I guess I am unclear why their affair would warent Petraeus's resignation. People have affairs. Was there a significant conflict of interest regarding their affair? If not, I don't understand how this is news worthy?
Days after Petraeus' resignation stunned Washington,
information continues to emerge. Among other things, a
video has surfaced of a speech by Petraeus' paramour in
which she suggested the Libya attack was targeting a
secret prison at the Benghazi consulate annex, raising
unverified concerns about possible security leaks.
The affair by itself should've had no impact. In fact, you can find tons of articles from today that talk about how Petraeus had every intention of staying on the job. However, once you get into the realm of 'what classified information did he spill in pillow talk?', then resignation seems like the least he should have to do.
Broadwell is lawyering up[1], and I bet that Petraeus does the same in the next days or weeks. There are going to be some serious criminal liability issues over improperly disclosed national security information.
[1] http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/paula_broadwell_lawye...
Then should we keep intelligence folk from ever dating or marrying anyone ever? I don't see how this is any different
It may not be such a big deal if you're a four-star general but it's a very big deal in the intelligence community. If this sort of thing was tolerated at the top level of the CIA, the agency would have no moral authority to enforce the rules among the rank-and-file cloak-and-dagger types.
OTOH if he had reported the affair(s) in question as he was supposed to do, there might have been some room for negotiation. It's not so much the affair, but the cover-up.
Anyone in such a position needs to basically have no personal secrets that would cause major harm if revealed.
He broke a really big rule. When you're in such a high position, you don't get to break big rules and then get off scott-free; rather, you will either be dismissed in a dishonorable fashion, or you can resign and save a little bit of that honor.
If he had tried to ride it out, it would've created an even greater distraction in the news, drawing even more unwanted attention onto his office and that of his superior, and superiors don't like negative attention. After all of that, he _still_ would have been let go. Get out early and save face.