As scandals go, the Benghazi-Petraeus-Broadwell-Kelley matter is scaling the heights of the truly bizarre. Here are the latest developments worthy of the pen of Flaubert.
1. Jill and the G-Man-Allegedly the FBI agent in charge of the initial investigation of the anonymous e-mails purportedly sent by Paula Broadwell to Jill Kelley warning her to stay away from Petraeus, became infatuated with Kelley and sent her a photo of himself shirtless. He was removed from the case supposedly when his higher-ups determined that his objectivity had been compromised. (Do you think?) He supposedly was the FBI whistleblower who contacted Republican Congressman David Reichert and Eric Cantor with allegations that the government was dragging its feet on the case out of political considerations so that it would not surface before the election.
2. Jill and the Lawyers-Kelley has supposedly engaged the services of a high-priced lawyer and a PR flack.
The PR flack formerly represented Monica Lewinsky. Now why should she need them? Read on.
3. Jill and the Marine-Marine Corp four star General John Allen is apparently under investigation for 20 to 30 thousand pages of e-mails and correspondence between him and Jill Kelley, the “unpaid social liaison” at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa. Allen is currently the commander of the International Security Assistance Forces in Afghanistan, effectively the commander in chief of American and Nato forces in that country. Both Allen and Petraeus served at the base, home of Central Command for the Middle East, prior to Petraeus being put in command in Afghanistan in 2010.
We will see what today brings in regard to this circus. Oh, and yesterday in a more mundane development the FBI finally got around to searching Paula Broadwell’s house. Why it took them so long is one of endless questions that will eventually have to be answered as this scandal a day unfolds.
In the meantime, is anyone in the news media talking about how our consulate people got murdered? Or is the story to be covered just sex and more sex? Sorry- rhetorical questions only.
The media has to cover Benghazi now Paul because a juicy sex scandal is something even they can’t ignore. Petraeus is now a destroyed man. I think anything he knows about Benghazi he will reveal as he obviously has no reason to feel loyalty to the administration. Wheels within wheels. The funny thing about this type of scandal is that once it gets really rolling it is amazing what can come to light. Stay tuned.
I agree with Paul. This is all a distraction to get us talking about sex and Generals instead of death and Presidents.
It this is an attempted distration Jay then I think it is very poor tactics. I can think of few things the media relishes more than covering a sex scandal. Additionally I imagine there are quite a few high ranking officers suspecting that the Administration is using Petraeus and Allen as sacrificial lambs and I can imagine them now leaking material damgaging to the administration on Benghazi in retaliation. We are still in Act I of this play.
Patreaus’ book will be out in Jan…..I’m finding great difficulty in maintaining a Christian attitude…only by the grace of God.
What is most absurd is the apologists for Petraeus who have the temerity to call him “a genuine American hero” and a great general in the same high ranks of MacArthur, Patton and Ike. Comparing the Iraq “war” to World War II is like comparing a game of tiddlywinks to the Super Bowl.
I think Petraeus exercised generalship of a high order in regard to the Surge in Iraq and his military service should be honored. His theories on fighting insurgencies are innovative and proved successful in Iraq. However, these in no way diminish the dishonor of his affair, or the way in which it compromised national security.
Comparing the Iraq “war” to World War II is like comparing a game of tiddlywinks to the Super Bowl.
I take it from your remarks that the only military officers meriting much respect were commanding generals during national mobilizations.
Look on the bright side.
Now, we get to live through a second Carter administration.
from Hot air: “One piece of information that got lost the last few days of sex scandals is the news that David Petraeus personally traveled to Libya after the Benghazi attack — and apparently filed a “trip report” covering his own findings. Senator Dianne Feinstein, who heads the Senate Intelligence Committee probing the Benghazi terrorist attack, wants either the report or Petraeus to testify to its contents. So far, though, the CIA and the White House have refused to provide it — and yesterday, Feinstein threatened that subpoenas may be forthcoming if the stonewalling continues:”
A modest proposal: If Petraeus refuses to testify and/or lies (they all lie), some Congress critter ought to add a rider to a bill that rescinds his six-figure pension.
Dulce lifers inexpertis.
“Now, we get to live through a second Carter administration.”
Except I believe this administration is far more malevolent in its intentions, the press is far more complicit in those intentions and the public is more willing to accept what is coming.
Will any of this really damage Obama? Probably not.
I do not believe there were 25,000 pages of correspondence between him and any single individual.
“Will any of this really damage Obama? Probably not.”
Agreed. Especially since this is likely orchestrated to protect him.
Not agreed. How this will play out we shall see when it plays out. The media (other than the National Enquirer and Kausfiles) had to be dragged to acknowledge John Edwards’ grossness. It happened, nevertheless.
I apologize in advance.
And now, you know the reason “they” once referred to the USMC as the “Crotch.”
I am so sorry.
“The media (other than the National Enquirer and Kausfiles) had to be dragged to acknowledge John Edwards’ grossness. It happened, nevertheless.”
That was Edwards, not THE ONE.
Benghazi was low hanging fruit for Romney to exploit. I would go so far as to say as Obama’s opponent, he had a duty to exploit it. But he punted. In addition to the scandal that is the Obama presidency, we also have what I think is the scandal of the weak, feckless, and irresponsible republican non-opposition.
Whatever success the Americans with Petraeus enjoyed in Iraq was due in large measure to the “cavalry of St George” and the inter-tribal conflicts of the Arabs . Hugh Fitzgerald covered this some time ago, See: http://www.jihadwatch.org/2010/02/fitzgerald-arabia-petraea-or-general-petraeus-middle-east-part-iv-twenty-seven-articles-revised-edit.html .
Benghazi was low hanging fruit for Romney to exploit…
The inability of the Romney-Ryan duo to land any punches for all their shuffling must count as the main reason why they were unable to rouse any enthusiasm given the preexisting electoral divide. How did this pair manage to do worse than McCain/Palin who had to content with the Bush legacy?
For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?
1 Corinthians 14:8
read “contend” in place of “content”
THe idea that President Obama didn’t know about the Patreaus affair until the day after the eclectiom is obvious BS. Since the affair occured when the General was still on active duty and prior to his nomination as CIA Director, Obama had to know about it before he was even nominated as the country’s #1 Spook. Think about it, you don’t nominate someone as CIA Director without a thorough vetting process. Somehting like had to have surely come up. Even a cursory vetting would have revealed this affair. Oh, and don’t think for a minute Obama’s Thugocracy doesn’t vett their people. They do. They know who they are dealing with and what to hold against them.
If you’re confused by the whole Petraeus affair, click here for a handy graphic:
http://cerebrumilleurselli.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=29&action=edit
Since the affair occured when the General was still on active duty and prior to his nomination as CIA Director,
Some news reports contradict that.
Oops,
Try this for a link to the graphic:
http://cerebrumilleurselli.wordpress.com/2012/11/14/the-petraeus-affair-graphic/