David Petraeus has resigned from the CIA.
According to USA Today , Petraeus admitted to having an extra-marital affair and said that he had to step down in order to deal with the “personal and professional issues” surrounding that relationship.
In his resignation letter, Petraeus writes :
“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.”
Petraeus became the head of the CIA in September, 2011. Deputy director Michael Morell will step into Petraeus’ position while the agency will starts looking for a permanent replacement.
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said in a statement :
“Today, CIA Director David Petraeus submitted his letter of resignation to the President. Dave’s decision to step down represents the loss of one of our nation’s most respected public servants. From his long, illustrious Army career to his leadership at the helm of CIA, Dave has redefined what it means to serve and sacrifice for one’s country … On behalf of the entire Intelligence Community, I thank Dave for his service, his support and his continued friendship.”
