Is Panetta's Dog A Better Keeper of Secrets Than Patreaus?

DoD

Panetta Says His Dog, Unlike Petraeus, Proved Soul of Discretion -- Bloomberg

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta today suggested his dog Bravo turned out to be a better keeper of secrets than David Petraeus, who resigned in disgrace as CIA director last month after acknowledging a sexual affair.

Panetta appeared surprised when asked at the National Press Club why Petraeus had to resign instead of accepting a lesser punishment.

“In this town, with that kind of e-mail, do you think he could have survived as director of the CIA? I don’t think so,” Panetta said during a luncheon appearance. The Petraeus affair was exposed after the FBI discovered e-mails he wrote to his biographer, Paula Broadwell, with whom he had an extramarital affair.

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Update: Leon Panetta's Dog Is Better at Keeping the CIA's Secrets Than David Petraeus -- The Atlantic

My Comment: Ouch.

David Petraeus: 'I Screwed Up Royally'

David Petraeus Says He 'Screwed Up Royally' In Letter To Old Army Buddy -- New York Post

Ex-CIA chief David Petraeus took the blame for the extramarital affair that torpedoed his career, but his forgiving wife, Holly, is sticking by him, according to a newly revealed private letter.

“I screwed up royally,” Petraeus told his longtime Army pal, retired Brig. Gen. James Shelton in the hand-written missive.

“I paid the price (appropriately) and I sought to do the right thing at the end of the day,” he wrote in the Nov. 20 message.

Petraeus stepped down on Nov. 9 as news of his affair with biographer Paula Broadwell went public.

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My Comment: Ignoring the fact that his "Army buddy" should not have publicized this personal letter .... but yeah .... the former General and CIA Director screwed up royally.

Life After Petraeus

 

 After Petraeus Scandal, Broadwell Grapples With 'Normal Life' -- CNN 

In the aftermath of the affair that led to the resignation of CIA Director David Petraeus, his biographer and paramour Paula Broadwell has remained publicly silent, turning instead to family and friends as she tries to assess just how news of the affair might impact her future. "It's been hard for her family and her to see the picture that's being painted of her," says Broadwell's brother, Steve Kranz, a Washington-based attorney. "Her real focus is her family and her husband and her boys and trying to restore the trust she had with her husband and trying to protect her children from the publicity."

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My Comment: This is news for CNN? And hiring a public relations firm!?!?! If they (i.e. the main stream media) put as much attention on the Benghazi scandal as they are on Paula Broadwell .... we may actually get some real answers and news.

A Petraeus Casualty

Controversy: Jill Kelley, pictured with David Petraeus, has been sacked as honorary consul for South Korea

Jill Kelley Sacked As Honorary Consul For South Korea For 'Peddling Influence' And Embarrassing Nation Over Petraeus Scandal -- Daily Mail

The Florida socialite who exposed the affair which brought down David Petraeus has been sacked as an honorary consul for South Korea.

Jill Kelley was so proud of her status, which she was awarded thanks to her friendship with the country's ambassador, that she had a custom licence plate made boasting of it.

But now the title has been taken away from her after a senior Korean official said she had tried to 'peddle influence' in a way that was 'inappropriate'.

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My Comment: The world is now a safer place. (sarcastic remark here)

A Medal For Schmoozing?

Friends: Petraeus kisses Kelley after accepting community service award at her home in the summer of 2011

General Petraeus Gave Jill Kelley A Medal For Schmoozing -- Business Insider

Did you know you can get a medal from the U.S. military for schmoozing?

Apparently you can.

At General David Petraeus's recommendation, the Joint Chiefs of Staff gave Tampa Bay socialite Jill Kelley the country's second-highest honor a civilian can receive, reports Jeane MacIntosh of the New York Post.

Kelley received the award from Petraeus himself in a ceremony in Washington DC last year.

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My Comment: I thought these generals had/have a war to fight.

Life After Petraeus

Paula Broadwell Flashes Her Guns! Petraeus' Mistress Poses Confidently For Camera As She Models Submachine Gun In Commercial -- Daily Mail

When Paula Broadwell has her eye on something, she gets it.

