The chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee second-guessed President Obama’s acceptance of former CIA Director David Petraeus’ resignation.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) called the surprising news “an enormous loss for our nation’s intelligence community and for our country.”
“On a personal level, I found his command of intelligence issues second to none. He was especially cooperative with Congress as we executed our oversight responsibility, and he was responsible for improving American relationships with intelligence agencies in countries around the world,” she said.
Petraeus was supposed to testify before the committee next week about the Benghazi attack, but was replaced with Acting Director Michael Morell after his resignation.
“I wish President Obama had not accepted this resignation, but I understand and respect the decision,” Feinstein said.
In July, Feinstein angered the White House by saying someone in their ranks was responsible for high-profile leaks of classified information.
The chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, which was also supposed to have Petraeus at the witness table for a closed-door Benghazi hearing next week, issued a brief, guarded statement on the news.
“I appreciate the decades of service David Petraeus has given to our country. His entire career has been spent defending and protecting the United States,” said Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.). “I am confident the CIA will continue to successfully carry out its vital mission through this transition.”
“General David Petraeus will stand in the ranks of America’s greatest military heroes,” said Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). “His inspirational leadership and his genius were directly responsible – after years of failure – for the success of the surge in Iraq. General Petraeus has devoted his life to serving the country he loves, and America is so much the better for it. We are immensely grateful for General Petraeus’s decades of work on behalf of our nation, our military, and our security. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.”
At today’s White House press briefing, Jay Carney said he wasn’t “aware” of Petraeus meeting with the president.
Asked if Obama has “full faith and confidence in General Petraeus and want him to stay on the job,” Carney responded, “The president thinks General Petraeus has done an excellent job.”
Toward the end of the briefing, the news of his resignation broke and reporters began grilling the press secretary.
“I think I’ll let General Petraeus address this,” Carney said. “…I don’t have any information to give to you on this.”
Of course he was going to accept the resignation. No reason to not deliver potentially fatal wounds to possible non-Democrat candidates. That’s how America rolls now, you know. If you in any way can be conceved as a threat to the Party and the cause, you should be ready to be purged if you ever do something they can get you on.
Honey-trap.
Keep an eye on what is happening in Chicago
Why are Blagojevich’s attorney’s silent?
http://illinoispaytoplay.com/2012/11/09/why-are-blagojevichs-attorneys-silent/
It also is a nice blow at the prestige of the military. Something Bill Clinton made sure to do a week ago, through a sideswipe.
Relating to Benghazigate, this is actually good news, and not for the Pyromaniac-in-Chief.
Things are heating up, and very quickly. And he will sing like a bird, once he is free to do so. He will be called to testify and that will be that -http://adinakutnicki.com/2012/11/09/benghazigate-gaining-steam-some-tailwinds-are-hard-to-contain-regardless-of-the-furious-spin-addendum-to-benghazigates-underpinnings-commentary-by-adina-kutnicki/
From this blogger’s perspective I am pleased as punch.
Yes, he knows where the bodies are buried!
Right on, Adina! He has already thrown his first curve by stating that nobody in the CIA held back help to the embattled ambassador. Hopefully, the GOP will be more alive in this case and impeach Obama for Benghazigate which makes Watergate look like ring-around-the-rosy in kindergarten.
While I share your views and wish Impeachment were a good solution,two things come to mind. 1) Boner will probable negotiate with himself for a while and then cry before finally backing down. And 2 Harry Reid will not let a budget come to the senate no less an impeachment case against the anointed one. But I do want to hear what Petraeus will say and I hope it is damning in the extreme.
Well, here’s a sour laugh.
Feinstein saw, could not have failed to see, how our very own Black Mussolini double-crossed and rode roughshod over everybody who got in his way. But of course, that would never apply to HER.
Hope there’s enough room left under the bus, Diane. Claim your spot early, it’s gonna get really crowded down there.
No kidding. I was kinda surprised The Machine didn’t throw a monkey wrench into her reelection bid after her sniffing around the White House and wondering aloud that someone was misusing classified information. Which makes this most recent questioning of The Machine’s actions against Petraeus interesting. But she’s thick headed enough she may not have gotten the message. No problem – I’m sure she’ll hear from The Machine very soon.
Not possible. DiFi is a fixture in California, and not even The One could queer her re-election without some ungodly fuss, not to mention the risk of a Republican Senator from California, ye gods.
