CIA boss David Petraeus forced to quit after FBI found he was cheating on his wife during investigation into his female biographer

Revelations about the affair that led to Friday's resignation of CIA Director David Petraeus were discovered in the course of an FBI investigation, officials said. NBC News reported that Paula Broadwell, who wrote the former general’s biography, All In, had extensive access to Petraeus. However, sources told the news site that it is unlikely that Broadwell will face criminal charges following the alleged hacking, stressing that Petraeus himself is under no investigation. Broadwell, who is a research associate at Harvard University, is married and lives with her husband and two children in Charlotte North Carolina, according to her website. On her Twitter page, Broadwell describes herself as an author, national security analyst, army veteran, and women’s rights activist.

Quit: David Petraeus has resigned from the CIA after 14 months as director of the agency

The highly-decorated general resigned as director of the CIA today after admitting to an extra-marital affair. He had been one of the most respected figures in the military and intelligence establishment, but has stepped down to deal with the fallout of confessing to cheating on Holly, his wife of 37 years. He had been sworn in as head of the CIA in September 2011 after serving as head of the coalition forces first in Iraq and then in Afghanistan. President Obama accepted Petraeus' resignation but described him as 'one of the outstanding General officers of his generation' as he added: 'By any measure, through his lifetime of service David Petraeus has made our country safer and stronger.' Deputy director Michael Morell will serve as acting head of the agency until a permanent replacement for Petraeus is appointed.

 

Couple: But Petraeus has publicly confessed to cheating on his wife Holly, right

Under investigation: Paula Broadwell, who wrote a biography on Petraeus, is under investigation by the FBI for allegedly trying to gain access to the CIA director's emails

In his resignation letter addressed to CIA agents, Petraeus wrote that 'such behaviour is unacceptable' for a senior administration official. The fact of an affair would not in itself normally merit a resignation, unless the affair created a security risk, for instance if it was with a foreigner or a journalist. Blackmail would also be an issue, though publicly admitting the affair would prevent that. An affair with a subordinate CIA employee might make a resignation almost inevitable - or it is possible that Petraeus stepped down because he felt his leadership and integrity had been compromised.

Author: Broadwell completed a biography about Petraeus, published earlier this year

One of the most puzzling aspects of the resignation is its proximity to next week’s congressional hearings on Benghazi, which Petraeus has said he will not now attend, even though being out of office would not preclude his doing so. Petraeus admitted he had shown 'extremely poor judgement' in the letter he sent to his CIA colleagues confirming that he was stepping down. He added that it had been 'the greatest of privileges' to work at the agency, saying: 'Teddy Roosevelt once observed that life's greatest gift is the opportunity to work hard at work worth doing.'

 

Ally: Barack Obama could be harmed by the loss of one of his senior national security officials

Sweethearts: Petraeus on the day he graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1974, pictured with his fiancée Holly Knowlton, whose father was the superintendent of West Point

ART: HOW CIA AFFAIR SCANDAL IS ECHOED IN HOMELAND

David Petraeus' confession that he has had an affair mirrors the plot of Showtime's Emmy-winning drama Homeland.

David Estes (above, played by David Harewood), CIA director of counter-terrorism in the show, has an extra-marital affair with lead character Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes).

Although the fling leads to the break-up of his marriage, there is no suggestion that either he or Carrie should their job over it.

Petraeus, 60, has been married to Holly, née Knowlton, since 1975, after they meet when he was a military cadet at West Point and she was the daughter of the academy's superintendent. When he was sworn in as director of the CIA by Vice President Joe Biden, Holly held the Bible on which he swore his oath of office. Mrs Petraeus is head of the Office of Servicemember Affairs, a department of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau which is responsible for ensuring members of the military are not taken advantage of by banks and other financial businesses.

The official offered his resignation to Obama on Thursday, and the President accepted the offer on Friday. Obama issued a statement thanking Petraeus for his 'extraordinary service', saying he had 'served with characteristic intellectual rigor, dedication, and patriotism'. The President added: 'Going forward, my thoughts and prayers are with Dave and Holly Petraeus, who has done so much to help military families through her own work. I wish them the very best at this difficult time.'

 

Oath of office: Petraeus was sworn in last September by Joe Biden with his wife Holly at his side

Wife: Holly Petraeus heads the Office of Servicemember Affairs in the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Director of National Intelligence James Clapper had even stronger praise for Petraeus, describing him as 'one of our nation's great patriots' as he added, 'Dave has redefined what it means to serve and sacrifice for one's country.' Clapper continued: 'Whether he was in uniform leading our nation's troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, or at CIA headquarters leading the effort to generate intelligence used to keep our nation safe, Dave inspired people who had the privilege of working with him.' Dianne Feinstein, a Democratic senator from California who is chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said: 'I wish President Obama had not accepted this resignation, but I understand and respect the decision.'

She added: 'I wanted him to continue. He was good, he loved the work and he had a command of intelligence issues second to none.' Peter King, the Republican who chairs the House Committee on Homeland Security, said: 'General Petraeus is one of America’s most outstanding and distinguished military leaders and a true American patriot.'

'I SHOWED EXTREMELY POOR JUDGEMENT':  RESIGNATION LETTER

Yesterday afternoon, I went to the White House and asked the President to be allowed, for personal reasons, to resign from my position as D/CIA.  After being married for over 37 years, I showed extremely poor judgment by engaging in an extramarital affair. Such behavior is unacceptable, both as a husband and as the leader of an organization such as ours. This afternoon, the President graciously accepted my resignation.