Or so suggest these photographs of her at a shooting range, where she confidently hits four out of five targets consecutively while filming an advertisement for a machine gun manufacturer.

Broadwell, who was revealed as David Petraeus' mistress nearly two weeks ago, modeled and served as a spokewoman for the gun production company Kriss, which posted the commercial in March.

As she comfortably handles the firearms while smiling and posing for the camera, she leans on years of military research and her shooting savvy to praise the design of the guns.

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My Comment: She is impressive in this video .... and the weapon that she is 'pushing' is also interesting.

U.S. Congress Wants To Know Why They Were Kept In The Dark On The Petraeus Investigation

Lawmakers insist they'll stick to questions about Benghazi and avoid Petraeus's scandal. Reuters

Petraeus Scandal: Lawmakers Keeping Pressure On Justice Dept. Over Timeline -- Washington Post

More than a week after the resignation of CIA Director David H. Petraeus, the Justice Department remains under intense congressional pressure to explain its handling of the case — and why lawmakers were not informed sooner.

On Thursday, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. said the Justice Department did not share information about its investigation with the White House and Congress sooner because the department had determined there were no national security concerns. Holder also cited the Justice Department’s policy not to disclose a probe into an ongoing criminal matter.

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My Comment: So .... the Justice Department decided not to share information about its investigation with the White House and Congress sooner because the department had determined there were no national security concerns. WTF!!!! At the time in question David Petraeus was the CIA Director .... and in my book any serious investigation on the CIA Director should be a red flag that is sent to the proper Congressional oversight committees immediately. The only legitimate reason why they were not informed (in my opinion) was because of political concerns .... in the middle of Presidential election the last thing that you want is a scandal that tarnishes your pick for CIA chief and that would divert you away from your media strategy.

Was There A Petraeus Witchhunt?

General David Petraeus shakes hands with Paula Broadwell. (ISAF via Reuters)

The Petraeus Affair’s Resulting Witch Hunt -- David Ignatius, Washington Post

Washington superlawyer Joseph Califano once passed a message to a client being grilled by a congressional committee that read: “Keep cool in Kabul.” That phrase has a certain piquancy now, but Califano simply wanted to calm the witness, slow the process a bit and get everyone to chill out.

The “keep cool” advice seems especially useful now that Washington’s latest set of scandals is entering the phase of congressional investigation, righteous political indignation and public penance. At times like this, people tend to repeat the old bromide “Sunlight is the best disinfectant.” But it can also be toxic under the wrong circumstances.

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My Comment: So in his defense of Former CIA Director Petraeus David Ignatius throws in the McCarthy hearings of the 1950s .... oh please .... Mr. David Ignatius you can do better than that.

Remembering What Petraeus Did Right

Remember What Petraeus Did Right -- Amir Taheri, New York Post

Gen. David Petraeus’ fall from grace should not overshadow his achievements both as military strategist and commander.

Petraeus first caught the attention of those following the Middle Eastern crises in 2003, when he commanded a division within the US expeditionary force that liberated Iraq.

The force accomplished its mission of toppling Saddam Hussein in just three weeks. Then started the tougher task of helping Iraqis rebuild their nation on new foundations — a mission that quickly ran into trouble as various armed groups backed by rival regional powers tried to sabotage nation-building efforts through low-intensity warfare.

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My Comment: He will be remembered for what he did right .... but his legacy will be one of a disgraced CIA Director who resigned because of an affair.

Inside The Florida Base Where Petraeus And His Generals Held 'Wild Parties Every Night'

Who's who? A chart shows the connections between the major players in the Petraeus scandal

Tampa's Wisteria Lane: Inside The Florida Base Where Petraeus And His Generals Held 'Wild Parties Every Night' -- Daily Mail

The Tampa, Florida, military base that has gained notoriety for its connection to General David Petraeus' sex scandal has been compared to Wisteria Lane from the show Desperate Housewives where out-of-control parties with top brass are a nightly occurrence, and where social climbing is a favorite pastime.

Those visiting MacDill Air Force Base for the first time will likely be surprised to see the sprawling bayfront homes with covered porches, the upscale gym, golf course, boat rentals and other trappings of the good life that bear little resemblance to nearly any other military outpost.

