CIA Director David Petraeus Resigns Over Affair

Petraeus apologizes over poor judgement, Obama accepts resignation

CIA Director David H. Petraeus has offered a letter of resignation from his position, citing an extramarital affair as the impetus for change. President Barack Obama has accepted his resignation. Petraeus has apologized for his poor judgement, according to MSNBC News.

Update, November 9, 2012, 12:23 PST: General Petraeus issued a letter to CIA colleagues, informing them the President has allowed him to retire over personal reasons:

"After being married for over 37 years, I showed extremely poor judgment by engaging in an extramarital affair," he wrote. "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."

Update, November 9, 2012, 1:00 PST: Politico confirms that deputy CIA director Mike Morrell has taken over as acting director of the CIA.

Petraeus' departure marks the first of many suspected personnel changed in the Obama administration. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, all have expressed desires to step down at the beginning of the president's next term, beginning in January 2013.

What's your reaction?

[MongoAPillager]

ship is sinking,let us off

[Nemesis3X]

No one else to blame for their failures this term?

[MongoAPillager]

@Nemesis3X too bad,i kind of liked Petraeus,but anybody with any foresight or self respect needs that administration behind them

[MongoAPillager]

@MongoAPillager gol-dang it...needs to put that administration behind them

[PNWest]

I see that the people that support the party of "personal responsibility" are the very first ones to claim that someone else is responsible for David Petraeus's actions. The man himself said why he is resigning. Let it be. Unless Petraeus was having an affair with Obama the President has nothing to do with this. Incredible how the folks on the right try to blame Obama for everything.

[MongoAPillager]

@PNWest when i see some one trying to destroy my country i'm not going to support him no matter how popular he or she is,in fact the more popular his position the harder one must speak up

[MongoAPillager]

thank you Mr Petraeus for at least having a good cover story,it's OK Mr obama ,anything to get to a lifeboat

[Jack-Black]

Sure it is not because he and this administration got people killed.

[bsking]

probably so . think of it though while employed as the CIA director he would be unable to contradict the president. no 1 would question him leaving over a marital affair.
if he did leave because of an affair , then he did the honorable thing.

using that logic , if the administration doesn't come clean on Ben Ghazi, the general will have another opportunity to do the honorable thing.

[Stop_Whining]

@bsking

The majority of this country do not seem to care about tin foil hat conspiracy theories.

They care about the future of our country, and have chosen its leader.

There is always the door.

[martydotcom]

HE committed the ultimate sin in the Intelligence community. He literally and figuratively f...k'ed up. We can't afford to have the CIA become the CYA

[mimi57]

I think that ship has already sailed...

[bsking]

actually that's exactly what Obama's counting on

[tomincali]

@bsking as well as the brain dead who cannot remember anything in the last 5 minutes.

[jessejaymes]

LOL someone actually says a man would admit to having an affair to get out his job. LOLOL. Why not just quit?

[martydotcom]

I can think of at least a doz. other ways of "falling on my sword" without involving wife and family, but that would provide no fun for the FOXY conspiracy types

[bsking]

@martydotcom which is why you're a chat room hero and not a 4 star general

[kirbstomp1]

@martydotcom - thank you for serving our country. You are a hero. Don't let this troll degrade you.

[kirbstomp1]

@martydotcom - I would also like to say it's disappointing that 50 thousand of my grandfather's and your generation died due to the false flag gulf of tonkin event. It disappoints me how our government just uses our soldiers lives like they are playing tokens at a casino.

[CATTLEPROD]

I'm just glad we have an excellant commander in chief who lets everyone fall on thier sword but himself. Dont worry about the house, with boehner in charge he will start tearing up at the hint of a serious inquiry.

[ctc]

Don't know what's more shocking....that the DCI would compromise his position.....or......that some of you would think adultery is a cover story.

[DARSB]

Maybe he should have taken Moveon.org a little more to heart - http://goo.gl/3uX80

[mimi57]

I think it was a good excuse to get the heck outta Dodge...besides, poor judgement...LOL... No one has had
poorer judgement than those who voted this election. I wish him well, any excuse not to have to serve under this administration is a good one!

[marine1]

Whats the problem, i thought that in this new progressive world of sexual freedoms the boundaries no longer existed. Maybe he was just exploring those new boundaries?

[Lpguy]

what a jackass

[kirbstomp1]

His excuse, he's resigning over Benghazi.

[rebeccajensen]

Enormous loss, personal move. He will be missed, we will continue with excellent leadership in Deputy CIA Director, Michael Morell. We need to support our leaders at this time not be divisive, petty. My heart goes our to Mr. and Mrs. Petraeus at this difficult time.

[bsking]

I think he used a very creative reason to abandon ship. very clever.

[Vance1]

It would appear as if the Obama house of cards is finnally falling
I predict that Mrs. Clinton/Susan Rice step down before Tuesdays Hearings

[CanisCanemEdit]

Possibly. From the story above:

"Petraeus' departure marks the first of many suspected personnel changed in the Obama administration.

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, all have expressed desires to step down at the beginning of the president's next term, beginning in January 2013."

Don't Forget, Petraeus is the one who told us that our refrigerators and other major appliances would be spying on us for the CIA.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2012/...

Petraeus: CIA Could Use Smart Household Appliances To Spy

[FFX_VA]

Gen Petraeus served our country selflessly and with remarkable distinction, he deserves our respect and thanks. He made a personal mistake, compromised his position & marriage, but he owned up to it and did the right thing. So many others would not have. God bless him and his family as they deal with this.

[Lynn83]

Not surprised...hope Holder is next...

[Dan_Tien]

"Such behavior is unacceptable, both as a husband and as the leader of an organization such as ours." Unacceptable for General Petraeus to remain Director of the CIA, but acceptable for President Clinton to remain Commander in Chief. Sometimes "the honorable" is just the preamble to a title.

[truthsayer]

Hum a self assured man very confident in his ability's that has rose to a leadership position has an affair. Seems I've read this story through out history.

[Politico36]

I sincerely doubt that's the real reason for the change. I think this and all future administrations need to realize that deception and false propaganda are not justified when the national security threat is caused by our mistakes in the first place.