Petraeus and Benghazi; what is going on here?

Sex, Lies and Videotape; Petraeus’ Benghazi Problem  "That West wrote that article November 6th, makes the Petraeus “resignation” on November 9th highly suspect. Pundits are out in force questioning the “affair” with high ranking retired Military stating “its not a must for him to resign over an affair”. That the FBI was conducting “some investigation” in which they learned of the Petraeus affair is interesting, as the FBI is the agency investing Benghazi too. What even causes one to pause is what West uncovers about Petraeus and the funerals for the 2 CIA operatives:

Mr. Petraeus didn’t attend funerals held later for the two CIA contractors, irking some administration officials and CIA veterans.

Is Petraeus Falling on His Sword?  "But it certainly it is a bit odd that Petraeus's resignation happened several days after the election and several days before he would have testified about Benghazi. It would not be the first time self-immolation was ordered so that a dear leader could survive.
"Remember, Petraeus refused to go along with the administration's storyline about Benghazi, disassociating himself and the CIA from the whole debacle. It could be he was ordered to resign. Failure to do so might have meant his affair would be plastered over the media and the mistress targeted. So maybe Petraeus chose to fall on his sword, coming forth with the information about his affair himself and offering his resignation."
....
"After all, the story of a "spontaneous" demonstration instigated by an obscure video has not held up well, and in-depth answers still have not been forthcoming. But as head of the CIA, the general has to know the truth about what happened, and is no doubt being pressured to sit on it."

Victor Davis Hanson; Down from Olympus "Fairly or not, questions will be raised why this Washington-style Friday-afternoon resignation occurred after rather than before the election — a question that does not necessarily suggest that Petraeus’s did not take the proper nonpartisan course. But just days after this Tuesday, we are already beginning to hear of all sorts of “sudden” news: the Iranian attack on a U.S. drone; the plight of the Hurricane Sandy victims ... the sudden publicity of the “fiscal cliff”; and the Benghazi hearings. In that unfortunate politicized landscape comes the Petraeus bombshell."

Hanson included this little quote that I particularly enjoyed:

Because of both Petraeus’s sterling reputation and his high office, infidelity takes on greater importance than if it were — how absurd to write this — merely that of a lesser figure like Bill Clinton, whose serial miscreant conduct was taken for granted, even when he was a sitting president.

Marine Corps 237th Birthday, Nov 10th;

Independent Sentinel

"The official birthday of the United States Marine Corps, on 10 November 1775, began with the Second Continental Congress decree:

“That two battalions of Marines be raised consisting of one Colonel, two lieutenant-colonels, two majors and other officers, as usual in other regiments; that they consist of an equal number of privates as with other battalions, that particular care be taken that no persons be appointed to offices, or enlisted into said battalions, but such as are good seamen, or so acquainted with maritime affairs as to be able to serve for and during the present war with Great Britain and the Colonies; unless dismissed by Congress; that they be distinguished by the names of the First and Second Battalions of Marines.”

"The 13th Commandant, Gen. John A. Lejeune, in 1921 issued Marine Corps Order No. 47, Series 1921.

Gen. Lejeune’s order summarized the history, mission, and tradition of the Corps. It further directed that the order be read to all Marines on 10 November of each year to honor the founding of the Marine Corps. Thereafter, 10 November became a unique day for U.S. Marines throughout the world."....

Want to be a Marine? It begins this way:  (Video) Congressional Medal of Honor winner John Basilone and all other brave Marines began just like these frightened teenagers.

We see John Basilone featured in this segment of  "The Pacific"

Boeing “Unexpectedly” (and conveniently) Announces Huge Layoffs to Their Defense Division

Urban Grounds  America's chickennns are coming home...to ROOOSSST!
"Remember back in September when the Obama administration encouraged defense contractors to delay layoff announcements until after the election, offering to reimburse contractors for any legal costs incurred in not informing their affected employees? We knew that Lockheed Martin took ‘em up on their offer. And today, we find out so did Boeing."
....
"Because higher unemployment and fewer folks on the tax roll is exactly what California needs right now…


"Perhaps the most fair method to determine who gets laid off first is to go out into the parking lot and find all the cars with Obama/Biden stickers on them, and start with them."

CIA Director Petraeus Resigns, Cites Extramarital Affair

NBC New York  "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."  Via Drudge.

This should be a resume' enhancement in the Democrat Party.

Brief highlights of Gen. David Petraeus' career  I would also include in this list that the General presented Obama a war in Iraq that was won as long as politicians didn't screw it up.

Photo: urbangrounds.com

Could there be a connection here? Petraeus Throws Obama Under the Bus   "Breaking news on Benghazi: the CIA spokesman, presumably at the direction of CIA director David Petraeus, has put out this statement: "No one at any level in the CIA told anybody not to help those in need; claims to the contrary are simply inaccurate. ” "  William Kristol

Does Obama seem to you to be the type to settle old scores once reelected and thus "more flexible"?