'It’s the nicest base I’ve ever seen,' a private contractor with base access told The Daily Beast. 'It blew me away, as far as what the taxpayers pay for.'

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My Comment: Having "wild parties every night" !?!?!?! .... while the Afghan war is still ongoing .... I certainly hope not. But with this bunch .... I am no longer sure of what they are doing.

How Twin Sisters Triggered The Biggest Sex Scandal For A Generation

Lavish Parties, 'Outrageous Conduct'... And 'Dates' With An Ex-Governor: How Twin Daughters Of Lebanese Immigrants Reached The Upper Echelons Of Power... And Triggered The Biggest Sex Scandal For A Generation -- Daily Mail

Staring at Jill Kelley’s $1.3m mansion from the street, it would be hard not to think that this was a person who had made it in life.

The vast 1923 brick house is in one of the most fashionable districts of Tampa, Florida, and is over the bay from one of New York Yankee Derek Jeter's homes.

The lawns are perfectly manicured, it has six bedrooms and four bathrooms for the hundreds of military guests who used to attend parties there.

A closer look, however, and you notice that the paint is peeling on the outside and wooden chairs at all rather too well worn.

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My Comment: These ladies wanted the spotlight .... something that they definitely now have. But Honorary Consul To South Korea?!?!?! And these Generals wanted to hang out with these people?!?!?! Talk about distractions from your job.

What Is The Petraeus Scandal's Impact On National Security

Spyfall -- Time

Paula Broadwell stepped off the stage at the Aspen Security Forum on July 28, fresh from criticizing the news media for heedless disclosure of secrets. The afternoon program of seminars was packed with admirals, generals and Cabinet chiefs, but Broadwell had pressing business elsewhere. She ducked out of the conference, slipped into running shorts and jogged off in search of a once-in-a-­lifetime birthday present.

Broadwell and CIA Director David Petraeus had fallen into an extramarital affair after years of close contact as biographer and subject. Born two days and 20 years apart, they had big benchmarks approaching—his 60th, her 40th—and Broadwell was looking for a suitably momentous gift. As she had tweeted proudly a few days before, Broadwell had a date for a “1v1 run with Lance Armstrong.” What she did not mention was her plan to recruit Armstrong for a surprise birthday bike ride with the fitness-mad Petraeus. If all went as she planned, the retired four-star general would ride into his seventh decade alongside cycling’s greatest star.

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More News On What Impact Will The Petraeus Scandal Have On National Security

Petraeus: I did not pass classified info -- CNN
Petraeus says he didn't share classified information with Broadwell -- NBC
Petraeus affair: Obama sees 'no evidence' of breach -- BBC
Obama: No evidence of security breach in scandal -- Stars and Stripes/AP
Obama Says National Security Not Compromised by Petraeus -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Is Petraeus pillow talk a security threat? -- Joe Sterling, CNN

My Comment: What's my take .... President Obama says that there has been no breach on security .... but .... I then read stories like this that clearly contradicts this statement.

What Is The Taliban Position On The Petraeus Scandal

Petraeus Sex Scandal Amuses Taliban -- News International

ISLAMABAD: The sex scandal that has brought down CIA chief David Petraeus may be causing heartache in the Washington security establishment but the affair has prompted laughter among the Taliban.

Petraeus resigned last week to pre-empt revelations of an affair with his married biographer Paula Broadwell, bringing to an end a glittering military career that included a spell commanding NATO forces fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan.

A stony-faced Taliban official burst into laughter at the mention of the Petraeus affair during an interview with AFP in northwest Pakistan this week.

"What a bastard! But all Americans are the same, it's nothing new," the official said, who did not want to be named.

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My Comment: Here is a heads up .... how Americans view sex scandals and the culture of sex is radically different from how other cultures and countries view such behavior. In Asia .... Americans have a reputation of always committing gross sexual crimes ... this is why people in Okinawa get so incensed when a US servicemen is charged for committing such a crime. In Asian and Middle Eastern Muslim countries .... adultery, sexual crimes, homosexuality, pornography, etc., are cultural and societal taboos .... and are dealt with severely. Burning Korans gets religious Muslims enraged, but the West's sexual cultural norms is what concerns all Muslims. Unfortunately for us .... the Petraeus scandal only confirms how these people see us.