Feinstein is a loyal Democratic soldier, but she’s never been part of the Nancy Pelosi Psychotic Brigade, and doesn’t owe much more than standard party allegiance to the Chicago team. She has a decent head on her shoulders.
I think what you’re seeing here is DiFi getting old (she’s 69 and been a Senator for 20 years, this was very likely her last election), and starting not to care so very much about party discipline. She may just feel a little freer to take shots across the bow of Team Obama, because she’s got zip to fear from them.
Woops, typo. DiFi is 79, not 69. Only emphasizes the point she’s got nothing to fear from Valerie Jarrett and her nancy boy employer.
DiFi’s sniffing around the WH was window dressing?
I of course have a lot of problems with DiFi, but I believe she takes the security of the nation seriously.
This is all very peculiar. Or maybe not.
Notice that Feinstein, as Chair of the Committee, while professing regret at his resignation, could insist that he testify about Benghazi but does not.
This resignation just locks in the cover up.
I stongly suspect that Petraeus was being blackmailed by Team Obama to tell the Intelligence Committee only what Dear Leader wanted him the say, i.e. perpetuate the Big Lie. By confessing his sins and outing himself, it is hopeful he is now free to sing like a bird. [I recommend the General hire some former SEAL bodyguards ASAP.]
Well, that depends. If this is the truth, the Traitor and Thief could be holding over Petraeus’ head the threat of being reactivated in order to be court-martialed for conduct unbecoming if he goes ahead and testifies. He knows where the bodies are buried, that’s for sure, and the accounts I’ve seen suggest that the FBI went on a witch-hunt to find some dirt on him, and happened on email that the alleged mistress sent to government personnel, probably requesting background on the biography she was writing. Obviously, the Senate will now be under command from Reid not to question him. If it looks as if he is going to be subpoenaed by the House, I expect that we will see him Fosterized.
Once he’s no longer the DCI, he cannot give testimony as the agency’s spokesman. He would now have to be issued a subpoena to testify in her personal capacity.\\
Sorry. I don’t get it at all.
Being a private citizen now doesn’t mean he cannot be subpeanad does it? I would think being a private citizen would make it easier for him to be compelled to testify rather than invoking executive privilege.
The Congress has the powers to subpoena any citizen. Also, once a Army officer reaches career status he/she is a part of the Army Officer Corps until death unless, he/she tenders resignation of commission or receives a punitive discharge. The general can be subpoened to testify about anything in the CIA ‘during’ his charge and any intelligence knowledge of the libyian situation during his other command assignments while on active duty.
Keith — Look at it this way:
1) When Petraeus was serving Obama, he supported the Benghazi BS narrative about the Muslim-hate video. As a good military man, he followed orders when testifying before Congress. He was also not under oath.
2) Now that Petraeus is an ‘ordinary’ citizen, if he’s subpoenaed to appear before Congress, he will theoretically tell the truth and save his legacy.
THE FAMILY EXCUSE
‘The family excuse’ has heretofore been used when people are forced to retire. Now, in a twist, Petraeus has used it to justify his desire to quit so that he can tell the truth about Benghazi.
Run, Carney, run, you little crapweasel!
My impression of this Carney as a Press Secretary is of one hapless young deer caught in the headlights on a very busy freeway.
Aw come on – give Carney a break. After all stupid people don’t know they’re stupid!
Even the best mule dies from overwork. His long separation from his wife probably led to a moment of weakness. I am sorry for both of them. I hope his wife will forgive him.
“General David Petraeus will stand in the ranks of America’s greatest military heroes.”
Can McCain even spell “delusional”?
Uhmmm… why not?
Grant = Drunk
RE Lee = Traitor
MacArthur = Megalomaniac
Puller = Suicide
Doesn’t take anything away from their valor or acumen.
Petraeus: incompetent commander and politically motivated tw*t.
By the way, nobody outside the US shares your fantasy (a common one, I know) that Grant and Lee were great generals. They were appalling. Why, do you think, the ACW was the bloodiest war in your history, an utter bloodbath? Every time Grant and Lee got involved, it just got worse. The two of them couldn’t even buy a victory between them.
Don’t bother replying. I’m British, but I know much more about American history than you do.
I am in awe …. You are very insightful. Maybe you should blog.
**smile** Certainly no intent to burst your bubble but — it takes very little to know more american history than the majority of americans do.
