Generals David Petraeus and George Allen: From a certain

point of view, the very epitome of manliness, these military

commanders appear to have been all-too-vulnerable to the

charms of the opposite sex.

American Generals 'In Love with their Own Biographies' (La Jornada, Mexico)

"The Petraeus affair is a godsend for comedians and a delightful distraction for a public which, as in any society since the dawn of history, thoroughly enjoys the long and spectacular fall of those who are put atop Mount Olympus. ... Meanwhile, young Americans and innocent civilians keep dying in wars, led by generals in love with their biographies."

By David Brooks

Translated By Halszka Czarnocka

November 19, 2012

Mexico – La Jornada – Original Article (Spanish)

All was going so well in the world's most powerful country. While orders were dispatched for soldiers to attack, control, conquer and maintain mastery over the battlefields of Iraq, Afghanistan and other points on the globe, and thereby safeguard the national security of the United States, in Tampa, four-star generals drank champagne, smoked cigars and flirted with female admirers at lavish parties.

The soap opera that recently premiered had enjoyed a global audience and reveals a lot about the indispensable country's supreme military power. It is a godsend for comedians and a delightful distraction for a public which, as in any society since the dawn of history, thoroughly enjoys the long and spectacular fall of those who are put atop Mount Olympus.

Among the choicest reactions to the four-star sex scandal was the one suggesting that after years of opposition to openly gay participation in the armed forces on the grounds that they could demoralize the troops and generate conflict and sexual tension, that perhaps the problem was different. "We have to do something about heterosexuals in the military. We have to get rid of them … It was probably a mistake to have allowed then to enlist. Traditional armies had always been gay," reported Defense Correspondent John Oliver in the nationally-influential and fictitious news program The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

By now, everyone knows that David Petraeus, one of the most decorated generals of his generation, credited with the final military conquest of Iraq, charged with the management of what is said to be the final phase of the longest war in the U.S. history in Afghanistan, and who until a few days ago was responsible for the clandestine front and intelligence gathering as CIA director, was also one of the most ambitious generals. He took particular delight promoting his public image, and then fell for the charms of his biographer, Paula Broadwell.

How did a man who demanded such discipline from his subordinates under the caveat that someone is always watching, fall under Broadwell's spell? That's the question everyone is asking.

And once he did so, why did one of the leading figures in espionage fail to keep his secrets? Well, according to The Washington Post, it seems that the illicit couple tried to hide their communications with something Petraeus learned from al-Qaeda (which is also used by adolescents) through a joint G-mail account in which they only wrote drafts that were never sent, but that either of the two, entering the shared account, could see.

It was amazing to see how the soap opera/Greek tragedy evolved. Up to now, and before new episodes began (Broadwell's father just commented to Newsweek that much more will come out) we knew of the existence of a certain Jill Kelley, who with her husband hosted lavish parties for senior military officials of McDill Air Force Base in Tampa, the seat of the U.S. Central Command, from where the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have been managed. Kelley, who met General Petraeus there along with his successor, John Allen, another four-star general, complained to her friend and FBI agent of being harassed by anonymous e-mails attacking her relationship with Petraeus .

The FBI consequently discovers that the author of the threatening e-mails is Broadwell, and even worse, in the course of the investigation, agents come across evidence that Broadwell and Petraeus are having a sexual relationship - something that could have serious implications both political and national security. After months of investigation, the White House is informed about the affair on Election Day. Three days later, the general knows his career is over and agrees to resign as CIA director.

But things don't end there! The FBI also discovers, thanks to the investigation she herself instigated, that Kelley maintained an electronic, overtly sexual dalliance (more than 20,000 pages of correspondence) with General Allen, who was recently nominated to be the next U.S. commander in Europe. Meanwhile, the renowned FBI agent who launched the investigation on behalf of his friend becomes the subject of another investigation, after it is discovered that he has sent Kelley inappropriate, shirtless images of himself.

Posted by Worldmeets.US

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