President Obama: No Evidence That Petraeus Scandal Has Breached National Security

Obama: No Evidence Classified Info Compromised In Petraeus Scandal -- CBS News

President Obama said today that he's seen no evidence to suggest that classified information was compromised because of the scandal that led to former CIA Director David Petraeus' resignation last week.

"I have no evidence at this point from what I've seen that classified information was disclosed in any way that would've had a negative impact on our national security," Mr. Obama said in his first White House news conference since winning re-election.

Petraeus abruptly resigned on Friday after admitting to an extramarital affair. Mr. Obama said that Petraeus did not meet his own standards to serve as CIA director because of his improper relationship with his biographer, Paula Broadwell.

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More News On President Obama's Comments That There Is No Evidence That The Petraeus Scandal Has Breached National Security

Live blog: President Obama's news conference -- CNN
Obama: No evidence of security breach in Petraeus affair -- CNN
Obama: No evidence of security breach in scandal -- AP
Obama says 'no evidence' Petraeus affair hurt security -- L.A. Times
Obama: 'No evidence' of national security harm in Petraeus scandal -- NBC News
Obama: No Security Breaches From Petraeus Scandal -- USA Today
Obama: No evidence Petraeus scandal harmed national security -- Washington Times
Obama: Petraeus affair 'posed no threat to national security' -- New York Daily News
Petraeus affair: Obama sees 'no evidence' of breach -- BBC

BREAKING NEWS: Former CIA Director David Petraeus Has Agreed To Testify On Friday

Petraeus Agrees To Testify On Libya Before Congressional Committees -- FOX News

Former CIA Director David Petraeus has agreed to testify about the Libya terror attack before the House and Senate intelligence committees, Fox News has learned.

Petraeus had originally been scheduled to testify this Thursday on the burgeoning controversy over the deadly Sept. 11 attack.

That appearance was scuttled, though, after the director abruptly resigned over an extramarital affair.

Lawmakers, though, complained that the scandal was no reason they shouldn't hear from the man at the helm of the CIA when CIA operatives came under attack alongside State Department employees in Benghazi last month.

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My Comment: This testimony is gong to be watched by millions. I am glad that David Petraeus has agreed to do this .... and while I do appreciate how difficult this will be for him, I do hope that the Congressional Committees will still ask the hard questions.

Update: Rats .... his testimony will be behind CLOSED doors.

CIA Security Breaches Revealed In Emails

Emails That Touched Off Scandal Described CIA Director's Movements -- Reuters

(Reuters) - Anonymous harassing emails that Tampa socialite Jill Kelley turned over to the FBI contained information about the movements of CIA Director David Petraeus which was not publicly available, a law enforcement source told Reuters.

The fact that the emails' author - later determined to be Petraeus' mistress Paula Broadwell - knew confidential information about the CIA chief's activities was one of the main reasons the FBI felt compelled to launch an in-depth investigation into their origin and motivation, the source said.

The emails, which a second law enforcement source said included warnings to Kelley, a family friend of Petraeus, that the writer knew "what you were doing," were sent to Kelley by a sender who used several fake email addresses.

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My Comment: If this story is true, it is then also true that Petraeus' mistress Paula Broadwell must have had access to intelligence secrets for which she was not cleared for.

The Petraeus Scandal In One Picture

Petraeus' Mistress Discovered Lying Low In DC

Found! Petraeus' Mistress Discovered Lying Low In DC As Her Love Rivals Emails To General Allen Are Described As 'Phone Sex' -- Daily Mail

* Paula Broadwell photographed for the first time since the resignation of CIA boss David Petraeus - at her brother's home in Washington D.C.
* The 40-year-old mother of two is at the centre of the sex scandal which has claimed the career of retired four-star general Petraeus and threatens that of General John Allen
* The affair was uncovered after Broadwell sent threatening messages to Jill Kelley, 37 - telling her to back off from friendship with Petraeus
* Caused FBI to begin an investigation which led them to uncover 'potentially inappropriate' communication between General John Allen, 58, and Kelley
* Sources close to that investigation describe the correspondence between Kelley and Allen as like 'phone sex'

She could be any other American housewife preparing an evening meal with a glass of wine in her hand - but the strain on the face of Paula Broadwell is all too clear to see.

