Lessons from the Petraeus Affair

The recent affair news of David Petraeus brings to mind several truths. The most obvious is that people in power are often at high risk for affairs. The second is that in politics and business, knowledge about affairs are often used as tools. People are removed from where they are at by releasing news about the affair at select times. In politics, timing is everything. The timing of when an affair is announced is often the real story that is not often told. Even in the Petraeus episode, the affair occurred at least a year before it was announced. The information was discovered by the FBI who were investigating his emails. Although you may not have the FBI at your disposal or have to be investigated by them, you may have a private investigator to deal with. Investigators do not have to abide by federal laws. They may investigate things that you thought no one knew about. And, like affairs of others in high position, news of the affair will likely be exposed when you are most vulnerable. Even though you may not be involved in an affair, the accusations of having an affair are often announced at selected times.

In business and politics, an affair is often the least kept secret. Knowledge of an affair is political leverage. When I hear of political or business affairs, I learn more when I ask “qui bono?” (who benefits?). When you understand who gains the most from the affair, you can see the politics behind what is going on.

Recall that with affairs, there is often more than meets the eye.

Best Regards,

Jeff Murrah

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5 Responses

  1. I was outraged to hear a news person tonight report that this man’ s wife has ‘taken responsibility” for her husband’s adultery because ‘he was deployed for so long’

    HOW is she responsible for this ? Deployment is something she could not do anything about !

    I think many times wives are told that they are somehow to blame for this behavior of a husband !

    They were married over 32 years I believe …the military places a lot of stress on marriages yet despite this many married people do not cheat !

    I am saddened that this woman has to endure not only the pain of her husband’s adultery but IN PUBLIC as well ….it is absolutely appalling how a man can do this to his family …and just disgusting how a woman such as the one that is said to have been his mistress can be so callous ..

    But we all have had to realize such people just do not care WHO they harm ….I suppose there will be more than meets the eye that will come out.

    I think this puts ‘serving your country ‘ and ‘laying down your life for your country’ at a pretty sad level.

    Poor Holly. This is disgraceful …

    1. Zaza,

      I suspect that there is more to this than meets the eye so to speak. When you are dealing with a politician, timing is everything. The timing of this one does not pass the ‘sniff test’. Adultery is not excusable, even in the military.

  2. Yes …I agree …lots of twists and turns …..my point as far as the wife’s comment…[ if she indeed did make one] taking responsibility in part I believe was error but many spouses of a CS have been counselled this way …a CS does not follow that their spouse did something to prompt it ….CS often are those who refuse to do what is called for in a marriage relationship….which covers a lot of aspects of relating in a committed and intimate relationship.

    My own husband agreed that he had everything including a spouse who made every effort to carry on a mature relationship …he just wanted to have a ‘fantasy’ life as the man he thought was ‘more’ than who he is in real life.

    I look back and see various personaes he took on …I viewed this sort of how people enjoy being in a play or such thing..but he really DID desire to be a different kind of man than the stable, family man. He wanted to be a ‘cowboy’ ranch owner …also JR Ewing…..and a race car driver ….and a gambler…and a rat pack personae…..all could have been enjoyed at a play level…but once he got some aspects through his job …money , associates who had a lot more money and status he wanted to play in their world .

    Many of them were unfaithful or had the kind of attitude that was irreverent or appeared to be..He BOUGHT all of it and tried to become one of them….the extra women who were around when he was in his career venues….at company meetings in the Big Apple…or LA …or SF where people can do things and become invisible led to a more bold choice…to actually create a double life.

    ALL of this he has admitted was not worth what he has done to all of what he HAD ..and all of those who he should have valued…because in truth ,we are all people of a deeper commitment to truth, morality and are trustworthy. Quality people who have endeavored to develop our talents and worked hard to live rightly.

    His costly choices are a sad demonstration that Proverbs is RIGHT …and so are all these various more highly visible men and women …I feel it was a set up and perhaps even just the useful situation that is connected to a lot more covert orchestration of all of what we are seeing come to pass…

    ARGH…..hold on to your hat!

    1. Zaza,

      Those are some interesting comments. I find the rat pack persona fascinating. I had read that despite all the activities of the others, Dean Martin often stayed in the hotel room, remaining loyal to his wife, while the others cavorted. Truth is often stranger than fiction.

  3. I wonder if ‘loyalty’ and ‘fidelity’ are defined the same by the Lord …His presence while others’ cavorted ‘ is not particularly an ‘endorsement’ for the way a man should make choices . In truth the Lord exhorted us to beware of ‘evil companions’ …which can be people, any kind of influence apart from the ones outlined in the word for us to choose wisely…..corrupting influences are not recognized by most people nowadays since the decline in the standards of what is sinful and vile having been redefined as ‘acceptable’ and ‘normal’…

    Jesus may have dined with those who were lost and deceived but he did not HANG out with them, Sinners were called upon to ‘follow HIM” which involved changes within mentally , emotionally which would led to physical departure from associations which would wear away resolve to ‘be good’ …

    God is the only ‘good ‘ according to Jesus …do you think being in the same room and maintaining friendships with the Rat Pack resulted in mental purity for some who maybe did not indulge in all of the ways some of the others of that same group did? I think though all are judged individually for one’s choices and behaviors in life …

    The Lord clearly taught that we have an obligation to obey His guidelines and wise counsel for His glory and our good in growing UP in as we have our character changed as a result of having changed from following our flesh ,,,aka being our OWN lord…to following Him and MAKING Him lord over all of our thoughts and thus our behaviors and choices change in response to his working IN us through His spirit.

    We are not identified with Him by our claim but by a transformed life as evidence that HE is Lord of our lives INDEED.

    As Jesus said …”Continue in my words and then you will be MY DISCIPLES INDEED”

    No incorruptible seed …no godly roots…no godly fruit….

    OR as He put it ..Jhn 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life.

    Man’s opinion of someone or our good intentions do not count for much …the new birth is SPIRIT from the SEED becoming planted and growing IN us …This seed is ..

    1Pe 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

    Lots of nice people are going to be disappointed when they approach the throne of the Lord…and lots of people who have done great things …but without the spirit of GOD which comes by way of not only knowing it …but “keeping’ it …having it ‘abide’ in us …and then we ‘abide ‘ in it….they will be without ‘oil’ in their ‘lamp’ …oops!

    Hope that more people realize this need.

    Many who “believe’ have not been let in on this ..which is right there in their Bible…we are not ‘living ‘ until we have entered in to following Him as LORD ….

    Jhn 6:53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

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