Monday, 20 May 2013
Meet Paula Broadwell, The Biographer Who Caused US Top Spy Chief To Resign-Dailybeast
Paula Broadwell
By
On Friday afternoon, General David Petraeus announced his resignation as CIA director, citing an extramarital affair. Almost immediately, Slate named Petraeus’s biographer, Paula Broadwell, as the mystery woman. And according to NBC, the FBI has been investigating Broadwell out of concern that she had access to confidential information.
Broadwell is the author, with Vernon Loeb, of All In: The Education of General David Petraeus, a glowing 400-page biography of Petraeus, for which she was granted almost total access. After it was published in January, some said it read more like a love letter to the general than a biography. In a review for Rolling Stone, Michael Hastings called the book “a work of fan fiction so fawning that not even Max Boot—a Petraeus buddy and Pentagon sock puppet—could bring himself to rave about it.”
Broadwell, 40, is a research associate at Harvard’s Center for Public Leadership—as well as a PhD candidate in the department of war studies at King’s College in London. She is married to Scott Broadwell, an interventional radiologist, and lives in Dilworth, N.C., with their two sons, Landon and Lucien. She grew up in North Dakota, and attended West Point, the general’s alma mater, where she graduated with honors. She has worked for the U.S. Special Operations Command and an FBI joint terrorism task force. Beyond that, her list of accomplishments is long: she earned an MA from the University of Denver’s Korbel School of International Studies and an MPA from Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, and served as the deputy director of the Jebsen Center for Counter-Terrorism Studies at the Fletcher School at Tufts.
Physically, Broadwell is tall and stunning, with long dark hair and green eyes. According to her biography, she has been a “sponsored ½ Ironman triathlete” as well as a “female model/ demonstrator” for KRISS, a manufacturer of .45-caliber machine guns. (On LinkedIn, she lists her current employer as Equipe Broadwell, LLC, seemingly a part of the Carolinas Freedom Foundation, a veteran’s organization in Charlotte.
Broadwell first crossed paths with Petraeus in 2006, when he gave a lecture at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, where she was pursuing her master’s degree. According to the preface of All In, she introduced herself after that lecture and told him about her academic research. He gave her his business card and offered to help. “I took full advantage of his open-door policy to seek insight and share perspectives,” she writes in the book. And so began an alleged relationship, which, if sources are to be believed, eventually led to the general’s resignation from the CIA on Friday.
With access to Petraeus, Broadwell decided to structure her dissertation around a case study of his leadership. She called it “a study in transformational leadership and organizational innovation influenced by U.S. Army General David Petraeus.” In July 2010, when the general was put in command of Afghanistan, Broadwell parlayed her project into a book deal with Penguin Press, and brought in The Washington Post’s Vernon Loeb to help report on the ground.
It was then that she “shot [Petraeus] an email and said ‘I’m going to go for it,’” she told Stewart. “I’m not sure he took me seriously, but I showed up in Afghanistan.” She embedded there until summer 2011, where she reported on the front lines, observed him closely, and interviewed several crucial members of his command.
Biographers sometimes develop obsessions with their subjects. And, in hindsight, it is peculiar that Broadwell repeatedly referred to Petraeus as a mentor—saying in an interview that he approached her project “from a mentoring point of view.” In All In, she writes that he saw her as an “aspiring soldier-scholar.” In an interview with Jon Stewart, she sounds adoring of Petraeus. “He can turn water into bottled water,” she joked. In that interview, she explains that Petraeus’s high-school nickname—which has apparently stuck with him since—was “Peaches.” (After her book tour in January, she was reportedly going back to finish her doctorate—where, she told The Charlotte Observer, Petraeus was also one of her dissertation advisers.)
Like Petraeus, Broadwell is an avid athlete. At West Point, she ran cross-country and track—and graduated at the top of her class for physical fitness. In an online bio, she describes her hobbies as running, skiing, and surfing. When she appeared on The Daily Show in January—she challenged Stewart to a push-up contest for charity, which she easily won.
In an interview with Jon Stewart, she sounds adoring of Petraeus. ‘He can turn water into bottled water,’ she joked.
Broadwell got to know Petraeus through several five-mile runs that doubled as interviews—a tactic he’s been known to use with journalists. “It was an opportunity for me to interview him on a run,” she told Stewart. “I thought I’d test him, but he was going to test me—it ended up being a test for both of us since we both ran pretty quickly. That was the foundation of our relationship.” When he didn’t want to answer questions, she said, “He would pick up the pace so neither of us could talk.”
