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Petraeus Plays Footsie at the CIA

by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Whatever 60-year-old four-star Gen. David Petraeus did off-the-clock was his business, including whether or not he cheated on his wife. But once he punched in at CIA headquarters in Quantico, Va., he’s then on the people’s dime, accountable to taxpayers from whose good graces he collects a hefty government salary and lifetime pension benefits. Retiring from Commander of the Security Assistance Force Jul 18, 2011, it didn’t take long for Petraeus to get handed his first major civilian role as CIA director Sept. 6, 2011, largely due to his decorated history as Centcom commander, responsible for prosecuting the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. When Petraeus shocked the Washington establishment resigning Nov. 9, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) urged President Barack Obama to refuse his resignation. Sen. John McCain called Petraeus one of the best generals in U.S. history.

Reports about his tryst with his biographer 40-year-West Point graduate Paula Broadwell continue to turn up more twists-and-turns than San Francisco’s Lombard Street. Converging press reports indicate that Petraeus exchanged literally thousands of sexually explicit e-mails with Broadwell while serving as CIA director between Sept. 6, 2011 and his resignation Nov. 9. Sources say the FBI was contacted by Petraeus’ friend 37-year-old Jill Kelly, who received threatening e-mails from Broadwell. While Broadwell has somewhat cooperated, allowing the FBI to search her residence, she’s remained buttoned up, speaking only through her Washington attorney Robert F. Muse. Making matters more dicey, the FBI agent who started the probe is now being investigated for sending “shirtless” photos of himself to Kelly and may be in a custody battle with Kelly’s twin-sister.

While no one knows what really happened, the whole FBI investigation has to be suspect. Combing through thousands of pages of e-mails, the FBI found reams of e-mails to Kelly from 59-year-old four-star Gen. John Allen who now commands U.S. forces in Afghanistan. If you believe FBI reports, Kelly ratted out Broadwell after getting threatening e-mails over possible jealousy for Petraeus. While that’s still conjecture, something doesn’t smell right if the FBI officer in charge is a “friend” of Kelly. Calling Allen’s e-mails “potentially inappropriate,” an unnamed senior Pentagon official denied any impropriety, prompting Allen to deny an affair with Kelly. Finding thousands of e-mails, whether sexually explicit or not, shows that Allen had something else on his mind while serving as Petraeus’ replacement as Commander of the Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.

Reports of Allen’s e-mails to Kelly referring to her as “sweetheart” aren’t prima facie evidence of an affair but show Allen, like Petraeus, engaged in wasteful distraction while on the job. Considered a high-profile socialite at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fl., the home of Centom, Kelly developed a close friendship with Petraeus while he served as Centom commander [Oct. 30, 2008-June 30, 2010]. While married, it’s not at all clear what role Kelly played besides the unofficial base ambassador. Whether Kelly solicited anyone for anything sexual isn’t known. What the FBI uncovered were slews of e-mails from Petraeus and Allen to Kelly and Broadwell. As the story unfolds, it’s clear that Petraeus and Allen spent far too much company time engaged in shenanigans with Broadwell and Kelly. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta placed Allen’s promotion on indefinite hold.

Signaling that the Senate Armed Services Committee got the message about Allen, they have postponed any hearings on his promotion to NATO Supreme Allied Commander. Given Allen’s preoccupation with useless e-mails with Kelly, it’s doubtful he’ll get anything other than a demotion or pink slip. Obama faces some tough sledding getting his soon-to-be empty Cabinet positions filled, especially his pick of 47-year-old U.N. Ambassador Susan R. Rice to replace outgoing Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.) showed concerns about Rice’s statements about the Benghazi terrorist attack that killed 52-year-old Amb. Chris Stevens and three other Americans. Rice indicated the deadly attacks were caused by violent rioting from a viral video defaming the Prophet Mohammed by amateur Cerritos, Calif. filmmaker Sam Bacile—something now retracted.

On first blush, it’s a shame that Pentagon brass like Petraeus have their careers destroyed by casual sexual peccadilloes. What makes Petraeus and now Allen’s shenanigans all the more unforgivable was the cavalier way they abused their CIA and Pentagon positions. Petraeus wasted far too much time e-mailing Broadwell when he should have been getting to the bottom of the Benghazi debacle. Speaking at the University of Denver Oct. 26, Broadwell—promoting her new Petraeus biography titled “All In”—shared some real insights into the Benghazi attack. She told her audience the CIA detained Libyan rebels, prompting the rocket-propelled grenade attack. When U.S. officials and the media figured out it was the first they heard of this, they realized there’s only one man from whom she got that classified security breach: CIA Director David Petraeus.

About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.