The military retirement board has spoken and 4 star general David Petraeus will retire as a 4 star general.This despite his conviction for sharing classified information with his biographer/mistress.There is little question that his service to this country was extraordinary.Unfortunately his disservice was also of magnitude.I do not believe that personal misbehavior should hugely impact career and yet it does.When that behavior impacts classified material I find myself less certain.Justice Clarence Thomas was approved by four votes probably because behavior outside of government office was kept out of congressional testimony by Joe Biden.(Interestingly Thomas played the race card!)Petraeus is certainly owed the same amnestic consideration ,subsequent disloyalty to his commander in chief notwithstanding…Is there misogyny here as well?Even with a consenting and facilitating adult? Line personnel have been demoted for less;and what about judgment?Is there something that we can learn from sexually induced misbehavior.(Bill Clinton where have you gone?)
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The Octogenarians 
My, my, my … another one of those “where-to-begin” challenges. To get the societal immaturity out of the way — sexuality as a blackmailing/tormenting tool:
daedal2207: “I do not believe that personal misbehavior should hugely impact career … Even with a consenting and facilitating adult? … (Bill Clinton where have you gone?)”
“Is there misogyny here as well?”
Would gynophobia be more accurate? There is both … and because we tolerate it. It’s titillating, entertaining, another form of voyeurism for our dull lives! Wouldn’t it be better for a functioning order to get society out of our very private bedrooms? A few weeks ago, the NYTimes Frank Bruni had a sobering column regarding the Clintons … and, all of us. No one knows what’s on the deep recesses of anyone’s mind. And, to the extent that it’s none of our businesses, that’s how it should remain … unique and none of our businesses.
daedal2207: “Unfortunately his disservice was also of magnitude. I do not believe that personal misbehavior should hugely impact career and yet it does. When that behavior impacts classified material I find myself less certain. … subsequent disloyalty to his commander in chief …”
Yes, Professor Thomas, I share with you the feeling of less certainty … in this particular case. The degree of poor judgement. And, yet, there is a line. David Petraeus seems to lack the degree of honorable loyalty demanded of his position that the likes of John Profumo displayed. Petraeus … full benefits … on the way to further fortunes. Profumo … a volunteer cleaning toilets at Toynbee Hall.
daedal2207: “Line personnel have been demoted for less …”
This to be sure. The grace of God would not be shielding them. This hurts. And, it’s the good-old-boy network that is being exposed here. It’s not just the curious, sexual relations that are being, rightfully or wrongfully, protected. More importantly, with national security at stake, it’s the sheer incompetence that’s now being covered up as well. Continuing on the practices of the “Protection Club,” the Washington Post had an article this last week which reminded us that the current Naval Chief of Intelligence, Vice Admiral Ted “Twig” Branch, and his assistant, the Navy’s director of intelligence operations, Rear Admiral Bruce F. Loveless, have been barred from seeing or hearing classified information due to a corruption investigation in which they have been named … since November 2013! The comedic line is provided by Rear Admiral Dawn Cutler, the Navy’s chief spokeswoman. It’s worth looking for it!
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2016/01/27/the-admiral-in-charge-of-navy-intelligence-has-not-been-allowed-to-see-military-secrets-for-years/
It sounds like they’re being allowed to sit it out until full retirement comes around, a benefit that line personnel would not/have not received.
daedal2207: “Is there something that we can learn from sexually induced misbehavior.”
Maybe we should strike out “sexually induced”? Sexual behavior is not necessarily tied in to malfeasance. However, I think most of us would recognize incompetence and breach of security, even if sexuality were not involved. Yes, Justice Clarence Thomas played the redeeming card … the race card … one of its most prominent self-hating members.
Perhaps the lesson here is that power determines morality, not absolute pronouncements. It applies to all sectors of society … to include private and public. Of course, these are strictly personal opinions based, once again, on life’s experience … with no empirical data to give them legitimacy.
P. S. Are those Benghazi hearings done? How about the Planned Parenthood ones? I know … they’re all working hard to make Flint, Michigan whole again. Talk about malfeasance and lack of accountability!
You’ve hit the nail on the head.”power determines morality”;at least in terms, of consequences.Flint Michigan,SoCal gas,philanderer’s biographies and the historiography of Monica Lewinsky have much in common.
Reblogged this on daedal2207's Blog.