8 ms·

I have not followed this story but I guess he was hiding from wife not from security services. Actually I'm not even sure how entering private life is justified

by daliusd 14y ago

I have not followed this story but I guess he was hiding from wife not from security services. Actually I'm not even sure how entering private life is justified in this situation. I can imagine speculations about leaking sensitive information and etc. but you need proof for that. I'm not saying that his private behaviour is good and I understand that as public influential person he basically does not have private life but that just shows that security services has nothing better to do...

pyre 14y ago
It's a security breach in that it opens him up to blackmail.
- daliusd 14y ago
  OK. I agree. Still why should it be public? Private meeting between him and security service would be more than enough IMHO.
  - mjwalshe 14y ago
    Yes thats is what is so strange remember Anne and Smily's relasionship in Tinker Sailor Spy is based on real life its even mentioned the Official MI5 history. the FBI officer "looking somthing up for a friend" and then leaking to civilians is probaly the one who is guilty of some very serios offences probaly more serious ones than Bradly Manning.
  - ceejayoz 14y ago
    The FBI agent who initiated the investigation leaked it to Congressional Republicans, which probably led to it making its way to the press. http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/federal_government/house-majority-leader-cantor-heard-of-petraeus-affair-oct-27-from-fbi-source-he-didnt-know/2012/11/12/a3d9d884-2d46-11e2-b631-2aad9d9c73ac_story.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/federal_government/ho... > That agent’s role in the case consisted simply of passing along information from Kelley to the FBI agents who conducted the investigation, but that agent was subsequently told by his superiors to steer clear of the case because they grew concerned that the agent had become obsessed with the investigation, the official said. The agent was a friend of Kelley and long before the case involving Petraeus got under way, the agent had sent Kelley shirtless photos of himself, according to this official.
- ketralnis 14y ago
  But by the very nature of making it public it's no longer vulnerable to blackmail. The problem as such lasts for a very brief time, and now it's gone. There's no more problem, and no more need to shame him (beyond the people actually involved, that is), and no longer any security threat.
  - uptown 14y ago
    ...but it could have been used, and he created the situation which made that possible - exhibiting a lack of judgement - not an ideal attribute for the head of the CIA.
  - isleyaardvark 14y ago
    I don't think it's punishment, it's a deterrent. The point isn't whether the government knows it. The wife didn't know it. The blackmail wouldn't be "we'll tell the government you're having an affair", it's "we'll tell your wife". It's only "no longer any security threat" because he got caught. The punishment is to dissuade anyone else from having an affair, which a foreign government could use to make their lives difficult by telling their spouse.
  - illuminate 14y ago
    "But by the very nature of making it public it's no longer vulnerable to blackmail" Too little, too late.
shawn-butler 14y ago
It's complicated by the fact he is a military officer. Adultery especially by officers is seen as unbecoming conduct and a threat to military discipline.
- JamesVI 14y ago
  He isn't a military officer anymore. He resigned from the army to become head of the CIA. If he were still in the army he would be facing charges.
  - shawn-butler 14y ago
    That is correct and thank you as I was being unclear. I was intending to reply only to the question of why this is a matter for public comment; I do not believe given the information so far presented that he acted illegally. I'm not even convinced there was any real basis for resignation if he still had the respect of his peers and the confidence of the President. Still, in my view, and I think in the view of many others, "flag" officers never really retire. And as such his behavior in this matter brings disgrace to the service and uniform. For me, it is just another recent example that really calls into question the ethics of an entire generation of our military. Patraeus, Ward, Sinclair, Allen, McChrystal, the list goes on and on.
shin_lao 14y ago
His lover has been found with confidential information. It is possible he may have leaked sensitive information.

by daliusd 14y ago

pyre 14y ago

It's a security breach in that it opens him up to blackmail.

daliusd 14y ago
OK. I agree. Still why should it be public? Private meeting between him and security service would be more than enough IMHO.
- mjwalshe 14y ago
  Yes thats is what is so strange remember Anne and Smily's relasionship in Tinker Sailor Spy is based on real life its even mentioned the Official MI5 history. the FBI officer "looking somthing up for a friend" and then leaking to civilians is probaly the one who is guilty of some very serios offences probaly more serious ones than Bradly Manning.
- ceejayoz 14y ago
  The FBI agent who initiated the investigation leaked it to Congressional Republicans, which probably led to it making its way to the press. http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/federal_government/house-majority-leader-cantor-heard-of-petraeus-affair-oct-27-from-fbi-source-he-didnt-know/2012/11/12/a3d9d884-2d46-11e2-b631-2aad9d9c73ac_story.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/federal_government/ho... > That agent’s role in the case consisted simply of passing along information from Kelley to the FBI agents who conducted the investigation, but that agent was subsequently told by his superiors to steer clear of the case because they grew concerned that the agent had become obsessed with the investigation, the official said. The agent was a friend of Kelley and long before the case involving Petraeus got under way, the agent had sent Kelley shirtless photos of himself, according to this official.
ketralnis 14y ago
But by the very nature of making it public it's no longer vulnerable to blackmail. The problem as such lasts for a very brief time, and now it's gone. There's no more problem, and no more need to shame him (beyond the people actually involved, that is), and no longer any security threat.
- uptown 14y ago
  ...but it could have been used, and he created the situation which made that possible - exhibiting a lack of judgement - not an ideal attribute for the head of the CIA.
- isleyaardvark 14y ago
  I don't think it's punishment, it's a deterrent. The point isn't whether the government knows it. The wife didn't know it. The blackmail wouldn't be "we'll tell the government you're having an affair", it's "we'll tell your wife". It's only "no longer any security threat" because he got caught. The punishment is to dissuade anyone else from having an affair, which a foreign government could use to make their lives difficult by telling their spouse.
- illuminate 14y ago
  "But by the very nature of making it public it's no longer vulnerable to blackmail" Too little, too late.

shawn-butler 14y ago

It's complicated by the fact he is a military officer. Adultery especially by officers is seen as unbecoming conduct and a threat to military discipline.

JamesVI 14y ago
He isn't a military officer anymore. He resigned from the army to become head of the CIA. If he were still in the army he would be facing charges.
- shawn-butler 14y ago
  That is correct and thank you as I was being unclear. I was intending to reply only to the question of why this is a matter for public comment; I do not believe given the information so far presented that he acted illegally. I'm not even convinced there was any real basis for resignation if he still had the respect of his peers and the confidence of the President. Still, in my view, and I think in the view of many others, "flag" officers never really retire. And as such his behavior in this matter brings disgrace to the service and uniform. For me, it is just another recent example that really calls into question the ethics of an entire generation of our military. Patraeus, Ward, Sinclair, Allen, McChrystal, the list goes on and on.

shin_lao 14y ago

His lover has been found with confidential information. It is possible he may have leaked sensitive information.