With The Focus Now On Benghazi, Where Is Former CIA Director Petraeus?

ABC: Petraeus Called Final Benghazi Talking Points “Useless” The Day Before Rice’s Full Ginsburg; Update: Transcript Added -- Ed Morrissey, Hot Air

One of the mysteries in the Benghazi scandal has been the role of David Petraeus, who was then the Director of the CIA but was forced to resign in a personal scandal shortly thereafter. While the White House and State Department tried to cobble together talking points to explain away the terrorist attack that took four American lives, what did Petraeus do? According to new information reported for the first time by Jonathan Karl on ABC News’ This Week earlier this morning, Petraeus rejected the final version as “useless” — and then threw the issue to the White House:

We already knew that Petraeus was stunned by the revisions; now we know he rejected them personally. ”I would just as soon not use them, but it’s their [the White House] call.” That would contradict the meme over the last few days that this was an intramural fight between State and CIA with the White House just serving as bystanders. The CIA Director called the “demonstration” talking points useless the day before Susan Rice went on five Sunday talk shows, but the White House apparently disagreed. They, evidently, found the false narrative very useful.

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My Comment: it would not surprise me if in the weeks to come that we may be seeing retired ex-CIA Director Petraeus back in Washington testifying on Benghazi.

Was CIA Director Petraeus Brought Down By His Own Bodyguards And Vengeful CIA Agents?

EXCLUSIVE: David Petraeus Was Brought Down After Betrayal By Vengeful CIA Agents And His Own Bodyguards Who Made Sure His Affair Was Exposed, Claims New Book -- Daily Mail

* Brandon Webb, a former Navy SEAL, and Jack Murphy, a former Green Beret, reveal the new claims in their book 'Benghazi: The Definitive Report'
* Petraeus was humiliated after a 'palace coup' by high-level intelligence officers who did not like the way he was running the CIA, authors say
* The book also claims that Petraeus and Ambassador Chris Stevens were caught off guard by Benghazi consulate attack because they weren't briefed about on-going U.S. military operations in Libya
* Webb and Murphy say Benghazi attack was a retaliation for secret raids authorized by Obama security adviser John Brennan

David Petraeus was betrayed by his own bodyguards and vengeful high-ranking enemies in the CIA, who made sure his affair with his biographer was exposed to the public, a new book claims.

MailOnline can reveal a new angle on the story that rocked Washington last fall. It comes from two retired special operations commandos - a Navy SEAL and a Green Beret - who say they discovered a plot against the former CIA director while doing research about the attacks on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya.

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Update: Was Petraeus Taken Out by a CIA Palace Coup? -- NRO

My Comment: The book's suggestion that the Benghazi consulate attack was actually an act of revenge that targeted U.S. special operations is news that I had posted before .... but there never was .... and still is .... no corroborative evidence for these accusations. As for the Petraeus "CIA palace coup" .... now that is an interesting theory .... but I need more proof.

Romney Aides: CIA Director Petraues Wanted To Keep His CIA Position If Candidate Romney Won The US Presidential Election

Lawmakers insist they'll stick to questions about Benghazi and avoid Petraeus's scandal. Reuters

Petraeus Wanted Romney To Keep Him On -- Washington Examiner

Former CIA Director David Petraeus wanted GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney to keep him on if the Republican beat President Obama in last Tuesday's national election, according to Romney associates.

The sources said that Petraeus, who resigned after the election when the White House learned that the married father was caught in a sex affair with his younger, also married, biographer, left open the door to taking another Cabinet post too in pre-election communications with the Romney team.

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My Comment: Secrets are hard to keep in Washington, and I am sure that this is one that the White House found out very quickly .... and were probably not very happy with.

A Who`s Who And Timeline In The Petraeus Scandal

The Other ... Other Woman: Florida Housewife Emerges At Center Of Petraeus Scandal -- FOX News

The widening scandal surrounding David Petraeus' affair has come to center not only on his mistress, but another woman -- described as a Tampa socialite -- whose relationship with the key players has raised tantalizing questions.

Jill Kelley is a well-connected housewife who lives with her surgeon husband in a Florida mansion where they entertain the military's top brass. The 37-year-old mother of three is also a close family friend of Petraeus, 60, and according to sources regularly went shopping with the retired general's wife of 37 years, Holly.

Practically every recent development in the case seems to somehow involve Kelley.

