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Brent Stirton / Getty Images file
Army Gen. David Petraeus in Baghdad, Iraq, on June 17, 2004.
Gen. David Petraeus built an impeccable 38-year career in the military and U.S. intelligence, displaying a keen grasp of strategy and tactics that succeeded even on the murky battlefield of Iraq and carving out a sterling reputation that withstood the spiteful, partisan environment of Washington.
It came to an ignominious end on Friday, when the 60-year-old resigned as director of the CIA after admitting to an extramarital affair.
Petraeus proved himself indispensable to two presidents – George W. Bush and Barack Obama -- hand-picked by the former to oversee the “surge” strategy in Iraq in 2007 and dispatched by the latter to Afghanistan in 2010 after the unexpected resignation of Gen. Stanley McChristal following impolitic remarks made to a Rolling Stone reporter.
Sen. John McCain, R- Ariz., the 2008 GOP presidential candidate and the senior Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, on Friday called Petraeus one of “America’s greatest military heroes.”
“His inspirational leadership and his genius were directly responsible – after years of failure – for the success of the surge in Iraq,” he said.
Petraeus was born in Orange County, N.Y., on Nov. 7, 1952. He later credited his will to succeed to his upbringing as the son of a Dutch immigrant father
“We have a huge advantage, because the United States is, in the words of Walt Whitman, ‘not merely a nation, but a teeming nation of nations,’” he said in a 2011 speech to CIA employees. “That still rings true to all of us I know, and it rings true to me, a second-generation American, the son of a Dutch immigrant.”
The respected West Point graduate led combat forces in Iraq and Afghanistan before retiring from the military and leading the CIA. On Friday, he made the startling admission that he had engaged in an extramarital affair, and announced he was resigning from his post. NBC's Andrea Mitchell reports.
CIA Director David Petraeus resigns, cites extramarital affair
In a 2011 profile in Newsweek, he described his father as "at heart a crusty old Dutch sea captain," who taught him never to accept anything less than a win. Any deviation from that standard brought an icy-blue stare and a growl: "Results, boy, results!"
Petraeus seemed destined to lead. He graduated in 1974 as “distinguished cadet” among the top 5 percent from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
He also met his wife, Holly, while at West Point, where her father was superintendent. She now works at Obama's Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, where she is the assistant director of the Office of Servicemember Affairs.
After entering the Army later that year, he went on to earn a doctorate in International Relations from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University in 1987.
His Army career was hardly uneventful.
The Washington Post reported in 2007 that he had had two near-death experiences.
Petraeus' biographer under FBI investigation
In 1991, at Fort Campbell, Ky., he was shot in the chest when a soldier tripped during a training exercise. At Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, he underwent surgery by Bill Frist, who would later be elected to the Senate and become Senate majority leader.
While skydiving in 2000, Petraeus’ parachute collapsed and on landing his pelvis was shattered.
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President George W. Bush, right, meets Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, upon his arrival at Al-Asad Air Base in Anbar Province, Iraq, on Sept. 3, 2007.
In the American invasion of Iraq in March 2003, Petraeus commanded the 101st Airborne Division and then spent two-and-a-half years in the country, eventually being assigned the job of overseeing the rebuilding of Iraqi security forces.
But he made his biggest mark as commander of U.S. forces in Iraq.
It’s easy to forget how bitterly contentious the surge strategy was in 2007, when Bush pinned all his hopes on Petraeus to carry it out.
The anti-war group Moveon.org ran an ad in the New York Times in September of that year featuring a photo of Petraeus and referring to him as “General Betray Us.” The ad described him as a “military man constantly at war with the facts” and accused him of “cooking the books for the White House.”
Both the House and the Senate later voted to condemn the ad.
Despite the unpopularity of the Iraq war at the time, Petraeus was a crisp and unflappable advocate of the surge strategy. He told the Senate Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearing to lead the Iraq war effort that U.S. forces needed support from the American people in order for the stabilization effort to succeed.
“We face a determined, adaptable, barbaric enemy. He will try to wait us out,” the general said, calling the struggle in Iraq “a test of wills.”
Even opponents of the plan to send 21,500 additional troops to Iraq, including then-Sen. Hillary Clinton, said they respected Petraeus and wouldn’t vote against his nomination.
NBC's Richard Engel and the Washington Post's David Ignatius discuss the breaking news of CIA director David Petraeus' resignation.
“I want the very best leadership for the young men and woman who are going to be put into harm’s way to implement this strategy and I have no doubt Gen. Petraeus is the person to try to pull this off,” Clinton said.
His reputation was further burnished when he was named by Bush to serve as head of U.S. Central Command in 2008.
After Obama’s election, he picked Petraeus to head NATO forces in Afghanistan in 2010 and, in 2011, named him CIA director, succeeding Leon Panetta.
So solid was Petraeus’reputation that his name became a kind of gold standard of integrity and competence. During the battle for 2012 GOP presidential nomination, when Mitt Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom wanted to denigrate another GOP contender, former China envoy Jon Huntsman, he said, “Jon Huntsman is no General Petraeus.”
