think about it. If he'd resisted this...they would have fired him...which is really what they did...called him back to active duty and courts martialed him. Then you're talking reduction of rank and loss of pay and benefits.

They've got him by the short hairs..he's gonna do what they want now.

Not really, it's extremely rare to call back a retiree for UCMJ short of something like mega-fraud or infamous violent crimes.  Nobody would seriously consider it for adultery.  At the same time, the 3- and 4-stars all work in an old-boys network that is highly political, and tattling about any of the skulduggery that goes on is contrary to the rules of the game.  For anyone who doesn't play that way, they have to be willing to forego millions in consultant fees and/or contractor salary because none of the other old boys in the game will trust them if they start blabbing.  It's a carrot and stick that very few resist.

On another note, how FUBAR is it that the rapid reaction force for an AFRICOM location is located in EUCOM and therefore subject to needing extensive coordination and permissions from another command (Which will necessarily hedge its bets by coordinating with God and all his cousins before lifting a finger) before launching on an actual emergency?