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More News On Who`s Who And The Timeline In The Petraeus Scandal

Who is Jill Kelley? -- CBS
The Socialite In The Petraeus Scandal Keeps Getting Sued Over Massive Debts -- Business Insider
Here's What We Know About Jill Kelley, The Florida Woman Whose Inbox May Take Down Two Four-Star Generals -- Business Insider
Who Is Jill Kelley And Why Is Everyone Obsessed With Her? -- Business Insider
Jill Kelley: Tampa woman who was hostess to the military -- Washington Post
Jill Kelley: Military Liaison and Whistleblower in Petraeus Scandal -- Time
David Petraeus and all the general’s friends – a field guide -- Washington Post
Who’s Who in the Petraeus Scandal: Broadwell, Kelley, Allen -- Wall Street Journal
Petraeus scandal: who's who? -- The Guardian

Timeline of events in Petraeus case -- AP
Timeline of the Petraeus affair -- CNN
Timeline of Petraeus affair scandal -- FOX News
Petraeus affair timeline of events -- Politico
David Petraeus scandal: timeline -- The Guardian

The Petraeus Scandal -- News Updates (November 13, 2012)

Scandal That Brought Down Petraeus Widens -- USA Today

The Pentagon is now investigating Gen. John Allen, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, for alleged "inappropriate communications" with woman who received threatening e-mails from Paula Broadwell.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The sex scandal that led to CIA Director David Petraeus' resignation widened Tuesday, with the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan under investigation for alleged "inappropriate communications" with a woman who received threatening emails from Petraeus' former lover.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta revealed that the Pentagon had begun an internal investigation into thousands of pages of emails from Gen. John Allen to a second woman involved in the Petraeus case. A senior Defense official described the emails as "flirtatious."

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More News On The Petraeus Scandal

Petraeus scandal: 'love pentagon' widens to include general John Allen - live coverage -- The Guardian
D.C. reeling over deepening scandal -- Politico
Congress: FBI should have told us about Petraeus -- CBS
Senate Intelligence Committee to Probe Petraeus Affair -- Time
Details of Petraeus affair emerge as scandal engulfs Gen. John Allen -- CBS
Petraeus scandal widens with Pentagon probe of top US general’s emails to 2nd woman in case -- Washington Post
Here's How The FBI Nailed Paula Broadwell For Harassing Jill Kelley In The Petraeus Sex Scandal -- Business Insider
David Petraeus: Broadwell affair was 'colossal mistake' -- BBC
Petraeus shocked at e-mail, allies say -- AP
Petraeus hoped affair would stay secret and he could keep his job as CIA director -- Washington Post
FBI agents search Paula Broadwell's home -- McClatchy News
FBI Agents Conducted Search of Home of Paula Broadwell -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Gen. John Allen, FBI Agent Ensnared in Scandal -- Commentary

Top U.S. General In Afghanistan Is Linked To CIA Scandal (Updated)

Petraeus Sex Scandal Traps ANOTHER General: CIA Boss's Successor In Afghanistan 'Sent THOUSANDS Of Inappropriate Emails To Socialite' -- The Daily Mail

* FBI investigates 'potentially inappropriate' communication between General John Allen and Florida housewife Jill Kelley
* Leon Panetta orders Pentagon investigation into emails
* Allen was due to become NATO commander but appointment suspended
* Kelley, 37, is whistleblower who was target of 'threatening messages' from Petraeus' mistress Paula Broadwell

A U.S. general under investigation by the FBI for allegedly exchanging thousands of 'inappropriate' emails with a military socialite simply called her 'sweetheart' in a friendly way, a top official has claimed.

General John Allen reportedly exchanged 20,000 to 30,000 emails with Jill Kelley, a housewife and unpaid social liaison for the military in Tampa, while he was in charge of US forces in Afghanistan.

She entered the public eye when it was revealed she tipped off the FBI about threatening emails from David Petraeus' mistress, exposing the affair and leading to his resignation from the top of the CIA.

The revelations mean Gen. Allen, who is married with two adult daughters, is the second top military official to be dragged into the Petraeus sex scandal.

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More News On General John Allen Being Investigated For 'Inappropriate Behavior'

Probe into Petreaus sex scandal snares top U.S. commander in Afghanistan; feds have thousands of 'inappropriate' emails -- Chicago Tribune
ISAF chief Gen. John Allen under investigation amid Petraeus probe -- CNN
Top US general John Allen investigated in Petraeus affair -- The Guardian
Top U.S. Commander in Afghanistan Is Linked To Petraeus Scandal -- New York Times
Scandal probe ensnares commander of U.S., NATO troops in Afghanistan -- Washington Post
General Allen Under Investigation for E-Mails to Petraeus Friend -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Top U.S. commander in Afghanistan under investigation, scandal widens -- Reuters
Top general in Afghanistan caught up in CIA scandal -- Stars and Stripes
David Petraeus CIA scandal engulfs US commander Allen -- BBC