Some Republicans eyed Petraeus for their party’s 2012 presidential nomination, comparing him to another famous general, Dwight Eisenhower.
The Tampa Tribune reported last year that Steve Mains, a retired Army colonel launched a group called Americans for Petraeus 2012, but Petraeus by that point was heading to the CIA job and showed no interest in running for the presidency or any other office.
In recent weeks, Petraeus’ stain-resistant reputation was called into question in connection with the Sept 11 attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, which resulted in the death of U.S. ambassador Chris Stevens and other personnel, some of whom worked for the CIA.
Noting that there had been two earlier security breaches at the consulate in Benghazi, when improvised explosive devices were placed there in April and in June 2012 , Sen. Lindsey Graham, R- S.C., wrote to Petraeus in a letter on Oct. 15 asking, “Were you aware of these attacks? Did you inform the president of these attacks? If so, what action was taken to protect our consulate? If you did not inform the president, why not?” There is no indication that Petraeus responded.
Petraeus had been scheduled to testify before the House and Senate Intelligence committees next week about the attack on the Benghazi Consulate, but he will no longer be testifying and its not yet clear if the committees will summon him in the future to testify about the attack. Acting CIA director Michael Morell will testify in his place next week.
Retired U.S. Army colonel and recipient of the Medal of Honor, Jack Jacobs, says as difficult as it may be to share such bad news, it's best for the country to get it out as early as possible.
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Leave a Comment:
General: was she worth it?
An affair pales in comparison to 4 Americans dying because of a dysfunctional Administration.
They all need to testify instead of hiding behind smoke and mirrors.
Way to go General Betray-Us
Most people are mostly monogamous most of the time, big "f u c k i n g" deal. Why this is supposed to imply that all people must be strictly monogamous all of the time has always struck me as illogical.
Yes, for anyone at this most sensitive CIA clearance level, such opportunities for leveraged security compromise must be neutralized. Sometimes this need is satisfied by a public recognition of the extramarital relationship, since "outing" it alone removes any leverage it might have. Why not here?
Of course, except for the ridiculous level of sexual repression that dominates the country, such "leverage" would not exist.
Great American...I dont really care about the affair..that said..I find the timing suspect..The republicans will go after this like Chris Christiie goes after a plate of tacos..
Now we all know the powerful weapon that can bring down a powerful man..."All in.";)
Shot down by a vagina! and a heat seeking missile! A hard-ON has no conscious. Get a Divorce General!
This is why the sexual affair is such a perfect cover story. Small minds become self-righteous and distracted away from any other possibilities. Resigning over extramarital sex??? Not likely. Look a little deeper, this entire "affair" stinks to high heaven.
Just continue to buy all this garbage - the guy was due to testify in the Congressional hearing next week, and from what is known by everyone except those who believe he really stepped down over an affair, he was sleeping around for years. The timing is suspicious, at least. Benghazi was a scandal and they're continuing to cover it up. My God, people, you're so foolish.
Now then... I appreciate the service and dedication of the general and am truly grateful for his outstanding leadership of the on the ground military forces as well as his tenure as the owner of Consolidated Industrials of America (wink). I am particularly admirable of the manner in which "this issue" was handled. Admit things up front and take away the story... outstanding. You, me, and the proverbial bug on the wall, are all aware that "this issue" is not about ol' Dave and some sassy lassie. I do however appreciate the skill in executing the plan to run the cover story. 'Nothing to see here, keep moving'... Balack out!
"ignominious" Really? How long were you waiting to use THAT word in a news article? Almost as bad as the use of superfluous redundant pleonastic tautologies. Sheesh.
"pleonastic" is in itself pleonastic once paired with "superfluous", I would say.
Look at his choices! what would you do? his wife became a look alike to her boss! the poor guy just wanted sex, not a consumer advocate.
You should change your name to the more appropriate buffoonalo. If you are married, please extend my condolences to your wife.
I guess the left is starting to squirm now. It will get worse in the next coming weeks.
The information on the affair should have come out before he even took the position as CIA director. The affair happened well before he was considered. There is a vetting process that takes palces for those positions to make sure they are qualified and can appropriately function within the role. Something that was never done with the current administration.
So the administration knowing there was an affair, they kept it in their back pocket, for a rainy day. Then along comes Hurricane Benghazi. Petraeus is scheduled to testify next week as CIA director. Well let's get him to fall on the sword, resign because of the affair and it will all be his fault and the administration will be free to run wild again. It all stinks to the high heavens.
Once again, the Obama administration has managed to villify a good a decent man who allegedly made a mistake. Obama has officially taken over Clinton's title as the teflon president.
If this had happened oh lets' say this past Monday, do you think Obama wins? Probably not. People are almost always asking "When did he know?" Theres' your cover up. Fox News talking heads just grabbed themselves in excitement. My guess they'll be in to work by 6:00 a.m. for a 7:00 p.m. show.
Hah. Married the Superintendant's daughter. No wonder his career was oin a rocket sled. The man was more in love with himself than anyone else on earth. Just desserts.
FRom hero with GWB to vaginamonguer under Obama! Washington is a dangerous place.
