Petraeus

In response to Susan Reimer 's column ("Did Petraeus have to step down?" Nov. 13), I think Ms. Reimer is missing the bigger point when she writes "Men such as he are going to have to be able to survive these intensely private falls from grace or we are going to run out of talent. " The bigger point is that this man swore an oath to his wife and then, knowing the consequences, broke that vow. We cannot give smart or brave men (or women) a pass because they are smart or brave. What is the line about integrity?

There are a lot worse things going on in our country right now than Gen. David Petraeus cheating on his wife, and one of them is our country's invidious use of drone warfare. The worst part about it is that we have been brainwashed to believe that it is an acceptable plan of action. The only television commentators that I have seen express moral outrage are Tavis Smiley and Amy Goodman - both on Public Broadcasting. It appears that we ordinary citizens, along with President Barack Obama, Congress, the military, and the money-making drone manufacturers, have given our consent to invade, at will, independent countries and kill and maim indiscriminately with impunity.

I think if President Barack Obama proposed a balanced budget in return for taxing the wealthy, a compromise would be attainable. As to Benghazi, either Susan Rice (on the Sunday shows after the ambassador to Libya was killed), or President Obama (in the second debate when he told Mitt Romney to read the transcript of the Rose Garden briefing with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton), is telling a falsehood. Finally, it is impossible to believe that when Gen. David H. Petraeus was being investigated last summer, FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III did not inform Attorney General Eric Holder and that Mr Holder did not let President Obama know.

Susan Reimer 's column, "Surprising reaction to L'affaire Petraeus," (Nov. 15), brings up a number of salient points, most notably that male readers in large part thought that Gen. David Petraeus took the honorable, necessary course of action, while women who responded pointed out that chief executives of the past often had affairs but managed to carry out their duties. Ms. Reimer sums up her readers' feelings on General Petraeus and his philandering with the following: "With all due respect ... that has nothing to do with my oath of office, and it's none of your business.

Last week was a historic one for women. Eighteen women won or reclaimed Senate seats, bringing the number of women in that body to 20. Nearly 80 women now occupy the House. New Hampshire became the first state to elect a female governor and an all-women congressional delegation. But wait: What's that sound of tires screeching to a halt? What's that feeling of being yanked aside by the elbow and told, "Not so fast, missy. " It's that timeless behemoth known as the double standard, that ever-present reminder that no matter how many elected offices women hold or Cabinet positions they fill, no matter how many Fortune 500 companies they run, there's no amount of success that can't be undone by the ultimate mistake: a failure to comply with the strict set of culturally sanctioned standards of attractiveness.

Gen. David Petraeus' actions over the past several years show that he considers himself more of a prince than a member of the armed forces who answers to his civilian commander-in-chief ("Did Petraeus have to step down?" Nov. 13). In Afghanistan, he insisted on fresh pineapple each night and fresh bananas sliced on his cereal every morning. A fawning media and Congress evidently went to his head, leading him to believe that ordinary rules of conduct and law did not apply to his princely persona.

WASHINGTON -- The weeklong cavalcade that will accompany Army Gen. David Petraeus' return to Washington today will look much like his pivotal visit in September: formal testimony, talk show appearances, and lots of charts and graphs. But this time, the U.S. commander's presentation to Congress on Iraq collides head-on with a raging presidential campaign and two Democratic candidates demanding almost the opposite of his advice. The change could prove jarring. For more than a year, Petraeus had the benefit of a commander in chief who was invested heavily in the same manpower-intensive strategy that he has advocated.

WASHINGTON -- With the decision announced yesterday to elevate Gen. David Petraeus to lead the U.S. Central Command and Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno to succeed Petraeus as the top commander in Iraq, the Bush administration laid the groundwork for the next president with a pair of generals who have spoken sternly about Iran and cautioned against pulling out of Iraq too quickly. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said that Petraeus, who has been given much of the credit for the sharp drop in violence in Iraq, is "the best man for the job" to succeed Adm. William Fallon as the top commander overseeing the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as 25 other nations that fall under Centcom's watch.

WASHINGTON -- President Bush's nominee to be the new commander in Iraq, Army Lt. Gen. David H. Petraeus, told Congress yesterday that the situation in Iraq is dire and poses "tough days" ahead, but pleaded for time to begin executing a new strategy. Petraeus, who holds a doctorate from Princeton University and developed the Army's counterinsurgency warfare manual, is expected to win Senate approval later this week, despite his role as an architect of the unpopular new Bush strategy. But as Petraeus fielded questions from senators of both parties about the deepening dilemma facing U.S. forces, he was forthcoming and occasionally blunt in his assessment of American odds in the war-torn country.

WASHINGTON - Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, the U.S. commander in Iraq, gave Congress a markedly more upbeat assessment of the war yesterday than he did just six weeks ago, saying violence has hit a four-year low and further troop reductions are likely in the fall. Qualifying his assessment, Petraeus said the additional troop withdrawals may be small, potentially less than a full 3,500-soldier combat brigade. He also said that political goals continue to lag, noting that Iraqi provincial elections scheduled for October will be postponed by at least a month.