Gen. John Allen ensnared in Petraeus scandal -- Politico
Gen. John Allen tied to Jill Kelley, Petraeus affair scandal -- L.A. Times
Top Commander in Afghanistan Investigated -- Wall Street Journal
Petraeus Scandal Engulfs Afghanistan War Chief -- Danger Room
General Faces Inquiry on E-Mails to Petraeus Friend -- Bloomberg
Petraeus Scandal Spreads As Probe Targets Top U.S. Commander In Afghanistan -- Radio Free Europe
Top U.S. commander in Afghanistan under investigation, scandal widens -- Reuters
US general linked to Petraeus scandal -- Sydney Morning Herald
Gen. Allen first caught Petraeus' attention in Iraq -- USA Today

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta Makes First Comments On Petraeus' Affair

Panetta Makes First Comments On Petraeus' Affair -- CNN

The network pool traveling to Australia with Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta reports that Panetta commented for the first time about the resignation of CIA Director David Petraeus. The comments were given during a mid-flight press conference:

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE LEON PANETTA: “First, obviously, it was a very sad situation to have a distinguished career like that end in this manner. And my heart obviously goes out to him and his family, but I think he took the right step and I think its important when you’re director of the CIA with all the challenges that face you in that position, that personal integrity comes first and foremost.”

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More News On US Secretary of Defense Panetta On The Petraeus Scandal

Leon Panetta: Petraeus situation "very sad" -- CBS News
Panetta: Petraeus resignation was right call -- Stars and Stripes
Panetta: Petraeus Was 'Right' to Resign as CIA Chief -- Newsmax

My Comment: You can tell on his face (Panetta's) in the above video that this affair has struck him on a very personal level.

Top U.S. General In Afghanistan Is Now Linked To CIA Scandal

Photo: President Barack Obama speaks as Leon Panetta, Army General David Petraeus, Marine General John Allen, and Ambassador Ryan Crocker, listen during an event to announce national security personnel changes. The President has tapped current CIA Director Leon Panetta to succeed Robert Gates as the next Secretary of Defense, General David Petraeus to be the next CIA Director, Ryan Crocker to be the next U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, and General John Allen to succeed Petraeus as commander for ISAF and commander for U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

Top U.S. Commander in Afghanistan Is Linked To Petraeus Scandal -- New York Times

PERTH, Australia — Gen. John Allen, the top American and NATO commander in Afghanistan, is under investigation for what a senior defense official said early Tuesday was “inappropriate communication'’ with Jill Kelley, the woman in Tampa who was seen as a rival for David H. Petraeus’s attentions by Paula Broadwell, the woman who had an extramarital affair with Mr. Petraeus.

In a statement released to reporters on his plane en route to Australia early Tuesday, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said that the F.B.I. had informed him on Sunday of its investigation of General Allen.

Mr. Panetta turned the matter over to the Pentagon’s inspector general to conduct its own investigation into what the defense official said were 20,000 to 30,000 pages of documents, many of them e-mails between General Allen and Ms. Kelley, who is married with children.

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More News On General Allen Being Linked To The Petraeus Scandal

Scandal probe ensnares commander of U.S., NATO troops in Afghanistan -- Washington Post
General Allen Under Investigation for E-Mails to Petraeus Friend -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Top U.S. commander in Afghanistan under investigation, scandal widens -- Reuters
Top general in Afghanistan caught up in CIA scandal -- Stars and Stripes
David Petraeus CIA scandal engulfs US commander Allen -- BBC
Jill Kelley: Five Facts About the Petraeus Affair’s Mystery Woman -- Daily Beast

My Comment: This is unbelievable .... 20,000 to 30,000 pages of documents and emails between a civilian and the top General in Afghanistan .... what are they talking about and what is in those communications that would make the FBI so concerned?

This scandal is growing .... and with more revelations (and leaks) .... more questions are being raised with each passing day.

Is This The End Of The Petraeus Doctrine?

Photo: General Petraeus

Exit Petraeus–And His Famous Military Doctrine -- Michael Crowley, Time

The disgrace of David Petraeus has ended more than a great military career. It is also the symbolic end of a major chapter in American security strategy. The fall of the former Iraq and Afghanistan commander adds a tawdry exclamation point to the decline of counterinsurgency, the military theory for which Petraeus offered a heroic public face.

Flash back to the mid-2000s. The Iraq war was an unmitigated disaster, with no apparent hope in sight. Confronted with a potent insurgency, the occupying American forces often fought back with brute force that backfired, further alienating a hostile population. Along came the Princeton-educated Petraeus, preaching the gospel of counterinsurgency. Defeating an indigenous resistance, the thinking went, required a unique approach to warfare. To oversimplify, it was less about killing the enemy than winning over and protecting the local population; less about guns and bombs than about hearts and minds. That meant forging personal relationships, training local security forces and investing in expensive development projects. In short, it meant nation building. It was often described as the Petraeus Doctrine.

