Paula Broadwell flies with Gen. David Petraeus to Helman Province, Afghanistan in June, 2011.COMMAND SGT. MAJ. MARVIN HILL/The New York Times
Should Petraeus have resigned over his extramarital affair with his biographer? Should your personal life affect your professional career? We asked for your thoughts on the sex scandal that has rattled the CIA.
Here's what you said:
As long as he does his job well, he should stay on. His private life - stay out of it.
- Togonomo
It's between him and his wife. It's nobody else's business...not even Obama's. Everyone is passing judgement on the guy - but do any of you even know all the details and circumstances?... ease up on trashing the man until you've walked in his shoes.
- Paul Martin
To hold someone to a higher standard than we hold ourselves (or our
friends) is unfair. People make mistakes. Simply because he is a
(marginally) public figure doesn't mean he should be held to a different
standard in an unrelated area of his life. I wouldn't fire an employee
because he cheated on his wife... Why should Petraeus be
treated any differently?
- Drew, Toronto
A man who reached such a high point in his career like Petraeus did, should not complain about higher standard applied to him - at the very least, to send the message to his subordinates. If Petraeus was your run-of-the-mill paper pusher, nobody would bother about his personal life - but nobody would have written his biography either.
- FreshandLoud
Funny how U.S. Presidents having extramarital affairs don't resign & up until Clinton's time their dalliances were often known & protected by both gov't & the press. Clinton, uncharacteristically drew some heat for it, but survived it intact, & is now the most popular ex-Pres in modern history.
- Hermesacat
Clinton was not only not head of the CIA (duh!), he was not sworn to conduct himself as per military standards, even being CiC... There's some question as to whether Patraeus still holds his military rank or not, or if that even matters. He's also sworn to standards as the head of the CIA, and rightly so.
- Stephen Saines
There is no evidence so far that would suggest a breach of security took place. This is an issue between Petraeus, his wife and Broadwell. America should be more concerned about fiscal cliffs and a disfunctional government than the latest sex scandal!
- John, Vancouver
If the media thinks David Petraeus gave secrets to his mistress they know nothing about extra marital affairs. As a man who had a few affairs during my life I can assure you when you are in bed with the "other woman" talking is not a priority.
- Fred Johnson1939
If you allow yourself to cheat in your private life, you most likely will allow yourself to cheat in your professional life! This is a character issue... how can someone be two people in the same day; at the office an honest Joe, and later in the day a lying cheating spouse. Or maybe take a break at lunch from being honest and cheat for a an hour or two. This is about character.
- Ed, Calgary
Have an opinion on the Petraeus scandal? Have your say here