General Petraeus has resigned in disgrace. His wife is understandably very angry. It still remains to be seen if Paula Broadwell is the only woman involved or whether Jill Kelley, the woman Broadwell sent threatening e-mails was also involved, as Broadwell evidently suspected.
News reports suggest Obama and others in the administration wanted Petraeus to stay and tough it out. The general took the bullet. Admitting everything and apologizing to all for his indiscretions.
It’s the only positive from a bad situation.
No Bill Clinton lying and having Hillary by his side while he lied. No Elliot Spitzer with that angry wife at the press conference tying to look like she wan’t a hostage. No Anthony Wiener looking like a wienie with yet another angry wife.
Just a man who screwed up standing up and taking his punishment.
I have always admired General Petraeus. He won the Iraq war despite Senator Obama voting against the surge that worked. Then watched all he did be undone when all the troops were withdrawn and the hostile influences he defeated waltzed right back into the country.
He tried to win with the same tactics in Afghanistan, but the Pakistanis made sure it failed by letting the hostiles go back and forth across the border.
His fellow military people considered him a suck-up. Starting at West Point where he married the superintendent’s daughter. But, he won the top three awards at army ranger training. Still, he worked the politics hard. Never missing an opportunity to be in front of a camera. Guess that all changed last week. He will avoid cameras and microphones from now until he dies. No one ever questioned his courage.
Find me a politician with enough courage to handle his mess the way he did. Won’t happen, sorry.