Pictured for the first time since her scandalous affair with shamed former CIA boss David Petraeus became public on Friday, the 40-year-old mother-of-two has taken refuge at a house owned by her brother, Stephen Kranz, in the Petworth suburb of Washington D.C.

She was seen looking pensive as she sipped a glass of red wine and spoke to a man and woman in the kitchen on Tuesday night - yet there was no sign of her husband Scott.

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My Comment: Someone should tell Paula Broadwell that lying low in DC with it's press corp is not the place to go to.

What Did Former CIA Director David Petraeus’s Secret Trip To Libya Find?

David Petraeus’s Secret Trip To Libya After The Benghazi Attack -- Eli Lake, Daily Beast

Congress wants to know why David Petraeus took a classified trip to the country where U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens was murdered—and what the general found out while he was there. Eli Lake reports.

Last month, as the FBI was closing in on his affair with Paula Broadwell and the political fight over Benghazi was heating up, David Petraeus made an undisclosed trip to Tripoli, Libya. The purpose of the trip, according to congressional and U.S. officials, was to examine what remained of the CIA’s presence in the country after the United States abandoned the agency’s base and nearby U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi after the Sept. 11 assassination of U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens.

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Update: Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein wants Petraeus to testify on Capitol Hill about the terror attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, and is 'sure' it will happen -- New York Daily News

My Comment: Then CIA Director Petraeus must have known something was not right if he had to go to Benghazi (in secret) to find out what exactly happened. I have no proof .... I am relying on my own gut feelings .... but I suspect that what he found (and what was confirmed) will raise a few eyebrows if it becomes public.

Update: Confirmed: David Petraeus has agreed to voluntarily testify on Libya. Has notified all involved. Fox

Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials On The Petraeus Scandal

Why Petraeus's Affair Matters (but Bill Clinton's Didn't) -- Kathleen J. McInnis, The Atlantic

Along with millions who have lived and worked with members of the military, I was shocked when General Petraeus resigned on Friday. While it's a personal tragedy, it's only one of a number of body blows our military community has absorbed over the past couple of years. One blow: concerns about the erosion of the military family. Another: scandals (sexual, financial or otherwise) dogging our military's leaders. All of this is occurring as our country fights two major wars, one still ongoing. These are intimately interconnected issues that, taken together, make me wonder whether we are seeing the warning signs of a military stretched to its breaking point.

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More Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials On The Petraeus Scandal

David Petraeus’s affair has damaged the nation -- Washington Post editorial
A spy tale with missing pieces -- Eugene Robinson, Washington Post
Why did Eric Cantor know about Petraeus investigation 12 days before Obama- and more than a week before the Election? -- Toby Harnden, Daily Mail
The Petraeus Illusion -- Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker
Petraeus: A necessary man -- L.A. Times editorial
The Siren and the Spook -- Frank Bruni, New York Times
Allen Wrenched -- Mark Thompson, Time
Is The Petraeus Scandal Tied To Libya Cover-Up? -- CBS
Petraeus affair: Why do the powerful cheat? -- Sharon Jayson, USA Today
From Kelley to Petraeus, It Doesn't Add Up -- Paul D. Shinkman, US News & World Report
Get Petraeus back to work -- Richard Cohen, Washington Post
Petraeus and Broadwell used 'email trick' during affair -- USA Today
The General, The Biographer, And Unencrypted Email -- Jon Matonis, Forbes
Understanding the Petraeus email trail -- NBC
Gmail And The FBI Took Down David Petraeus: Why It Matters To You -- Alyona Minkovski, Huffington Post
Be wary about what you read on the Petraeus scandal -- Dan Murphy, Christian Science Monitor
Should our top spies be using Gmail? -- John Reed, Boston Globe
The Assassination of David Petraeus, Human Being -- Stephen Marche, The Esquire