As I depart Langley, I want you to know that it has been the greatest of privileges to have served with you, the officers of our Nation's Silent Service, a work force that is truly exceptional in every regard. Indeed, you did extraordinary work on a host of critical missions during my time as director, and I am deeply grateful to you for that.

Teddy Roosevelt once observed that life's greatest gift is the opportunity to work hard at work worth doing. I will always treasure my opportunity to have done that with you and I will always regret the circumstances that brought that work with you to an end.

Thank you for your extraordinary service to our country, and best wishes for continued success in the important endeavors that lie ahead for our country and our Agency.

With admiration and appreciation,
David H. Petraeus

'EXTRAORDINARY SERVICE': OBAMA PAYS TRIBUTE TO GENERAL TURNED SPY CHIEF

David Petraeus has provided extraordinary service to the United States for decades.

By any measure, he was one of the outstanding General officers of his generation, helping our military adapt to new challenges, and leading our men and women in uniform through a remarkable period of service in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he helped our nation put those wars on a path to a responsible end.

As Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, he has continued to serve with characteristic intellectual rigor, dedication, and patriotism.

By any measure, through his lifetime of service David Petraeus has made our country safer and stronger.

Today, I accepted his resignation as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

I am completely confident that the CIA will continue to thrive and carry out its essential mission, and I have the utmost confidence in Acting Director Michael Morell and the men and women of the CIA who work every day to keep our nation safe.

Going forward, my thoughts and prayers are with Dave and Holly Petraeus, who has done so much to help military families through her own work. I wish them the very best at this difficult time.

Man of action: Petraeus guided Obama around Iraq when he visited as a presidential candidate in 2008

Appointment: The general served under George W. Bush as commander of U.S. forces in Iraq

The resignation comes at an awkward time for the President, who is beginning to put together his team for his second term in the wake of his re-election on Tuesday. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has already declared her plans to step down in January, while Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta is expected to follow some time in 2013. Petraeus' departure leaves another vacancy for a key position in the national security establishment. Morell, who has served as the agency's deputy director for two and a half years, will be one of the frontrunners to take over on a permanent basis - former CIA director George Tenet was promoted from deputy in the same way after the resignation of John Deutch in 1996. He is a long-serving analyst who has twice been a witness to history, travelling with George W. Bush on the day of the September 11 attacks and sitting in the White House situation room with Barack Obama during the mission to kill Osama Bin Laden in May last year.

 

Replacement: Petraeus' deputy Mike Morell will take over as acting director for the time being

Petraeus was in charge of the CIA at the time of the terror attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi on September 11 of this year, a raid in which ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans were killed and which has become a political disaster for the Obama administration. The former CIA director was due to address a congressional hearing on the attack next week, which could raise suspicions that the timing of his resignation was politically motivated. He will no longer be present at the hearing, which will instead grill Morell on the agency's failings in allowing four Americans to die during the assault on the consulate and a CIA compound. Despite his close working relationship with Obama and other Democratic officials, Petraeus was spoken of as a possible running mate for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney this year.

THE TOP SOLDIER OF HIS GENERATION: PETRAEUS' STARRY CAREER

Hero: David Petraeus has an unparalleled reputation among soldiers of his generation

David Howell Petraeus is a retired U.S. Army four-star general and the most celebrated American soldier of his time.

Known as a scholar and a warrior, the West Point graduate is admired as much for his intellect as his tactical ability and charisma on the battlefield.

He oversaw the crafting of the successful 2006 U.S. counterinsurgency measures in Iraq and accepted without hesitation Obama's request to leave Central Command in 2010 and lend his expertise to the failing international effort in Afghanistan.

Spending 37 years in the military, Petraeus retired from service and took up his post as director of the CIA on September 6, 2011.

Born in Cornwall-on-Hudson in New York in 1952, Petraeus is the son of small town librarian Miriam and Sixtus, a sea captain who had emigrated from the Netherlands.

Immediately upon his graduation from high school in 1970 he enrolled as a cadet at West Point Military Academy where he served with distinction - graduating in the top five of his class in 1974.

Just after his graduation he married Holly Knowlton, daughter of West Point superintendent General William A. Knowlton.

Leaving West Point, Petraeus embarked on his military career and was commissioned as a second lieutenant with the Army Rangers.

Command: Petraeus took over as head of coalition troops in Afghanistan in 2010

He served in a light infantry airborne battalion combat team in Italy and by 1978 he had attained the rank of captain.

His rise though the ranks was rapid. By 2000 he was a brigadier general, and in January 2007 he became a four-star general.

Continuing his education at the same time as his active service, Petraeus was recognised for his intellect and won the General George C. Marshall Award as the top graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College in 1983.

This allowed him to study at the university of his choice and he enrolled at the School of International Affairs at Princeton University - earning a Master's degree in 1985 and a PhD in 1987.

Beginning his command career in Haiti in 1995 as NATO's chief operations officer, Petraeus served in Kuwait and Bosnia.

Spouses: David and Holly Petraeus have been married for over 37 years

In 2007 he commanded the Bush administration's successful deployment to Iraq of 20,000 new troops to combat rising insurgents.

His counterinsurgency strategy has become known as the 'Petraeus Doctrine'.

By 2008, Petraeus was the United States' top soldier and took the reins of the U.S. based Central Command, as USCENTCOM, in October of that year.

However, following Afghanistan commander Stanley McChrystal's negative comments regarding the Obama administration in 2010, Petraeus was asked to take control of the international force there.

He continued to serve in this capacity until he left the military on August 31, 2011 - where at his retirement, Admiral Michael Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff compared him to legendary Civil War general and U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant.

 Source: Daily Mail UK 

Please share