What an Interesting Week

Well, here we are heading into the weekend and I would like to reflect on the headlines for just a moment.

Of course last week the President accepted the resignation of the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, David Petraeus, for an extra marital affair.  As the facts continue to unfold the story reads like something out of a Hollywood screen writers imagination.  In the course of it a Marine 4-star, General John Allen, is dragged into the story because of the thousands of e-mails he exchanged with a nearly bankrupt socialite who had unrestricted access to MacDill AFB, and apparently has dined at the White House a time or two.  As a result, his intended appointment as the NATO commander and European Command commander is put on hold.

The President holds a press conference to talk about recent events and he can’t talk about the resignation because of the on-going investigation, but he can call out Senator John McCain who wants to question Ambassador Rice for her role in what has now been recognized as a concerted smoke screen about the Benghazi incidents of 9/11.  So what was the President’s defense?  Don’t pick on a poor helpless Ambassador to the UN, she was just saying what we told her to say, if you have a problem come talk with me!  As I see it, the basic premise here is its not nice to pick on a poor woman, and since she is a woman she shouldn’t be expected to really know what’s going on anyway.

David Petraeus talks to Congress and the word from them is the CIA knew immediately it was not some demonstration run amok, but then how do you square that with the White House talking points?  He didn’t seem to know.  By the way, I wouldn’t feel too sorry for General Petraeus over loss of the CIA gig.  His retirement pay is in the neighborhood of $13,525/month, and he should easily supplement this with consulting services that will likely clear him another $10,000/month in round numbers.  In a year or two he’ll be eligible for Social Security, and thanks to the recent election that should be safe and sound forever.

Whoa, lets not forget about Generals Ward and Ham, the past and current recently relieved AFRICOM commanders.  The Secretary of Defense just allowed General Ward to retire as a Lieutenant General, and General David Rodriguez is replacing General Ham after less than one year in Command.  For those without scorecards General Ward was under investigation for misuse of government funds, and accepting gifts from Contractors his command was doing business with.  He owes you and I $82,000 in restitution as part of his retirement package, which if I calculated correctly will be in the neighborhood of $12,000/month.

Almost dropping off the radar is the sexual assault charges against Brigadier General Jeffry Sinclair, whose wife wrote an interesting defense in Washington Post, When the strains of war lead to infidelity.  We are all victims of this terrible long war.

With so many Generals in the news it’s no wonder the major networks can’t seem to find time to provide any details about the continuing delays in the Court-martial of Major Nidal Hasan who killed 13 innocent people in Fort Hood in 2009.  Since CNN doesn’t see the need to let you know what is going on, here is a quick update.  He is fighting a delaying tactic, using his beard, the one he grew after he killed everyone, as a reason for appeal his trial since the court ruled he must appear in uniform and clean shaven.

Finally on a tragic note, Hostess Twinkie’s, Wonder Bread, Cupcakes, Zingers, heck all Hostess brands are no more.  I understand the Twinkie commodity market has gone through the roof with boxes going for hundreds of dollars on e-bay.  My hat is off to the unionized Bakers.  I guess you showed Hostess who is  boss!