Did Obama's people see this cartoon some time back?

Petraeus' letter of resignation

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

Many more posts and articles on politics, culture and history in the Tunnel Wall

Lets give thanks to a good man and his family

Matthew May   "This is a thank you note to a good man.

Thank you for turning aside from a life of ease and security to run for the presidency against an incumbent.

Thank you for enduring the slander of you, your family, and your faith perpetrated by a criminally negligent media.
Thank you for calling things such as terrorism by their right name.
Thank for selecting Paul Ryan as vice presidential running mate.
Thank you -- and your lovely wife -- for demonstrating true love.
Thank you for handling yourself with grace and equanimity in every situation.
Thank you for your patriotism.
Thank you for believing in America. It is to our eternal shame that America did not, in this time and place, believe in you.

And who did this good man lose to? These people:

 

May God bless Americans like the Romneys and may He save us from the likes of these other people. Perhaps this is the price we pay for attempting to kick every trace of God out of our culture. TD

U.S. Amb. to Saudi Arabia: U.S. Foreign Policy Will Change After Obama Victory

Weekly Standard  "The U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia, James Smith, told the Arabic news outlet Asharq Al-Awsat that American foreign policy will now change after President Barack Obama's reelection. Smith made the comments at an election night party at his residence.

allvoices.com

"Ambassador Smith "stressed the desire of President Obama to resolve a number of foreign issues, most notably restoring negotiations between the Israeli and Palestinian sides, responding more strongly to Iran, and working with allies to end the Syrian crisis, in addition to providing support for the new governments in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya, and assisting the current Yemeni President," Asharq Al-Awsat reported.
"The ambassador appears not to have elaborated further.
"Obama was famously overheard promising the Russian leadership more flexibility after he was reelected by the American people. It now seems Obama believes he will have more flexibility in the Middle East, too. "

When you say no to spoiled children, you get a tantrum

Rick Moran; Athens in flames as protests against austerity get violent  "A preview of America in a few years? Or "it could never happen here?":"

William Sullivan; Barack Obama and the Cult of Dependency  "One Twitter user going by the handle @_MaliksWright articulates this position nicely, laced with one of many death threats against Mitt Romney that have been curiously uninteresting to the media at large:

Food stamps are such a beautiful thing. Romney better hope he lose tomorrow, I cock my gun on his ass he take MY food stamps away lol

"The completion of Obama's fundamental transformation of America is nearly at hand. And we who value what America once represented rightfully mourn its coming demise."

Scenes from Obama's America; brace yourself before you read item #4

1. American Thinker  "Tuesday, our country split apart along the dangerous fault lines of class, race, gender, age and faith, and we can already glimpse the consequences. Tipping points and inflections can be seen: here are two personal observations from Wednesday."

"...a well-dressed black woman had ordered 8 different coffees to go. The baristas were doing their best, but it was tedious process to make, label and stack that much coffee. The woman was obviously in a hurry and loudly snapped at the white staff, "Just because we won last night, is no excuse for lousy service." The entire cafe was pin- drop quiet for a couple of seconds.
...."Thanks to overt and nasty racism of the Obama campaign, which carefully sowed the seeds of a Marxist-style social warfare, America's natural inclination to work together has been deliberately and effectively poisoned. More than the sick economy, the dissolving of our social bonds fatally weakens our national will to defend and protect what is uniquely American. The Roman Empire and countless Chinese dynasties know how well that worked out." Emphasis added.

2. Neal Boortz; America Has Settled 

....We have settled for mediocrity.
    We have settled for handouts.
    We have settled for more government.
    We have settled for less personal freedom.
    We have settled for stagnation or opportunity.
    We have settled for mediocre government healthcare.
    We have settled for redistribution instead of hard work....

3. From Black Quill and Ink blog: 

"From the perspective of Democrat-voting blacks, the implications of a black president was not a more racially just America. It was about assuming there would be a man in the White House more prepared to sign off on special political treatment for blacks. To the extent this has not happened, there has been dissatisfaction.
"From the perspective of conservatives, tensions have increased because criticism of Obama’s big-government liberalism has been spun as racially motivated.
"The Obama presidency has not ushered in a new era of racial tranquility because, despite all the hype, it’s not what it has been about."

4. Investors.com; Obama To Unleash Racial-Preferences Juggernaut 
"Under this broad interpretation of civil-rights law, virtually any organization can be held liable for race bias if it maintains a policy that negatively impacts one racial group more than another — even if it has no racist motive and applies the policy evenly across all groups.
Equal Outcomes  .... "Though the administration seeks equal credit outcomes, regardless of risk, across the entire banking industry, it doesn't have to sue every bank to achieve its goal. As a prophylactic against similar prosecution, IBD has learned the American Bankers Association recently advised its 5,000 members to give rejected minority loan applicants a "second look," which it says "can result in suggested changes in underwriting standards.""
Bank collapse coming again soon.