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My Comment: A sobering assessment .... and a a must read. What's my take .... the Petraeus Doctrine is being put on the shelf for future academics and military historians.

How Petraeus Won The Press

 

How Petraeus Courted The Press -- Howard Kurtz, CNN 

(CNN) -- David Petraeus had another love affair long before the one that cost him his job running the CIA. It was with the press. The retired general's skillful courtship of journalists brought him a career's worth of favorable headlines and has, to a remarkable degree, softened the coverage of his fall from grace. Petraeus accomplished this in part by granting reporters access -- though none quite as extraordinary as that accorded his biographer, Paula Broadwell, who several news organizations have identified as the other woman in the extramarital affair he has acknowledged.

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Previous Post: The Cult Of David Petraeus 

My Comment: He understood the importance of the media when it came to fighting America's wars. He gave them access to info, was available to answer their questions, and was very careful in presenting the war/military message when he could. How the media has reacted to this scandal has become an indictment on them just as much as it is an indictment on now former CIA Director Petraues. My hope is that in the future the media will not be as generous and gullible to future Generals as they have been with now Ret. General Petareus .... but I doubt it.

Did David Petraeus Violate The Uniform Code Of Military Justice?

A Woman Scorned? It is being claimed that the affair between David Petraeus and Paula Broadwell emerged after she sent threatening emails to Ms Kelley. Daily Mail

Petraeus Affair: Military Can Prosecute Adulterers -- Martha Raddatz, ABC OTUS News

Retired Gen. David Petraeus, who resigned as CIA director last week after admitting an extramarital relationship, could possibly face military prosecution for adultery if officials turn up any evidence to counter his apparent claims that the affair began after he left the military.

The affair between Petraeus and his biographer, Paula Broadwell, both of whom are married, began several months after his retirement from the Army in August 2011 and ended four months ago, retired U.S. Army Col. Steve Boylan, a former Petraeus spokesman, told ABC News.

Broadwell, 40, had extraordinary access to the 60-year-old general during six trips she took to Afghanistan as his official biographer, a plum assignment for a novice writer.

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My Comment: I doubt that any military prosecutor will want to conduct such an investigation, but if other women start to show up .... anything is then possible.

Update #1: Paula Broadwell's father predicts that this scandal is going to grow.

Update #2: FBI Deemed Petraeus Affair Part of Criminal, Not Intel Probe -- ABC News

Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials On The Resignation Of CIA Director Petraeus

Pondering Petraeus -- Mark Thompson, Time

We spent the weekend sifting through the shards of what had been the stellar career of the nation’s most prominent and respected post-9/11 general because of an extra-marital affair.

“He is a guy,” Senator Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., told ABC Sunday “who has probably contributed more to the safety of the United States of America over the last decade than anyone single individual.”

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Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials On The Resignation Of CIA Director Petraeus

A Petraeus Puzzle: Were Politics Involved? -- Jane Mayer, New Yorker
The Petraeus Affair -- Jed Babbin, American Spectator
Politics of Petraeus Scandal: Who Knew What, When? -- Evan Perez, Wall Street Journal
Did the FBI botch its investigation of David Petraeus' affair? -- The Week
Former aides wonder: Did Petraeus stumble in unfamiliar terrain? -- Greg Jaffe, Washington Post
6 Lingering Questions About The Exit Of Gen. David Petraeus -- Politico
Petraeus Mystery: Former Spokesman Explains -- ABC News
Paula Broadwell, downfall of a great man, blah, blah, blah -- Melinda Henneberger, Washington Post
Why the Petraeus affair captivates us all -- Jena McGregor, Washington Post
Petraeus resignation: Just sex scandal or serious security concern? -- CBS
Former CIA chief David Petraeus' biographer... and his undoing -- The Australian
CIA director's downfall rooted in jealousy -- CBS
The Sins Of General David Petraeus -- Michael Hastings, BuzzFeed
A long fall for Petraeus -- Jinathan Allen, Politico
Lt. Col. Ralph Peters On Petraeus: "Timing Is Just Too Perfect" -- Real Clear Politics
Petraeus helped lead fight against global terrorism -- Jim Michaels, Stars and Stripes/USA Today
How Petraeus changed the U.S. military -- Peter Bergen, CNN National Security Analyst
General David Petraeus: A huge loss for US -- John Simpson, BBC

Has U.S. Intelligence Been Compromised By The Petraeus Scandal?

