Petraeus's Resignation

The timing of David Petraeus’s resignation seems very odd if it does not have to do with the Benghazi mess. Is it really probably that the FBI just happened to uncover something salacious in his private life just after the election and just before he was to testify before Congress? Indeed, is it really likely that the FBI would not spy on the head of the CIA continually simply as a matter of prudence? One does need to be sure that such officials are really on our side, after all…

The affair happened over a year ago. And apparently there were pretty well-known rumours among the press corps at the time that something was going on. So it seems far more likely that the affair itself has been known to people in the administration for some time.

We also know that it used to be the standard procedure for the FBI under Hoover to compile dossiers of dirt on various prominent people, which could be offered to the president if useful to strongarm someone.




It also seems, frankly, a bit unnecessary for him to resign over this. Granted, the affair makes him vulnerable to blackmail. The solution to this is to make it public, as he did, and then he is no longer vulnerable to blackmail. So resigning as well seems--well, unnecessary. Unless Obama wanted his resignation for other reasons.

The intent of bringing this out now cannot be to prevent Petraeus from testifying on Benghazi. He can still be made to testify, and Congress is now sure to subpoena him. The intent also cannot be to make him the scapegoat for the Benghazi affair. If that were the intent, it would have made far more sense to have him resign over Benghazi, and keep this affair a secret.

The most plausible scenario, as I see it, is this: note,  it is clear that someone behind the scenes has been carefully leaking Benghazi material to the press, day by day. The most likely source is the CIA. The administration might have threatened to release the information in order to force Petraeus to make this stop. They might also have wanted to be sure they can control his testimony before Congress.

And Petraeus said, like the great Wellington under similar circumstances, “publish and be damned.”

This seems to fit with everything we know about his past and his character. Their bluff called, they then had to publish, and force his resignation.

But if so, this could clearly backfire. He now is under no constraints of cabinet solidarity in any future testimony. He has given himself an absolutely free hand, no loyalties to betray, nothing to lose and everything to gain by breaking ranks and blowing whistles. He can say whatever he wants to say.

His testimony before Congress, accordingly, could be interesting.

It all sounds as though there is more to come out about Benghazi, and as though it is quite damaging to the administration.