Comments on: Petraeus: A loss of real military standards

By: ironiclad

ironiclad — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 17:29:07 +0000

Petraeus soiled himself badly. The sex caper was cheesy, but his use of public funds for his high lifestyle is the big mistake. I think of our service men and women on the war front, and Petraeus acting like the big man, running women and soaking the taxpayers, boils my blood. He needs to get out of public life. No one will miss him.

By: 2educated

2educated — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 08:57:49 +0000

Of course he had to resign…who could respect him? Who could trust him? What else was he capable of?
We need men and women of character who would not cheat on their spouses, or their country. Who would not poison the cool-aid, or have a secret “enemies” list. This is not about sex…it’s about character. This is not some puritanical prudishness, but a real question about the character of men who have the concerns and cares of a petty woman and her family with no real connection to the military, attach herself familiarly to 2 of our top commanders, with unsavory results. If these women with their meager resources could crack open our corrupt leadership…what would someone with a real mission or talent reveal? Character does count. These texting, emailing, frolicking men and their stupid women disgust me. Evidently, none of them are working…

By: JacobC

JacobC — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 01:39:27 +0000

Don’t judge someone on his private life on the so called moralistic standards that we assume for ourselves. We too are prone to the same failing that is on display and a chance for course correction should have been given. Confidential documents in the hands of his paramour needs to be investigated and found if he was responsible for it or was it the lady’s work.

No general or capable person should be treated this way. The sin of not doing much is far larger a sin than the sin of having done it one’s way.

By: MEWeaver

MEWeaver — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 18:56:41 +0000

Ricks is right, Petraus issue tells us more about our country. Why should the nation care about a person that breaks the most important covenant relationship two humans can enter into? Ricks moral relativisnm is a perfect example of why the US is becoming a moral cesspool.

By: Brent1023

Brent1023 — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 18:52:28 +0000

Given the considerable debate over Petraeus’ achievements, comparing him to Eisenhower does a considerable disservice to Eisenhower. Not only a great general, but a true leader.

Many suggest that Petraeus was the Kardashian of the Pentagon. Faithful tame press retinue in constant attendance, plagiarized COIN manual, Iraq surge a success only because a civil war had already erupted that continues, Afghanistan surge a success only in that it delayed the inevitable defeat until after the election.

That so few of his peers actually mourn his going – or he would not be going – is an indication that his press related obsessions rather than his sex life was the real cause of his downfall.

By: JL4

JL4 — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 18:24:14 +0000

People in positions of great power over the lives of others need to demonstrate good judgment. Expecting those with that power to refrain from behavior that is considered bad judgment in our society is not too much to ask.

I sometimes wonder what these powerful people are thinking, when the “other side” is always, always, always out to destroy them. Thinking they won’t get caught is a far worse judgment lapse than having that extramarital affair. He should leave for being stupid, not unfaithful.

By: JHJSS3

JHJSS3 — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 17:21:38 +0000

I agree 100%, we have no business in the privates live of the general or anyone. When is it anyone’s business about who we do or do not sleep with? These are all consenting adults.

By: Kelsbells

Kelsbells — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 15:11:28 +0000

“We have asked much of him, sending him on three tours of duty in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. Yet when the time came for us to be generous in return, we were not.”

We have asked too much from EVERY soldier who has served multiple tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. Does Mr. Ricks have the same sympathy for those with less rank who committed adultery, and were court-martialed/disciplined/had their career suffer the consequences?
The only difference is timing – the General waited until he was a civilian.

By: streetview

streetview — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 12:17:07 +0000

There is too much here we don’t know.
How can a low-level gum-shoe begin an investigation going after the head of the CIA? What does sending bare-chested e-mails to his lady friends signify, and how does this FBI agent qualify as a “whistle-blower” with Republican Rep. Eric Cantor in D.C.? In short, what is the role, and the motivations of the FBI?

If indeed any lowly agent can mobilize the apparatus of the FBI against any person he desires, for any personal or venal motivation driving him, then we are all in grave danger of losing our freedom, and no one is safe from the shadowy sleuths running the huge secret police apparatus we’ve created under the auspices of the FBI.

Given free reigns to investigate “terrorism”, the FBI seems to have turned into an uncontrolled, and uncontrollable secret police apparatus capable of investigating and bringing the downfall of any citizen they care to target. It appears today that in giving the FBI this kind of unlimited power, we have traded in our freedom for our hope of protection from terror. If that is the case, al Qaeda has won, and American democracy has lost.

If all General Petraeus was guilty of is an extramarital affair, we are a nation of fools for allowing him to resign, or for finding this in any way acceptable. On the contrary – in that case, we should be demanding his reinstatement. There are many metrics to judge our officials – whether they are having, or have had an extramarital affair should not be one of them.

By: tmc

tmc — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 11:40:51 +0000

I agree with the author and am ashamed of most the commenters above. It really shows how the demographics of the US have changed. It is no longer the country I knew and defended. I feel like a man who’s nation has abandoned him.