Paula Broadwell 'Leaked Secret Details Of Benghazi Probe During Speech' As It Emerges Petraeus' Testimony Will Be Postponed -- Daily Mail

* Former CIA director's alleged mistress talked about Libya at college lecture
* Paula Broadwell, the author of General David Petraeus' biography, is widely thought to be the alleged mistress that caused Petraeus to resign
* Broadwell said there were Libyan prisoners in American consulate at the time of the September 11 attack that left four dead including ambassador
* Petraeus was scheduled to testify to Congress about timeline on Thursday
* Now his replacement will fill in, but he may still be forced to talk

Questions have emerged over whether David Petraeus' mistress leaked details of the CIA's investigation into the deadly attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi.

Suspicions over how much Paula Broadwell knew about the probe come as the CIA's former boss stepped down on Friday over the alleged affair, days before he was to testify in the investigation.

Officials say they expect he will still testify over the incident, which left four Americans dead on September 11 this year, yet it will be delayed. The new concern comes over what, if any, confidential information he shared with his biographer and alleged mistress.

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More News On Concerns That U.S. Intelligence Has Been Compromised By The Petraeus Scandal

Mistress Revealed CIA Ops as Petraeus’ Mouthpiece -- Danger Room
In Speech, Paula Broadwell Raised Benghazi Details -- USA today
Petraeus mistress - CIA held Libyan prisoners cause of Benghazi attack -- Washington Times
Did Petraeus mistress reveal secret CIA prison? Paula Broadwell may have divulged new information on Benghazi scandal -- Klein Online
Did Petraeus mistress reveal new Benghazi details? -- Blake Hounshell, Foreign Policy
Petraeus Mistress Suggests Benghazi Attack Was Aimed At Secret CIA Prison -- Breitbart
Alleged Petraeus Mistress Suggested She Was Privy to State Secrets -- Eli Lake, Daily Beast
Did Petraeus’ Mistress Reveal a Secret CIA Prison in Benghazi? -- Gawker
Paula Broadwell, former girlfriend of Petraeus, may have shared CIA secrets (Video) -- Examiner
Petraeus’ Mistress Claims Benghazi Annex had Libyan Islamist Prisoners -- Front Page
Senators: Petraeus Will Eventually Testify on Libya -- National Journal
Rep. King: Petraeus’ resignation doesn’t preclude testimony -- CNN
Despite affair scandal, David Petraeus may testify about Benghazi -- Examiner
Sen. Graham: Petraeus testimony to Congress on Benghazi attack ‘essential’ -- The Hill
Rep. Trey Gowdy: General Petraeus will testify voluntarily or be subpoenaed -- Examiner
Mike Morell to testify instead of David Petraeus on Benghazi -- Politico
CIA denies claim from Petraeus’ girlfriend that Benghazi annex held Libyan prisoners -- Daily Caller
Why did Paula Broadwell think the CIA had taken prisoners in Benghazi? -- Max Fisher, Washington Post

The Resignation Of CIA Director Petraeus -- News Updates (November 12, 2012)

About A Million Questions Concerning David Petraeus, Paula Broadwell, And Jill Kelley -- Vanity Fair

Ancient Greek proverb: The more we learn about David Petraeus’s extramarital affair, the more we realize we do not know. Today The New York Times has a lengthy and detailed tick-tock about the investigation that led to the former C.I.A. director’s downfall, but we finished reading more confused than when we started. Ancient Greek old-wives tale: answer one question about David Petraeus’s extramarital affair and three more will come to its funeral.

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More News On The Resignation of CIA Director Petraeus

Petraeus affair fallout continues as focus turns to Senate investigation -- The Guardian
Paula Broadwell's Dad: Petraeus Scandal Bigger Than People Think -- Gather News
Gmail's Location Data Led to the Discovery of the Petraeus Affair -- The Atlantic
Petraeus revelation began as cyber-harassment probe; investigation ended 4 days before election -- NBC
Intelligence director urged Petraeus to resign -- CBS News
Members of Congress demand fuller explanation of Petraeus affair -- L.A. Times
US Congress Demands Inquiry Into Petraeus Resignation -- Voice of America
Lawmakers to probe FBI handling of Petraeus e-mail affair -- Washington Post
Officials Say F.B.I. Knew of Petraeus Affair in the Summer -- New York Times
Spokesman: House majority leader knew of Petraeus matter in October -- CNN
FBI whistle-blower contacted Eric Cantor on David Petraeus affair -- Politico
FBI uncovered Petraeus affair by chance -- The Hill
Report: Emails triggered Petraeus probe -- Politico

Friend: Petraeus began affair after taking CIA job -- Chicago Tribune
David Petraeus Affair Began After He Left Army: Former Spokesman -- Huffington Post

