Adios, Santo Petraeus

With Generalissimo Petraeus riding off into the sunset, at least for now, we'd like to give our take on the matter, using the skimpy and manipulated facts we have on hand.

The FBI is the agent of his downfall. The launching of the wide ranging investigation that brought all the emails, etc. to light was in no way justified by the slightly abusing and non-threatening emails that Jill Kelly received from Broadwell. Despite the official narrative, I'm betting that FBI director Mueller knew about the investigation and had to have approved it. But Kelly was an excuse, all of the exchanges between Broadwell, Petraeus, Kelly and Allen must have been heard by the NSA. Someone at that level got the ball rolling.

It is very hard to understand who was the power that pushed this along. Factionalism in DC is extremely esoteric, the media reports are tissues of lies and half truths such that even the most assiduous sifting can rarely penetrate to the real reasons and motivations.

What it does remind me of is the fall of Scooter Libby, and thus Dick Cheney, not to mention Watergate. Following an election, changes at the most important levels of government take place though FBI or DoJ inquiries, selectively leaked to the press. One faction eases out another, often due to the overreaching of the ousted party.

Was Petraeus overreaching? And if so, in what way? Our best clues will be the replacements that are installed. Obama has never had the guts and gumption to install people loyal to him anywhere important. He kept Bush's National Security people (those installed post-Cheney), and since Gates left put in place-holders like Panetta. He's been even more cowardly at the DoJ, Holder is a joke, and the most evil and loyal of Rove's troops have been kept in US attorney positions. Mueller has already overstayed his term at the FBI, maybe Obama now regrets keeping him on.

Romney may have outdone Obama as a bad president, but it wouldn't have been easy, even for him.