British military and diplomatic genius is why we had to bail your sorry butts out twice last century. And spend $90bn a year for 50-60 years afterward keeping you Euros from falling on each other with whatever you could find in the tool shed.
Easy there Glenn — The alliance of the Brits have saved the U.S. far more than we’ve invested in them. They have historically been our steadfast ally in the UN. They have Historically been in the trenches along side the USA in global negotiations on a wide array if issues. They have shared in the trenches along side the USA in times of military conflict. They have in their energy industries allowing for thousands upon thousands of american jobs around the globe and on down the line. Sure the Brits have their quirks just like any ally but they are not an ally you should be kicking in the groin!
I am thoroughy disgusted with so many Americans such as you Glenn. Your half educated ‘we saved your asses’ comment deserves only contempt. Lets look at what REALLY happened shall we .
WWI America sat on the sidelines until 1917 profiting hugely by selling to BOTH sides. Your troops only began arriving in any appreciable numbers on Flanders battlefields in early 1918 when the war which started in 1914 was just about over. Due mainly to the British blockade of Germany and the British invention of the TANK which finally ended Trench Warfare. . Google the casualties lists and you will see just how few Americans were killed compared to the other combatants.
WWII just like WWI America sat on the sidelines selling to BOTH sides only this time you only joined in in 1941 when attacked by Japan and Germany declared war on YOU.
In WWII the Wehrmacht was defeated by RUSSIA not by America and the British Empire and you did not SAVE the UK the RAF did that in 1940. We would have eventually defeated Germany WITHOUT you as the German army was being decimated in Russia and would never have been strong enough to invade UK and a mobilised EMPIRE made Britain stronger by the day.
All the USA can claim is you beat LITTLE Japan and your factories made fortunes selling to BOTH sides in BOTH World Wars.
Good gracious. I can begin a true litany of incompetent British generals in WW1.
But as a Brit, I’m SURE you know as well as I do.
Oh yeah, Bernard Law Montgomery? Master of the set piece battle? Arnhem?
No you don’t. You’re an idiot. The Civil War was a bloodbath because (1) Civil wars always are — can you name an exception? Even your own was, and let us not even speak of the French Revolution, the Spanish Civil War, or the Russian; (2) the sides were pretty easily matched in terms of manpower, and early on the South had the advantage of generalship, given it had supplied the bulk of the officer corps in the USA prior to 1861; the industrial might of the North took time to have an effect, just as that of the US did not change WW2 in the Pacific until 1943; (3) it was a national war between amateur and eventually conscript armies, not a chess-move war between professional armies, and these are always bloodier. cf. your little adventure in Passchendaele.
If this is an example of what you know about American history, it’s pretty appalling. You probably believe the Marlboro Man was once a US President, and John Kennedy was killed by the Mafia on orders from J. Edgar Hoover.
Well, not to question your knowledge of history at all, but is this really relevant to to topic under discussion?
Chesty Puller did not commit suicide. His son, Louis P Puller Jr., did.
Here’s the deal. The administration first told Petraeus how his upcoming testimony was to go, he said no. They then threatened to publically out his extramarital affair of which they knew about as he had in fact told them before accepting the CIA position. Stand up guy that he is he still said NO, outed himself, and resigned.
BINGO!!!!
Isn’t it interesting that all this happens on a Friday? Designated document dump day for the Obummer machine – or a personnel dump – as needed. Look for many more to come – on a Friday of course!
Or a cover up or blackmail, either way an excellent general has to go. And the next year DefSec Panetta, TreasurySec Geithner and StateSec Clinton will go too, (maybe Holder as well) or wish to retire, so Prez Zero, now better trained, will assume full dictatorial command. (P)resident Zero is very competent in destructive actions, he’s dangerous for the USA and the free world.
Let’s hope the Senate is more wary this time when it comes to confirming Cabinet secretaries. In 2009, they confirmed several important appointees, including Incompetano, in a lump, without any hearings. Each and every one of his appointees should be raked over the coals this time, and tough tookies if that means no confirmations. It would mean, however, that the House will never go into recess, but they can put him on notice that if he does another end-run around them with recess appointments when they are not in recess, they WILL impeach him. Come to think of it, they should serve him notice in that regard anyway, that at his first unconstitutional or unlawful action, they will immediately file articles. Maybe that will keep the little tyrant under control.
elephant4life:
Please hand deliver your post to Mr.Boehner; if you are able … he desperately needs some clarity and encouragement at this stage in his career. That’s a nice way of saying, “C’mon Boehner! Grow a pair won’t ya!!!!!