I think if President Barack Obama proposed a balanced budget in return for taxing the wealthy, a compromise would be attainable. As to Benghazi, either Susan Rice (on the Sunday shows after the ambassador to Libya was killed), or President Obama (in the second debate when he told Mitt Romney to read the transcript of the Rose Garden briefing with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton), is telling a falsehood. Finally, it is impossible to believe that when Gen. David H. Petraeus was being investigated last summer, FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III did not inform Attorney General Eric Holder and that Mr Holder did not let President Obama know.

David Petraeus betrayed his wife; that is between them. It does however show a lack of responsibility and judgment. The personal betrayal is compounded in the betrayal of his country by jollying in the CIA director's office with a woman, Angela Jolie, who not only is a publicity hound but who also has no business in that inner sanctum of national secrets. This makes private citizens wonder about the classified information that Patricia Broadwell has in hand; did it come from a man lacking judgment when faced with aggressive women?

Last week was a historic one for women. Eighteen women won or reclaimed Senate seats, bringing the number of women in that body to 20. Nearly 80 women now occupy the House. New Hampshire became the first state to elect a female governor and an all-women congressional delegation. But wait: What's that sound of tires screeching to a halt? What's that feeling of being yanked aside by the elbow and told, "Not so fast, missy. " It's that timeless behemoth known as the double standard, that ever-present reminder that no matter how many elected offices women hold or Cabinet positions they fill, no matter how many Fortune 500 companies they run, there's no amount of success that can't be undone by the ultimate mistake: a failure to comply with the strict set of culturally sanctioned standards of attractiveness.

OK, I'm done. I've had my fun clicking through every last story, tweet and meme about Betraeusgate. I already know how this movie ends, eventually. Somehow, the men will be fine — time will pass, and they'll get invitations to join corporate boards and speak at management seminars about leadership and motivation. The women? They'll be invited to pose in Playboy. Some things never change, especially sex scandals such as the current one, over the resigned CIA director David Petraeus' affair with his totally "All In" biographer Paula Broadwell.

It's amazing that the men who ran the CIA and the war in Afghanistan had so much time on their hands ("Pieces of a puzzle," Nov. 14). The indiscretions of former CIA Director David Petraeus and Gen. John Allen are an embarrassment. I hate to think what the "boots on the ground" are saying about their leaders today. However, in the case of Mr. Petraeus it was more than a fall from grace, more than a personal failing and poor judgment. It was blatant disregard for national security.

In response to Susan Reimer 's column ("Did Petraeus have to step down?" Nov. 13), I think Ms. Reimer is missing the bigger point when she writes "Men such as he are going to have to be able to survive these intensely private falls from grace or we are going to run out of talent. " The bigger point is that this man swore an oath to his wife and then, knowing the consequences, broke that vow. We cannot give smart or brave men (or women) a pass because they are smart or brave. What is the line about integrity?

WASHINGTON -- Ever since last spring, President Bush has publicly staked the future of his strategy in Iraq on a series of briefings that an Army general will deliver to Congress today and tomorrow - the long-awaited report by Gen. David Petraeus on the state of the war. "Why don't you wait and see what [Petraeus] says?" Bush pleaded with Congress in May. "Fund the troops, and let him come back and report to the American people." Bush's reasoning, aides said, was simple: An assessment from Petraeus was likely to enjoy more credibility with Congress and the public than anything the president could say. Aides knew Petraeus was likely to support Bush's strategy in Iraq, because the general was one of the architects of the yearlong buildup of troops to try to stabilize Baghdad and other areas.

WASHINGTON -- The sectarian violence engulfing Iraq will only grow worse if the U.S. abandons its current military strategy and begins to withdraw its forces, the top American war commander said yesterday. Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, speaking at a Pentagon news conference, said he was trying to steer clear of the "political minefields" of Washington and avoided any direct comment on the showdown between Congress and the White House over Iraq. But he said that limited improvements resulting from President Bush's new war strategy would be eroded by troop withdrawals.

Gen. David Petraeus' actions over the past several years show that he considers himself more of a prince than a member of the armed forces who answers to his civilian commander-in-chief ("Did Petraeus have to step down?" Nov. 13). In Afghanistan, he insisted on fresh pineapple each night and fresh bananas sliced on his cereal every morning. A fawning media and Congress evidently went to his head, leading him to believe that ordinary rules of conduct and law did not apply to his princely persona.

WEATHER: Mostly cloudy, high near 52 . Tonight is expected to be mostly cloudy, low around 40. TRAFFIC: Check our traffic updates for this morning's issues. TOP NEWS General under investigation in Petraeus probe was leader at Naval Academy : Now under investigation for emails he allegedly sent to a Tampa socialite described as the "other other woman" in the Petraeus adultery scandal, Gen. John R. Allen is remembered at the Naval Academy as a transformative commandant.