Petraeus Affair: The Latest

[Content Note: Harassment.]

I don't even know what's going on anymore. Maybe you can make head or tails of it. If you can, let me know! Thaaaaaaaaanks!

Reuters—Timeline of Events Surrounding CIA Director Petraeus' Resignation.

Wall Street Journal—FBI Agent in Petraeus Case Under Scrutiny: "New details about how the Federal Bureau of Investigation handled the case suggest that even as the bureau delved into Mr. Petraeus's personal life, the agency had to address conduct by its own agent—who allegedly sent shirtless photos of himself to a woman involved in the case prior to the investigation."

Washington Post—Petraeus Investigation Ensnares Commander of US and NATO Troops in Afghanistan: "The FBI probe into the sex scandal that prompted CIA Director David Petraeus to resign has expanded to ensnare Gen. John R. Allen, the commander of US and NATO troops in Afghanistan, the Pentagon announced early Tuesday. According to a senior US defense official, the FBI has uncovered between 20,000 and 30,000 pages of documents—most of them e-mails—that contain 'potentially inappropriate' communication between Allen and Jill Kelley, the 37-year-old Tampa woman whose report of harassment by a person who turned out to be Petraeus's mistress ultimately led to Petraeus's downfall."

Department of Defense—Statement by the Secretary of Defense on General John Allen: "On Sunday, the Federal Bureau of Investigation referred to the Department of Defense a matter involving General John Allen, Commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. Today, I directed that the matter be referred to the Inspector General of the Department of Defense for investigation, and it is now in the hands of the Inspector General. I have informed the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. The House Armed Services Committee has also been notified."

NBC—Emails on 'Coming and Goings' of Petraeus, Other Military Officials Escalated FBI Concerns: "What most alarmed the FBI, the source said, were references to 'the comings and goings' of high-level generals from the US Central Command, which is based at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, and the US Southern Command, as well as Petraeus—including events that were not on any public schedule. This raised the question as to whether somebody had access to sensitive—and classified—information."

AP—Petraeus Said to Be Shocked by Girlfriend's Emails: "CIA Director David Petraeus was shocked to learn last summer that [Paula Broadwell] was suspected of sending threatening emails warning another woman to stay away from him, former staff members and friends told The Associated Press Monday. Petraeus told these associates his relationship with the second woman, Tampa socialite Jill Kelley, was platonic, though his biographer-turned-lover Paula Broadwell apparently saw her as a romantic rival. Retired Gen. Petraeus also denied to these associates that he had given Broadwell any of the sensitive military information alleged to have been found on her computer, saying anything she had must have been provided by other commanders during reporting trips to Afghanistan."

ABC—FBI: Petraeus Affair Part of Criminal Probe: "The FBI withheld its findings about Gen. David Petreaus' affair from the White House and congressional leaders because the agency considered them the result of a criminal investigation that never reached the threshold of an intelligence probe, law enforcement sources said today. The sources said agents followed department guidelines that generally bar sharing information about developing criminal investigations. The FBI is also aware of its history under former director J. Edgar Hoover of playing politics and digging into the lives of public figures. As one official said, the rules are designed to protect people (both private and elected officials) when negative information about them arises in the course of a criminal investigation that is not a crime."

Echidne—The Petraeus Puzzle: "The nasty bits on all this attention are what you might expect: On The Other Woman. ... And did you start counting the time to the first evo-psycho article about why Petraeus, A Man With Everything, did something so stupid for sex? I haven't found one yet (though I'm confident that it is in the works), but I did come across this inane television conversation with one S.E. Cupp asking why great men are willing to sacrifice everything for sex, all through the times! None of the people point out that Paula Broadwell, the woman Petraeus admitted having had an affair with, seems to have sacrificed pretty much everything for sex, too. If we call an affair just sex. I doubt she can salvage her career as a biographer after this, and I'm not sure what the consequences are for her marriage. The only difference between her situation and that of Petraeus is that the society ranks his success much higher."

Discuss.