As of this writing, not much is known beyond the headline: CIA Director David Petraeus has submitted his letter of resignation, and it ostensibly has something to do with an extra-marital affair.
ABC News has a statement from Petraeus: "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."
The response from President Obama, also delivered in a written statement: "David Petraeus has provided extraordinary service to the United States for decades. By any measure, he was one of the outstanding General officers of his generation, helping our military adapt to new challenges, and leading our men and women in uniform through a remarkable period of service in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he helped our nation put those wars on a path to a responsible end. As Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, he has continued to serve with characteristic intellectual rigor, dedication, and patriotism. By any measure, through his lifetime of service David Petraeus has made our country safer and stronger."
Petraeus led troops in both Iraq and Afghanistan while serving as an Army general. Interestingly, as Brett Baier of Fox News pointed out via Twitter, the CIA director is scheduled to testify on Capitol Hill in hearings on the Benghazi debacle next week.
Update: Reports are coming out that Petraeus' resignation means he will not testify in those Benghazi hearings. Members of Congress are said to be "stunned" by this development.
