Why does Petraeus have to go?

Posted By Thomas E. Ricks Friday, November 9, 2012 - 4:33 PM Share

I suspect that someone in the military with an axe to grind ratted out David Petraeus for having an extramarital affair. I am told that President Obama tried to talk Petraeus out of resigning, but Petraeus took the samurai route and insisted that he had done a dishonorable thing and now had to try to balance it by doing the honorable thing and stepping down as CIA director.

But why? Petraeus is retired from the military. If the affair happened back when he was on active duty, it is part of the past. And there is nothing illegal about civilians having affairs.

So the surprise to me is that Obama let him go. But the administration's loss may be Princeton's gain.

KAREN BLEIER/AFP/Getty Images

EXPLORE:NORTH AMERICA, MILITARY, NATIONAL SECURITY
 

JPWREL

5:29 PM ET

November 9, 2012

Here is the answer

My guess is that an extra-marital affair is small potatoes in this day and age as far as the public is concerned. It shows that Petraeus is made out of flesh and bones like the rest of humanity.

What resigning does is scrub away the sin and makes Petraeus a desirable commodity for office in 2016? By resigning now and not sitting through the length and breadth of a second Obama administration he also cleans away the more dastardly sin of too close an alliance with the Obama Administration at least in the eyes of a desperate and chastened Republican Party looking for new non-nitwit leadership.

This makes him doubly exciting as a Republican dark horse Presidential speculation. He will have no problem making a living at Princeton or some such other local while courting the powers that be.

 

KRIEGSAKADEMIE

6:01 PM ET

November 9, 2012

CLEANING HIS SLATE FOR A PRESIDENTIAL RUN IN 2016

I suspect that JPWREL has nailed Petraeus' line of thinking quite accurately.

The flaw in P4s logic is that by 2016 the US public will not be interested in electing Gordon of Khartoum.

The public will be working hard to forget Afghanistan and Iraq and will not be drawn to someone who reminds them of all that.

That said, I suspect that P4s ambitions are at the center of this strategy.

K

 

BLUELIGHT

11:23 PM ET

November 9, 2012

Careful where you point the finger...

I think its more likely that someone in his current organization threw him under the bus than some someone from the Army...

 

TIGER JOHANNES

10:15 AM ET

November 11, 2012

Leaving is best for everyone

I'm surprised Ricks thinks "there is nothing illegal about civilians having affairs". Adultery is still illegal in many states. And though it is all-too-common amongst our "leaders" (I use the term loosely), it's still not an admirable trait.

Petraeus compromised himself with the affair. He showed an inability to control himself and an inability to remain faithful to a vow he made willingly. His actions call into question his trustworthiness.

Effective leaders set the example. They also hold themselves accountable, which he did by resigning (though only after he knew everyone was about to find out his dirty little secret).

Many seem to almost feel sorry for Petraeus. "What a loss for us" they say. Really? I think that's misguided and misdirected. Feel sorry for his family. He failed them more than he failed us.

 

CDRINF

5:26 AM ET

November 12, 2012

Why?

Because am man who will lie to his wife will ultimately lie to anyone.

 

Thomas E. Ricks covered the U.S. military for the Washington Post from 2000 through 2008.

Read More