But I Guess It Doesn’t Matter

Conservative Daily News "I can’t believe the people re-elected the worst president in history. A man hell bent on destroying this country and making it into a European socialist country, but I guess it doesn’t matter."

...."I can’t believe they re-elected a man where unemployment went from 6% to when Bush left office to 10% and then hovered around 8% for four years only to say “8% is the new normal.” But I guess it doesn’t matter.

"I can’t believe they re-elected a man who caused gas prices to rise from $1.89 a gallon under Bush to $3.89 and turned down drilling here and imported contractors from China to work on our infrastructure here thus taking away jobs here, but I guess it doesn’t matter.
"I can’t believe they re-elected a man who has a healthcare plan where senior citizens are denied much needed operations jus t to save expenses and doctors are rationed and who he himself has said senior citizens should forgo procedures and just die naturally.” But I guess it doesn’t matter.
Then the author gives us this list that is by no means exhaustive:

He bowed to foreign leaders.
He gave guns to Mexican drug gangs (Fast and Furious).
He ignored laws of the land he didn’t like.
He vastly increased the deficit.
He took over and corrupted our medical industry.
He divided us: rich vs poor, straight vs gay, black vs white, liberal vs conservative, etc.
He went all over the world apologizing for the U.S.
He denies American exceptionalism.
He lies. All the time. About everything.
He changes his accent when he talks to different groups.
He broke countless promises he made to voters.
He demanded a private company hand over $20 billion to one of his political appointees.

The list goes on much further, but I guess it doesn't matter. TD

In a Nation of Children, Santa Claus Wins

Rush Limbaugh    "We had a parade of minorities who have become successful Americans. And they all had a common story: up from nothing, hard work, their parents sacrificed for them. Now, why didn't that work, folks? The answer to that is our future. Why didn't it work? Some people say, "Well, Rush, we pandered." No, we didn't pander. Everybody says that we need to reach out to minorities. We have plenty of highly achieved minorities in our party, and they are in prominent positions, and they all have a common story. They all came from nothing. Their parents came from nothing. They worked hard. They told those stories with great pride. Those stories evoked tears. It didn't work. And don't tell me that people didn't watch the convention or people didn't see it. I mean, there's a reason it doesn't work.

...."...the Romney campaign was devoted to the traditional American view and history -- vision, as well -- of what creates prosperity. The old capitalism, the old arguments of hard work, stick-to-itiveness, self-reliance, charity, helping out in the community.
"All of these things that define the traditional institutions that made this country great, that's what the Romney campaign was about. It was rejected.
"...They think that the only way they're gonna have a chance for anything is if somebody comes along and takes from somebody else and gives it to them. Santa Claus! And it's hard to beat Santa Claus."

And Rush also linked the subject to the left coast, a natural bellwether of where America is going: California, Here We Come

http://www.calwatchdog.com/2012/10/22/election-drama/

"But if the Democrats win total dictatorial control over the California legislature, then they could impose higher taxes whenever they want without asking you to vote for it yourself. He-he-he-he. And not even Moonbeam could stop 'em if he was inclined, which he won't be. In fact, the LA Times has an editorial on this."
.... "With the spending in that state, the level of taxation in that state, the streets ought to be paved with gold out there. And California's exactly what Obama wants to do, folks. We have a microcosm out there. California's a bellwether. So let's watch how the California economy takes off, and let's watch no spending cuts for seven years, and no more taxes for seven years. Let's keep a sharp eye."

And the entertainment industry cheered!

http://terrellaftermath.com/

Mourning in America - Here's Those Layoffs We Voted For Last Night

FreedomWorks  "Last night's victory for the President marks the first time since its inception that Obamacare is no longer a what-if; it is the future of health care in America.

"It also means a near immediate impact on the economy. With 20 or so new or higher taxes set to be implemented, ranging from a $123 billion surtax on investment income, through the $20 billion medical device tax, all the way down to the $600 million executive compensation limit, Obamacare will be a nearly unbearable tax burden on the economy.
"Who will pay? The middle-class workforce, of course.

"So with another four years for President Obama to look forward to, and the obvious inevitability of Obamacare that this entails, let's examine the very real jobs that will be lost, and the very real lives that will be affected."....

"Under the health care law, if a company has more than 50 “full time equivalent” workers, a combination of full and part-time employees, but doesn’t offer “affordable” coverage that meets the government’s minimum value standard, the company will have to pay a penalty. This penalty is determined by the number of full-time employees minus 30 full-time employees. So to reiterate a very important point: part-time workers are not part of the penalty formula. The health care law creates a perverse incentive to hire part-time versus full-time workers."

"Tangible examples of Obamacare causing a reduction in full-time workers:" Read on...