Gen patraeus is still the same man he was before and will be after all this is over, any body who has been gone from home knows what can happen, and what will happen. I don't see a resemblence between the Gen. & ole willie boy clinton, he was in the white house every day and didn't spend months away from his dear hillary at all. Gen Patraeus was gone most of his career for months at a time from his wife fighting a war and that is a large difference. All due respect for him remains capital in my judgement. I just wonder about the timing of it all and maybe a different cover up of a sort. I still say Bengahzi was mistake made by the obama administration for political gain and will be forth coming as time goes by.
The Fall Guy!
BINGO!!!
General Patraeus has shown he answers with credibility - he is not a Bill Clinton (I didn't have sex with that woman <Monica> though his semen was on her dress) or a pervert Weiner (sending pictures of himself naked to women on the Internet) from the Congress; whose wife was Hillary Clinton's personal secretary.
The General and his wife shared no activities, he had chosen to keep himself active and in good physical condition even after several life threatening accidents....She chose to follow a pencil pushing level of actvity/agenda... And on paper they were married.
Should the General have pursued a divorce first, if he truly cared for the other woman...... I do not know.
It seems as with Rommel in Germany, General Patraeus was given a gun with 1 bullet to end the situation; as with Rommel he has given his literal life.
i will not entertain one moment of accolade or commendation for this coward, who have commited not only adultery, violating Gods laws, but treason, violating our President and nation of peoples. i am not passed believing this is a political maneuver, and not at all convinced by his confession or ever so humble resignation. this man is a disgrace to his uniform, his country and his name. he ought to be tried for treason against the President of the United States, and convicted to the fullest extent, for this most grievous crime during war time, thus making mockery of our military and commander in chief. he has dishonored all the american armed forces and ought to be court marshalled and stripped of all honors and commendations and released of duty by dishonorable discharge, as would be any other soldier. he is a traitor. may Gods standard rise up against him, whether likeminded men pardon, or not. if anyone cannot see the dire weight or consequence of infidelity, in leadership, or personally, is a fool, and reject the word of God, in truth. none of his righteous acts or successful missions shall be remembered, but are all accounted in wickedness. thank God for rooting out the enemy in our own camp, hallelujah! if there be more, all who are as corrupt, and grievous to the Holy Spirit, i ask the Lord to expose, cast down and cast out, right now, in the name of Jesus. may the traitor yet be obliged to testify regarding the assassination of our US Ambassador in Bengazi, September 11, 2012, of which, the general, being director of the CIA, is directly involved, if not solely responsible for the assassination, and murder of our elite, presidentially appointed, international diplomat and military personnel, and brought to justice, within the bounds of the governmental orders of God, and man.
Commander and Chief, you mean our muslim mulah messiah, Obama! we have NO commander in Chief, we have no leader, just one of your commie puppets.
The FBI has been monitoring the CIA for decades, read the book "Harlots Ghost" about the CIA, FBI and the Kennedy years and you will get a good inside look at the paranoia, double dealing, and obfuscation.
OK, so Petraeus had an affair. So did Harrison, Polk, Buchannan, Jefferson, Lincoln, FDR, IKE, JFK, Clinton, and they continued in their jobs as President. A brilliant mind is a terrible thing to waste. You don't throw the baby out with the bath water. 10-4? Kapeesh?
Something is smelly about this story.
The CIA could have scuttled this story indefinitely but something went down that threatened to "out" Petraeus by other means. Who did it? Bet the nasty heffer who screwed him was trying to blackmail him. Anyway - it was hard to protect this kind of story in the long run. Many of the politicians trying to save him have done worse themselves....but their secrets are mostly safe - for now. I bet most every high ranking military officer have screwed around on their spouse in the field. I saw many indications of it while on active duty. While there, it didn't make them any less military heroes. Many military spouses are smart about this thing also and not always confined to the house knitting and cooking. The military is a place for war - but longing personal passions don't disappear and this "Jezebel" who got in his britches knew that. Hope she pays the price for it too. God knows Petraeus is paying his - but financially he will never be poor.
Ironic, I guess Bill Clinton did not have any secrets to tell congress, so he stayed in office, this poor guy really knew some stuff. Obama may not have had an affair, but he has lied to such an extent that he has to throw HIllary, Intel leaders, now the CIA director under the bus to protect his sorry arse.
Regarding Libya and the whole Mideast thing, there is a dead skunk in the room , that smell is coming form the White House. or should be start calling it the House of White lies? There is a cover up here, just like with Obama's personal records, everything about this guy shouts LIAR!
I'm skeptical that the alleged affair was all the reason there was for the sudden bilateral resignation tended and accepted. That has the aura of " cover story" around it. We'll see. Were I the Commander in Chief I would not have accepted the resignation on those grounds alone. Sure, Petraeus' gold stars and epaulets are tarnished, but a little rubbing with baking soda in bright sunlight polishes them right up...
So I wonder about the woman and what else went on - what else might have been breached besides a zipper and skirt. There has to be more to this...on several levels.
Well said.
As Commander in Chief, you might very well accept the resignation if you were awfully, awfully fond of the cover story. Perhaps.....