UPDATED! Sex, Lies & Videotape; Petraeus’ Benghazi Problem
Something isn’t adding up. While America was voting on November 6th, a certain theme was emerging regarding General Petraeus. Seems with all the Benghazi drip, drip revelations one fact got swept under the rug, forgotten as the scandal mounted. Remember back to the beginning, and the YouTube “excuse” that many questioned from day one. That “excuse” remains problematic, and with the hearings set for November 15th, the origin of that excuse will again be in the spotlight. From a November 6th article by Diana West, she recalls the September 14th House and Intelligence Committee briefing:
That most important question is, Why, three days after this terrorist attack that killed four Americans in Benghazi, did Petraeus go before the House Intelligence Committee and brief lawmakers that a Youtube video was to blame for a “spontaneous” protest — wholly fictitious — that “went on,” as ranking Democrat Dutch Ruppersberger told ABC on September 14 following the Petraeus briefing, “for two to three hours”?
Ruppersberger:
“In the Benghazi area, in the beginning we feel that it was spontaneous – the protest- because it went on for two or three hours, which is very relevant because if it was something that was planned, then they could have come and attacked right away,” Ruppersberger, D-Md., said following the hour-long briefing by Petraeus. “At this point it looks as if there was a spontaneous situation that occurred and that as a result of that, the extreme groups that were probably connected to al Qaeda took advantage of that situation and then the attack started.”
That West wrote that article November 6th, makes the Petraeus “resignation” on November 9th highly suspect. Pundits are out in force questioning the “affair” with high ranking retired Military stating “its not a must for him to resign over an affair”. That the FBI was conducting “some investigation” in which they learned of the Petraeus affair is interesting, as the FBI is the agency investing Benghazi too. What even causes one to pause is what West uncovers about Petraeus and the funerals for the 2 CIA operatives:
Mr. Petraeus didn’t attend funerals held later for the two CIA contractors, irking some administration officials and CIA veterans.
With that said, most of what we know of Petraeus prior to Benghazi is that he is a true American hero. We hope this scandal doesn’t end like a bad suspense novel for Petraeus. All the American people have ever wanted out of the Benghazi attack is to know the truth. We have heard rumors that Petraeus will probably “lawyer” up and as of now its reported he will not testify at the hearing on Benghazi. In his place will be Michael Morell, the “now” acting CIA Director.
What is also incredibly “odd” is that this affair with Paula Broadwell, an embedded reporter in Afghanistan, happened prior to Petraues becoming Director of the CIA. That is significant as Paul Mirengoff points out:
If so, then it seems that the affair started before Petraeus became the director of the CIA. The background check on Petraeus when he was being considered for the CIA job must have been incredibly thorough. And, since an affair with an embedded reporter would probably have been difficult to keep fully secret, even an ordinary investigation might well have uncovered word of it.
Thus, it may be that the White House knew of the General’s affair before he became the DCIA.
Updated: Here is a FOX News account on the possible impetus of the FBI “investigating” a CIA Director:
The FBI investigation that led to the discovery of CIA Director David Petraeus’ extramarital affair and his resignation Friday started when the agency began monitoring Petraeus’ email, Fox News has learned.
The agency was alerted that biographer Paula Broadwell, with whom Petraeus had the affair, may have had access to his personal email account.
The investigation began when someone reported suspicious emails allegedly from Broadwell to the FBI. The agency then determined that she allegedly had emailed a number of government employees. The FBI was at one point trying to determine whether any of the employees were being stalked, sources told Fox News. …
Source said the FBI investigation ended when the agency determined no criminal acts had been committed.
Then there is the whole “timing issue” of the resignation:
I’ve tried several times to comment on this, but for ‘whatever’ I don’t seem able to?????
Of course it works now!! So here’s my thoughts. First let me take a moment to indulge in wistful thinking…Wouldn’t it just be grand that infidelity or ‘sex scandals’ were as effective at cleaning out the hallowed halls of Congress & the air over our Capitol?… It seems that ther is a defined & deliberate plan to rid this administrtion of anyone that is of an ‘inconvience’ through Chicago polotics. This futher serves to validate my thoughts on the sudden reversal of John Roberts.This day of all days another slap in the face of our fantastic military & their familes that have given so much so that these greedy, pompous ____ can sit & stroke each other. There are not enough kudos or accolades to fully honor a national treasure like the General & those who actually understand ‘serve’ their country.