In what universe can the president NOT accept a resignation from a non-military post?
Guys, give it up with the “cover-up” thing. The US government has never been able to cover anything up. There are two many sources of information (and authority) and too many ways to leak.
Whoever takes the general’s place will have access to the same information. The most damaging allegations have already been raked over. The president’s already won re-election – he’s hardly going to be making threats to people who “know the truth” now.
And I think we can safely assume that the affair will have been “known” to washington insiders. People in a position like that have way too many smart people around them to keep anything that significant a secret.
I suspect that the only reason he’s waited this long is because of the election. And if he’s going to resign over something embarrassing, he’s way smarter to be doing it BEFORE congressional hearings start. Once he started appearing on front pages, it would only be a matter of time before somebody saw political advantage in leaking it to the media – and it could just as easily be something that broke on Fox as NPR (if you get my not-too-subtle point).
Not one single response.
The SEP field is strong, it seems.
Here’s what I know. As soon as the story broke today all the usual Obama defenders started defending before any facts were in evidence. Makes me wonder.
Short Dianne Fenstein: “Why should he resign over THAT!? Many of my constituents think bestiality should be legal… and we formally recgnize witchcraft, er Wicca, as a legitimate religion too… What’s the big deal?”
Well Bill Clinton did not resign because he cheated on Hillary.The perjured himself though!Anyway this quite interesting.Rest to know what was the real reason and why he cannot testify!
So Petraeus has gone and rumours are Holder might resign and Shrillary is toast . Anyone else suspicious like me that these are no accidents nor willing departures but that the USURPER in his CHICAGO way is clearing the decks to put the Blame for Benghazigate and Fast and Furious on these patsy’s.
What ever Benghazi Barack,does or say,Benghazi,fast and furious will be part with the economy of his legacy!
There are Tradecraft indications that this was a Honey Trap, albeit one executed by his own chain of command. Which will have interesting implications for all that remain in the Intel/SpecOps communities. And no doubt a few repercussions.
Feinstein is a party hack who would gladly sell this country down the river. Her praise of Petreaus and “regrets” as to his lack of testimony are the purest Dezhinformatsia and Maskirova. As has been mentioned, if she wanted his testimony, all it takes is a subpoena.
Do not be surprised if the General’s conscience forces him to take a late night stroll in Fort Marcy Park; figuratively, of course.
Subotai Bahadur
I disagree about Feinstein. She is certainly a loyal party soldier, but there are solid reasons (cited above — she is 79 and has just won her last election) why she has nothing to fear from Team Obama. I think that was just a shot across their bow, warning them there are limits to her party loyalty.
Doesn’t mean she isn’t party of a corrupt machine. She is. But there are degrees of corruption, and DiFi isn’t in the same league as Nancy Pelosi, Eric Holder, or Valerie Jarrett.
I think it’s far more simple than any honey trap conspiracy theories. Look at Paula Broadwell’s past and you’ll see that she probably slept her way to the top in a lot of other cases. I mean, c’mon, she spent time at SOCOM for goodness sakes, a place where attractive women can get ANYTHING they want if they’re willing to screw the right guy(s). Unfortunately, there are a lot of women in the US military/political/other power circles that use sex to propel their careers and Broadwell appears to be one of them.
As for Petraeus, I highly doubt Broadwell is the only one. I think we’ll see in the days to come a string of other names come out of other women, possibly even subordinates, that he’s been banging over the years. That pattern of sexual behavior catches up to you eventually…usually when someone wants you out of the way, which in old Gen P’s case is now.
Bullshit. Are you saying every female who has served with SOCOM slept her way to the top? Are you saying that honorable commanders like Adm. Eric Olson snd Adm. Bill McRaven would tolerate such an atmosphere?
Put up or shut up, E2. Until you do, you’re just another bullshit troll.
keithp
Gen. Puller did not commit suicide, his son did.