Petraeus' biographer a military reservist, scholar -- AP
Who is Paula Broadwell? -- CBS
CIA Chief, Biographer Met Six Years Ago -- Wall Street Journal
Paula Broadwell, David Petraeus' Alleged Mistress, Embedded With Him for 1 Year in Afghanistan -- ABC News

David Petraeus affair: Paula Broadwell's 'love rival' Jill Kelley speaks out -- The Telegraph
Tampa woman identified as source of FBI's Petraeus probe -- Chicago Tribune/Reuters
Jill Kelley named as FBI link in David Petraeus case -- BBC
Jill Kelley, woman who sparked Petraeus probe, has Philadelphia roots -- Philly.com
Jill Kelley, social liaison to MacDill Air Force Base, is mystery woman Paula Broadwell harassed via email leading to FBI probe -- New York Daily News
Jill Kelley: Who is she? -- Global Post

David Petraeus Affair: Wife Holly Is Beyond 'Furious' -- ABC News
Gen. Petraeus’s affair tarnishes seemingly idyllic marriage -- Washington Post

Timeline of the Petraeus Affair: Who Knew What and When? -- Bostlnno

The Cult Of David Petraeus

How I Was Drawn Into The Cult Of David Petraeus -- Spencer Ackerman, Danger Room

When it came out that CIA Director David Petraeus had an affair with his hagiographer, I got punked. “It seems so obvious in retrospect. How could you @attackerman?” tweeted @bitteranagram, complete with a link to a florid piece I wrote for this blog when Petraeus retired from the Army last year. (“The gold standard for wartime command” is one of the harsher judgments in the piece.) I was so blind to Petraeus, and my role in the mythmaking that surrounded his career, that I initially missed @bitteranagram’s joke.

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My Comment: I was always neutral when covering General Petraeus and later CIA Director Petraues .... to put it bluntly .... I have covered enough wars and conflicts to know that today's hero is tomorrow's "has been". But to have CIA Director Petraues done in by a sex scandal .... never in a thousand years.

Did Petraeus Mistress Reveal A Secret CIA Prison In Libya?

Alleged Petraeus Mistress Suggested She Was Privy to State Secrets -- Eli Lake, Daily Beast

In a public talk in October, Paula Broadwell, the biographer and alleged mistress of David Petraeus, delivered new information not reported elsewhere about the Benghazi attack, reports Eli Lake.

The woman at the center of the alleged adultery scandal that led CIA Director David Petraeus to resign on Friday gave a speech last month asserting otherwise unreported information about the Benghazi attack that killed U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans.

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Update #1: Did Petraeus mistress reveal secret CIA prison? Paula Broadwell may have divulged new information on Benghazi scandal -- Klein Online
Update #2: Petraeus Mistress Suggests Benghazi Attack Was Aimed At Secret CIA Prison -- Breitbart
Update #3: Did Petraeus mistress reveal new Benghazi details? -- Blake Hounshell, Foreign Policy
My Comment: A White House spokesperson rejected Broadwell’s allegation that the CIA annex held Libyan militia members as prisoners, telling the Beast:

.... “The CIA has not had detention authority since January 2009, when Executive Order 13491 was issued. Any suggestion that the Agency is still in the detention business is uninformed and baseless.”

So .... why did she make such a remark.

Update: If reports of a secret CIA prison are true, U.S. Senator Feinstein may have to amend these remarks.

The Resignation Of CIA Director David Petraeus -- News Roundup

Petraeus Told Within Last Six Weeks Of Probe That Found Affair -- FOX News

FBI investigators confronted then CIA Director David Petraeus within the last six weeks about his relationship with biographer Paula Broadwell, Fox News has learned -- a detail that comes as lawmakers complain they did not know about the issue until Petraeus resigned Friday.

A source, who is not authorized to speak on the record about the FBI investigation due to its sensitive nature, characterized the meeting between Petraeus and Bureau agents as “recent, and within the last six weeks.”

Asked when Broadwell was confronted, Fox News was told “a little before that.”

