The Petraeus downfall
WASHINGTON — The Petraeus affair—like some Ethics 101 thought experiment—is an exceptionally difficult test case in determining the proper relationship between personal ethics and public trust. When should you forgive an indispensable leader a fatal flaw?
Retired Gen. David Petraeus has made a career of indispensability. He defined and implemented the counterinsurgency doctrines that brought about a decent outcome in Iraq—avoiding a setback at the heart of American interests that would have been more demoralizing than Vietnam. He left his imprint on a generation of officers who have emulated his strategic flexibility and intellectual rigor.
There is a reason Petraeus generally received good press, even from those skeptical of American military involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. During briefings and discussions, he is supremely informed and often breathtakingly candid—an attribute that involves risks but establishes credibility. He possesses a comprehensive knowledge of leaders and events in the Middle East and Central Asia. His career had not only been successful; it demonstrated that America is capable of complex international responsibilities. Petraeus is a generator of national confidence.
So why, exactly, should marital infidelity be disqualifying? This is not an easy or simple determination in any field of public leadership and responsibility. With human beings, it is necessary to leave room for complication. A person who cheats on his or her spouse can show courage on the battlefield or loyalty to their country. Faithlessness in one area does not extend to every area. Most people have hidden flaws and failures of various kinds, which may or may not have broader relevance to their work.
So we are forced to make professional judgments. It matters little if our surgeon is prideful or our airline pilot is a miser. It matters greatly if either abuses alcohol. A priest can’t be a gossip. A CFO can’t be forgiven just a little embezzlement.
We also make practical distinctions on sexual issues such as adultery. All infidelity involves personal betrayal. Innocent people—spouses and children—suffer unfairly. But some adultery also involves exploitation, compulsiveness and the abuse of power—failures we rightly judge more harshly.
Expectations of personal behavior in the national security professions have generally been higher than other fields, particularly for officers and leaders. In the military, sexual intrigue can undermine morale and discipline. Adultery can land you in prison for up to a year—though the rule is seldom enforced in the absence of other crimes such as lying to superiors or disobeying orders. In the intelligence world, sex has long been used as bait and blackmail—the “honey trap”—though I’d imagine that plain old infidelity at the CIA is not unknown or uniformly punished.
By all accounts, Petraeus’ personal failure did not involve the abuse of power, criminal acts or security breaches. But his case also demonstrates how messy infidelity can quickly become—messy enough to involve harassing emails and to attract the attention of the FBI. People at their most ardent are also at their least rational. And this is most damaging in fields, such as intelligence, where the essence of leadership is judgment.
Petraeus might have fought for his job. America’s 42nd president, after all, once did the same. Instead, Petraeus admitted to showing “extremely poor judgment.” And it is hard to argue with him. “Such behavior,” he told the employees of CIA, “is unacceptable, both as a husband and as the leader of an organization such as ours.”
After a career dedicated to high standards, Petraeus chose to apply those standards to himself.
The rest of us, unfortunately, are left without the services of an exceptional public servant. We are also left to ponder the conflicted nature of many successful leaders. There seems to be some connection between self-confidence, charisma and personal recklessness. For some, it is the expression of hubris—the thrill of living by a different set of rules than normal mortals. For Petraeus, it seems more like hamartia—the fatal flaw or error of an honorable man, resulting in disproportionate misfortune. This is the essence of tragedy—in this case, a tragedy for himself, his family and his country.
Yet an exceptional life cannot be reduced to its lowest moment. Petraeus’ judgment was poor. His career was needlessly shortened. But nothing that Petraeus has contributed to his nation has been undone.
Michael Gerson is a columnist for the Washington Post Writers Group; email michaelgerson@washpost.com.
Nov 15, 2012 at 11:57 a.m.
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Gandalf
Simply pointing out facts....no matter if they are related...just facts. It was a simple statement. Not every comment requires an argument.
Nov 15, 2012 at 9:08 a.m.
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FEMA, there's another failed Obama run program with Sandy. You would think we lived in a third world. More over the union workers turning away non union help and non union companies in spite of the devastation is disturbing to say the least. Proof once again, it never is about the the kids, or the homeless, or the misplaced residents.
Obama presser did nothing to help his cause. But he does have the protection of the press which used to be the people's watchdog. The good old days when we were protected from over reaching government not protecting over reaching government.
Nov 14, 2012 at 4:19 p.m.
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poobah
You conveniently overlooked this fact from your CNN link.
"The Times reported that the investigation had already begun by the time Cantor talked with the whistle-blower."
Nov 13, 2012 at 8:12 p.m.
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Post_election patriots are hilarious, yet pathetic. The Patriotic Rapture didn't occur, so now they wander the internets aimlessly. Your dear poor mothers.
Nov 13, 2012 at 7:18 p.m.
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We can track a generals sex life but can't deliver and count military votes!!.
Nov 13, 2012 at 4:37 p.m.
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Post_election patriots are hilarious. The patriotic rapture didn't occur, so now they wander the internets aimlessly. Your poor mothers
Must be nice to be so stupid you lefties do not even realize what you have done to this country. Ignorance is bliss.
Nov 13, 2012 at 3:41 p.m.
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Two Republicans, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) and Rep. Dave Reichert (R-WA), have known about the Petraeus scandal for some time before it broke.