There is much more behind this than is shown or that will ever be fully divulged. I can’t forget the time the Muslim-in-Chief had Petraeus do a “TV commercial” about the koran-burning Rev. Jones, arguing that this will put our men in uniform at greater risk. I said to myself at the time, POTUS has made a puppet out of a general but he needs a better script. The argument was so pathetic. I asked myself, could General Eisenhower ever have made such a commercial for FDR (if FDR had lost his marbles as POTUS has) This resignation may not involve any extramarital affair. There may not even have ever been an extramarital affair. It sounds like a playlet authored by the low-life, Axelrod. Get your tickets folks, this is going to be an interesting show.
Poor Senator Feinstein. I think she fears a future Nuremburg trial.
Actually, Feinstein may have a very good point. Commentary here;
http://lajuntablog.blogspot.com/2012/11/petraeus.html
The ignorance and paranoia in these comments would be amusing if it were’t so depressing. He resigned because an eatra-marital affair is automatic cause for loss of security clearance. It really is as simple as that.
Do you have a cite supporting that statement?
Yeah. I have a TS/SCI clearance. I have to report so much as a traffic ticket. Anything that shows a lack of personsl integrity or that can expose you to blackmail is automatic grounds for loss of clearance.
Yes, I used to have one of those myself. But that didn’t answer my question. Do you have a cite for your statement regarding ‘automatic’ disqualification? You won’t find it in the Adjudicative Guidelines for Determining Eligibility for Access to Classified Information. In the CIA, access to TS/SCI, for example, is governed by Director of Central Intelligence Directive No. 6/4. That directive uses the Adjudicative Guidelines as criteria for approving an individual for access to SCI. The Guidelines have no ‘automatic’ disqualifiers. So … would you please provide a cite? Thanks.
PART 710—CRITERIA AND PROCEDURES FOR DETERMINING ELIGIBILITY FOR ACCESS TO CLASSIFIED MATTER
Subsection (I): Engaged in any unusual conduct or is subject to any circumstances which tend to show that the individual is not honest, reliable, or trustworthy; or which furnishes reason to believe that the individual may be subject to pressure, coercion, exploitation, or duress which may cause the individual to act contrary to the best interests of the national security.
OK, so that cite is from a DOE standard, Criteria And Procedures for Determining Eligibility for Access to Classified Matter or Special Nuclear Material. What does that have to do with Petraeus, who falls under the CIA standard. In any case, neither standard calls for ‘automatic’ withdrawal of a security clearance.In the DOE standard you present, Sec. 710.7 Application of the criteria subsection(a)makes no mention of ‘automatic’ withdrawals. It leaves it to the authorizing authority, who must apply the criteria ‘comprehensively’ and with the use of ‘common sense.’ If Obama felt – as does Feinstein – that Petraeus’ pecadilloes relative to ‘… continuation of access authorization will not endanger the common defense and security and is clearly consistent with the national interest …’ then that access would continue. There is no ‘automatic’ withdrawal. It all depends on who you are, and who is the reviewing authority, and how they want to play the game. In this case, for Petraeus, it’s game over. In other cases, quite the opposite has been true, and security clearances have been continued for the strangest characters in the strangest circumstances. There was the time the detachment commander, for example, while three sheets to the wind, snuck a hooker in to watch a B-52 strike against Skyline Ridge up in northern Laos, TS/NOFORN/SCI/ABC and XYZ … and got a bye on it. One can only wonder what kind of a deal was cut by the hooker with the reviewing authority. But that was a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. Not much appears to have changed since then.
Do we have any other conspiracies lurking in the wings? Just axin’ …
Shawn so why didn’t CLINTON resign moonbat.
Coinkydink?
Yeah, riiiiight…
(Thanks, BJ. What follows is what I discovered on the fascinating web.)
Americans Are Becoming Marks-ists !
Congratulations, all you dumb Americans, Americanos, Amerikans etc.!
The 2012 Presidential election was won by you who put a Mark on a ballot and chose to give up your freedom for “things” offered by God-banning, election-cheating (and now back-stabbing) Marks-ists!
You may not know it, but the Mark you chose can lead you straight to the Mark of the Beast found in the book of Revelation (chapters 13 and 14) – and if you choose that Mark, the same Scripture warns that you will literally (and stupidly) be giving up your eternal soul for more “things.”
Meanwhile don’t worry, you ingrate Americanimals. You won’t have to remove “God” from all 50 of your state constitutions or from your Pledge of Allegiance or your money because God is already removing Himself from YOU!
(Still with me? Check out the coming disasters revealed in Revelation that have your name on them. Also Google “The Background that Obama Can’t Cover Up.”)