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More News On the Resignation Of CIA Director Petraeus

Intelligence director urged Petraeus to resign -- CBS News
Officials Say F.B.I. Knew of Petraeus Affair in the Summer -- New York Times
Spokesman: House majority leader knew of Petraeus matter in October -- CNN
FBI whistle-blower contacted Eric Cantor on David Petraeus affair -- Politico
Congress wants answers on Petraeus affair -- SFGate/AP
Politicians to demand to know why they were left in the dark about Petraeus scandal -- New York Daily News
Lawmakers want probe of Petraeus investigation -- Washington Post
FBI Scrutinized on Petraeus -- Wall Street Journal
Lawmakers question timing of Petraeus resignation -- NBC
David Petraeus sex scandal: Many questions remain as former CIA director was scheduled to testify about Benghazi attack this week -- New York Daily News
FBI uncovered Petraeus affair by chance -- The Hill
Report: Emails triggered Petraeus probe -- Politico

Petraeus' biographer Paula Broadwell: Who is she? -- USA Today
CIA Chief, Biographer Met Six Years Ago -- Wall Street Journal
Paula Broadwell, David Petraeus' Alleged Mistress, Embedded With Him for 1 Year in Afghanistan -- ABC News

Jill Kelley, Friend of David Petraeus, Received Harassing Emails That Launched FBI Probe -- ABC news
New details in Petraeus scandal: Woman who received threatening emails revealed -- FOX News
Jill Kelley, woman who sparked Petraeus probe, has Philadelphia roots -- Philly.com
Jill Kelley, social liaison to MacDill Air Force Base, is mystery woman Paula Broadwell harassed via email leading to FBI probe -- New York Daily News

Former CIA chief David Petraeus' biographer... and his undoing -- The Australian
CIA director's downfall rooted in jealousy -- CBS
The Sins Of General David Petraeus -- Michael Hastings, BuzzFeed
A long fall for Petraeus -- Jinathan Allen, Politico
Lt. Col. Ralph Peters On Petraeus: "Timing Is Just Too Perfect" -- Real Clear Politics

More Questions About The Exit Of CIA Director David Petraeus

6 Lingering Questions About The Exit Of Gen. David Petraeus -- Politico

Resignations over scandals often raise more questions than they answer, and that’s true of Gen. David Petraeus’s abrupt exit from the Central Intelligence Agency.

Some have already been put to rest: Paula Broadwell, the author of “All In: The Education of David Petraeus,” has been identified as the woman at the center of the FBI email probe that ultimately toppled him.

Resignations over scandals often raise more questions than they answer, and that’s true of Gen. David Petraeus’s abrupt exit from the Central Intelligence Agency.

Some have already been put to rest: Paula Broadwell, the author of “All In: The Education of David Petraeus,” has been identified as the woman at the center of the FBI email probe that ultimately toppled him.

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My Comment: These are good questions .... I would also like to know if he behaved this way with female subordinates when he was an officer in the military.

Why A CIA Director's GMail Account Is A National Security Issue

CIA Director Petraeus in the Situation Room, Souza/White House

Why David Petraeus’s Gmail Account Is A National Security Issue -- Max Fisher, Washington Post

The beginning of the end came for CIA Director David Petraeus when Paula Broadwell, a younger married woman with whom he was having an affair, “or someone close to her had sought access to his email,” according to the Wall Street Journal’s description of an FBI probe. Associates of Petraeus had received “anonymous harassing emails” that were then traced to Broadwell, ABC’s Martha Raddatz reported, suggesting she may have found their names or addresses in his e-mail.

The e-mail account was apparently Petraeus’s personal Gmail, not his official CIA e-mail, according to the Wall Street Journal. That’s a big deal: Some of the most powerful foreign spy agencies in the world would love to have an opening, however small, into the personal e-mail account of the man who runs the United States’ spy service. The information could have proved of enormous value to foreign hackers, who already maintain a near-constant effort to access sensitive U.S. data.

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My Comment: Former CIA Director Petraues should have heeded Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano's comments on why she does not use email.

The Fall Of CIA Director David Petraeus -- News Roundup (Updated)

'Claws In': Paula Broadwell and David Petraeus, pictured, reportedly had an affair that led to his resignation

FBI Probe Of Petraeus Triggered By E-Mail Threats From Biographer, Officials Say -- Seattle Times/Washington Post

The collapse of the impressive career of CIA Director David H. Petraeus was triggered when a woman with whom he was having an affair sent threatening e-mails to another woman close to him, according to three senior law enforcement officials with know­ledge of the episode.

The recipient of the e-mails was so frightened that she went to the FBI for protection and help tracking down the sender, according to the officials. The FBI investigation traced the threats to Paula Broadwell, a former military officer and a Petraeus biographer, and uncovered explicit e-mails between Broadwell and Petraeus, the officials said.