"House Majority Leader Eric Cantor knew in October about former CIA Director David Petraeus' involvement in an extramarital affair, a spokesman for the congressman told CNN on Sunday. [...] The Times reported that Cantor learned of the whistle-blower through Rep. Dave Reichert, R-Washington." [ http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/11/us/petraeu... ]
Nov 13, 2012 at 12:42 p.m.
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Post_election patriots are hilarious. The patriotic rapture didn't occur, so now they wander the internets aimlessly. Your poor mothers.
Nov 13, 2012 at 11:50 a.m.
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I hope Benghazi-gate comes to fruition. The American people deserve the truth, whether or not the American people can comprehend the truth is another story.
Nov 13, 2012 at 9:58 a.m.
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It must be a really long day when one is so bitter.
Nov 13, 2012 at 9:47 a.m.
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Benghazi is turning into a much bigger headache for the entire Obama Administration and Holder seems to be the center of the pinwheel of deceit.
Impeachment is in the picture if we are talking about the country's national security. It's the President's #1 job.
Nov 13, 2012 at 9:09 a.m.
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Continued:
Gun control will be implemented.
Medicare, Social Security and any other program that we contributed to will be robbed to pay for all the new benefits to unions, illegals, and so on.
Christianity will continue to be attacked in favor of the muslims, and it's even possible that Sharia law may be allowed to be implemented in certain places.
Our credit rating will be downgraded even further, and our world status will decline to that of a second rate country. The dollar will continue to lose it's value and may no longer be the benchmark for the worlds currencies. China will refuse to fund our debt. They now know that they will never be repaid.
It's likely that at least one Supreme Court Justice will be replaced with another far left liberal. Legislation from the bench will be common since we have rendered our legislative branch of government useless.
Expect REAL civil unrest. The wealthy, and middle class Americans will be attacked, robbed and their property destroyed. Particularly if this economy turns south. This will be at the directive of Obama.
This is just a brief list of things that we can expect from our re-elected president in his second term. Don't be discouraged...Marijuana is now legal in Washington and Colorado. You can always suck on a joint to ease the pain. Obama has done just as he promised....he has fundamentally changed America forever.
Thanks "progressives!"
Nov 13, 2012 at 9:01 a.m.
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Wislady - The Obamatrons do not care about any of that. but here's what we can thank them for:
Inflation will be out of control. Groceries, gasoline, electricity, consumer goods etc. Not that it hasn't been out of control the last four years.
Expect $5.00 a gallon gasoline sometime next summer.
Taxes will skyrocket just as promised along with new spending. The revenue will not go to paying down the national debt.
The Coal, petroleum, natural gas and nuclear industries will be virtually shut down in favor of more reckless spending on wind and solar.
The national debt will soar to 20 to 22 trillion dollars.
Socialized medicine is here to stay forever. No turning back.
Our borders will be wide open, and the illegals will pour across them in a rush to become legal. The 15 to 20 million that are already here will now be legal, and will be able to vote. With that, there will never be a way to turn this country around again. This was a benchmark election. The Conservatives will never control the government in the future.
The stock market and the economy will crash, and another recession will ensue. The real unemployment rate will skyrocket.
We will have four more years of the Fed printing money, and your savings and investments will be worthless. Get used to zero percent interest. It's permanent.
Our legislative branch of government has been rendered useless. Obama will throw aside the constitution and start governing totally by executive order with no one to stop him. For all intent and purposes, he is now a dictator. Harry Reed will still be in place for the next four years, and he will continue to block all legislation from the House, just as he has done for the last four years. Congress may as well turn out the lights and go home. It has no political power any longer.
Our military will be gutted and become ineffective and powerless to act.
Our foreign policy will now favor the muslim countries and you can throw Israel under the bus. Obama is after all a muslim. Iran will get the bomb. No stopping them.
Our nuclear arsenal will be destroyed just as he promised the Russians. He already gave away our missile defense shield.
We will selectively enforce only the laws that benefit the liberal agenda and will throw aside all the others. We are no longer a Republic or a nation of laws.
Nov 13, 2012 at 8:58 a.m.
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Like clockwork...
Nov 13, 2012 at 8:36 a.m.
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Hillary Skips Benghazi Hearing for Wine Tasting Down Under
Obama golfs
Nov 13, 2012 at 8:33 a.m.
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According to the WhiteHouse web site at White House.gov, by Monday morning, 20 states have begun petitions to the White House to secede from the nation since President Barack Obama was reelected on Nov. 6, 2012.
http://www.examiner.com/article/20-state...
Nothing starts a civil war faster then a Government enslavement of the people into poverty with debilitating economic policy.
Nov 13, 2012 at 8:30 a.m.
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The Constitution defines impeachment at the federal level and limits impeachment to "The President, Vice President, and all civil officers of the United States" who may be impeached and removed only for "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors".
This election would have taken on a whole new debate had the American people been informed of this Petreaus and deeper failed economy policy of the Pres that were suppressed until after the election.
Nov 13, 2012 at 8:27 a.m.
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Another General bites the dust (Gen. John Allen). No one is worried about Benghazi, but someone should be worried about the General in charge of Afghanistan who has time to exchange 30 thousand emails in a sex scandal. Things are falling apart, we have no leadership in the field or at the Executive level.
The American public should have been made aware of the dismal failure of leadership BEFORE the election.
The latest impending fiasco of the WH administration.....considering John Kerry for the Sec. of State position!
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