Sex and the CIA: The Abrupt Fall of Gen. David Petraeus
On the sudden resignation of Gen. David Petraeus over an adulterous affair, political pundit David Brooks lamented that we couldn't have a more "French attitude" toward such human peccadilloes. Indeed, the CIA's third and longest serving director, Allen Dulles, was a notorious serial adulterer who reportedly had sex with the Queen of Greece in his office. So, why drum one of America's most brilliant generals out of office in the bat of an eye?
Three reasons:
the Uniform Code of Military Justice defines adultery as a crime which "brings discredit upon the armed forces (and is) conduct prejudicial to good order and discipline." Furthermore, retired members of the uniformed services who are entitled to retirement pay are also subject to the UCMJ. Therefore, Petraeus's retired status does not exempt him from military justice. There is also the open question concerning "the misuse, if any, of government time and resources to facilitate the commission of the conduct," another violation of the UCMJ.
moral transgressions among those working in national security potentially make those officials vulnerable to compromise by hostile intelligence services. By keeping secret an adulterous affair, the CIA's top official opened himself up to blackmail.
as a four-star general and Director of Central Intelligence, Petraeus is expected to hold himself to a high moral example to those who work for him. Tawdry personal behavior is not to be tolerated. Allen Dulles lived in an era when the media generally did not report the sexual escapades of the country's political leaders. That is not the case today.
Text redacted by USG censors:
ttxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx attitude toward adulterous affairs, drinking problems and mental health issues xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx to be quite tolerant. Superiors generally counseled those with behavioral issues as a first resort, using punitive measures only when counseling didn’t work. Embassy personnel xxxxxxxxxxxserving in hostile nations, however, were yanked out quickly when found to be engaged in adultery since, again, they opened themselves up to potential blackmail. Even dating foreign nationals required disclosure to security officers, as I found out when I began seeing my future wife, who was Dutch.
The FBI reportedly stumbled upon the Petraeus-Paula Broadwell connection in the course of investigating threatening emails sent by Ms. Broadwell to a female associate of Petraeus's via Gmail. It is well known that the Chinese, Russians, North Koreans and others aggressively target U.S. government agencies and personnel via the internet, prying secrets wherever and whenever they can. Employees of the the intelligence agencies, the military and the State Department receive regular briefings and admonishments on safeguarding classified information from such digital prying. Petraeus may have made himself vulnerable in his careless use of personal emails.
And there's likely more to this story than what's been revealed so far. The FBI does not routinely investigate cases of threatening emails. This normally is not their job. A federal crime must be in the making. Furthermore, a court warrant must be obtained before they can eavesdrop on an American citizen. Finally, the FBI's investigation apparently was months in the making. There may be a mountain under this mole hill of an adulterous affair.
How such a brilliant public servant as Petraeus could entangle himself in an affair he knew could destroy his career, not to mention his marriage, is anybody's guess. He was famous for his judicious public persona, circumspection and self-discipline. But he is also human, like the rest of us. If an adulterous affair is the only thing behind his abrupt resignation, he certainly has more he can contribute by heading a prominent academic institution, think tank or other non-governmental organization once the dust has settled. David Petraeus's last chapter has not been written.