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More News On The Resignation Of CIA Director David Petraeus

Letter to CIA workforce from Director David Petraeus -- McClatchy News
Obama’s Statement on Petraeus’s Resignation -- Wall Street Journal

Email Threats Triggered FBI Investigation Of Petraeus -- Seattle Times/Washington Post
Email investigation led to discovery of Petraeus' affair -- CBS
Official: Emails from paramour led to FBI probe -- AP
FBI probe of Petraeus began with "suspicious emails" -- Reuters
E-Mails From Biographer to Other Woman Led to Petraeus -- New York Times
FBI Discovered Evidence Of David Petraeus' Affair -- NPR
US officials: Complaint about Broadwell sparked FBI investigation that indicated Petraeus affair -- NBC

With Paula Broadwell, Gen. David Petraeus let his guard down -- Washington Post
Operation sex under a desk: The racy emails between CIA chief David Petraeus and his biographer 'mistress' that were found by the FBI and forced him to quit -- Daily Mail
Yet more security concerns emerge about Paula Broadwell’s access to Petraeus -- Washington Post

FBI Probed Woman Linked To Petraeus -- Wall Street Journal
Petraeus resigns CIA, citing affair; FBI investigating -- USA Today
Petraeus' biographer Paula Broadwell under FBI investigation over access to his email, law enforcement officials say -- NBC
Petraeus resigns after affair with biographer turned up in FBI probe, Fox News confirms -- FOX News
Kessler: FBI Investigation Led to Petraeus Resignation -- Newsmax
Petraeus Quits; Evidence of Affair Was Found by F.B.I. -- New York Times

David Petraeus Resigns From CIA, Citing Affair -- ABC News
CIA director David Petraeus resigns over 'unacceptable' extramarital affair -- The Guardian
CIA Chief Resigns Over Affair -- Wall Street Journal
Petraeus, star on battlefield, felled at CIA by affair -- Reuters
CIA chief Petraeus resigns over affair -- CNN
CIA's Petraeus Resigns, Citing Extramarital Affair -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Petraeus Resigns as CIA Chief Over Extramarital Affair -- Voice of America
Petraeus admits affair, quits as CIA director -- McClatchy News
CIA Chief Petraeus Resigns Over Affair -- Defense News
CIA director David Petraeus resigns over affair -- BBC
Petraeus resigns over affair, as criticism grows of CIA response in Libya -- Christian Science Monitor
David Petraeus resigns as CIA director -- Washington Post
David Petraeus Resigns From CIA, Citing Affair -- ABC News
Gen. David Petraeus resigns as CIA director, citing affair -- Politico
 CIA director Petraeus stands down over affair -- BBC
Petraeus resigns as CIA director, cites 'extramarital affair' -- FOX News
CIA director David Petraeus submits resignation over extramarital affair -- CNN
Report: Petraeus quits CIA over affair -- UPI
CIA Chief Petraeus resigns due to extramarital affair -- RT
Petraeus Resigns From CIA, Citing ‘Extramarital Affair’ -- Danger Room
CIA chief resigns over extramarital affair -- Al Jazeera

Petraeus's 'sex under the desk' mistress pictured just a few seats from his wife as colleague tells how she 'got her claws into him' -- Daily Mail
Paula Broadwell: Is She Petraeus’s ‘Other Woman’? -- Daily Beast
Petraeus’ biographer a military reservist, scholar -- AP
Like David Petraeus, Paula Broadwell exudes ambition, achievement -- Charlotte Observer
Paula Broadwell, David Petraeus Biographer, Reportedly Woman Involved In CIA Director's Affair: Slate -- Huffington Post
Paula Broadwell, writer tied to CIA director's resignation -- CBS
Petraeus’ ‘other woman’ reportedly a married mother of two, under FBI investigation -- Daily Caller
The FBI Has Been Investigating Petraeus' Biographer (And Reported Mistress) Over Access To Classified Info -- Business Insider
MILITARY SOURCE: Petraeus' Biographer Paula Broadwell 'Got Her Claws Into Him' -- Robert Johnson, Business Insider
Woman Linked to Petraeus Is a West Point Graduate and Lifelong High Achiever -- New York Times
The Daily Show Interview With David Petraeus' Biographer Is Extremely Awkward In Hindsight -- Business Insider

A Brilliant Career With a Meteoric Rise and an Abrupt Fall -- New York Times
The storied career of David H. Petraeus -- Washington Post
Petraeus helped lead fight against global terrorism -- USA Today
Iraq marked highlight of Petraeus' Army career -- AP
A look back at David Petraeus' military career -- AP
The Iraq success story that propelled David Petraeus to the top -- Washington Post
Highlights of Gen. David Petraeus' career -- AP

David Petraeus resigns after a bumpy ride -- David Ignatius, Washington Post
Petraeus: master of Afghan policy -- Robert Grenier, Al Jazeera
No pass for Petraeus -- Josh Gerstein, Politico
Let's be grateful to Petraeus and remember him for his outstanding service -- Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer (ret.), FOX News
Resignation of Gen. David Petraeus send ripples across both sides of political aisle -- New York Daily News

Profile: General David Petraeus -- Al Jazeera
Profile: David Petraeus -- BBC