Just last week, Broadwell documented Petraeus’s “Rules for Living” in Newsweek—which read like the 12 commandments for military leadership and personal excellence. The fifth rule, smack in the middle, states simply, “We all will make mistakes. The key is to recognize them and admit them, to learn from them, and to take off the rearview mirrors—drive on and avoid making them again.”
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Lessons To learn From This Story
Submitted by Gist Naija (not verified) on November 10, 2012 - 22:17.
1) Men in respected and high places need to be careful about women especially those who are not their wives. A Glorious life built over years can be damaged by just 5 mins of infidelity.
2) Nigeria men in respected positions should learn to resign when they have committed such things like infidelity.
We Still Need Women
Submitted by Gist Naija (not verified) on November 10, 2012 - 22:12.
Women are necessary evil. No matter how bad some may appear, we still women in our lives.
Bottom Power
Submitted by Esquire (not verified) on November 10, 2012 - 20:48.
Adam fell for it so did David the first and second lol....no news
CIA DIRECTORS SAGA
Submitted by HARD 63 (not verified) on November 10, 2012 - 20:21.
Well this show he is among the type of soldiers that had affair or raped women and support/cover such artitude in war front. They will get exposed gradually as they pretend to be doing good to they world in the name of USA, while underground doing some thing diffrent. Nigerian soldiers take note and avoid such as U help in security work as US try to be guiding or help U.
What a shame
Submitted by Charlie (not verified) on November 10, 2012 - 20:10.
Powerful men can be very vulnerable.
The fall of Gen. Petreaus (aka:Gen Betrayus) is a lesson for all to learn from.
Sad...get to the height of ur life and 15mins of sex blows everything apart...So sad
I wish the Gen. well...Remember all men fall but the great ones get back up
Mighty men fallen to the charm of women!
Submitted by texbee (not verified) on November 10, 2012 - 19:54.
I would have been disappointed if i see the woman and hiss, but alas she worth fallen for. Another mighty man join the likes of Samson in the bible,Clinton,etc
Everyman has a price
Submitted by Attanacious Enyimba (not verified) on November 10, 2012 - 18:05.
Every man no matter how tough, powerful, rich or connected has a price. It is either money or women. Just when you think you are above these two, she holds you tight on the balls. That is Petraeus story.
A Nigerian CIA director will
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on November 10, 2012 - 16:38.
A Nigerian CIA director will never resign over an extramarital affair even if the wife finds out. Example a current SA to Jona used SSS to harass the Lady he had affair with, she was set up by the SAs PA.
The Adulterous Woman
Submitted by Opy (not verified) on November 10, 2012 - 15:29.
Women are the problem of this world. I keep asking myself " Why did God created them". They are evil, satanic and devilish.Can you imagine how this devilish woman of two kids frolicking with a General in attempt to write biography and dissertation on Gen David Petraeus. Women are the weak point of Men.
You will see them in Churches carrying Bible and praying 24/7, but take a deeper look into their life's, you will see ugly and strange things that will shock you for life.Women are the high causes of Gays and Lesbianism in Western World.
The Woman that you married will be sleeping with another man or pastor and the same woman will be preaching bible to you and the congregation - deceitful woman
MORALITY AND EXECUTIB
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on November 10, 2012 - 14:39.
How does extra-marital affair affect the work of the Spy Agency Director.Was the lady in question a security risk/
Is there no difference between morality and fulfilling the duties of your office?
Was the Lady in question a staff of Spy agency,Was it a case of harrasment or an agreement by two adults?
Was it a case of Conflict of interest?
WOMEN RED SEA CAN SWALLOW ANY MAN
Submitted by Pastor Commander samyoung Onwuzulike (not verified) on November 10, 2012 - 14:06.
Women Red Sea the Vagina can swallow any great man. It has all secret files of the nations in her. Think of the power that have destroyed all great men. It does more secret service job unknow to nations. They open the heart of weak leaders and removed all national secrets. They know how to use it to get the best contract, job, position, favor and riches. fear the power of Red Sea. who is free from this power? Only the Kingdom of the Eunuch can be free from them. The first Apostle from Africa who was baptized by Philip was an eunuch the treasurer of Ethopian Queen.
WHEN I SPOKE OF THE POWER OF RED SEA AND RIVER JORDAN
Submitted by Pastor Samyoung Onwuzulike (not verified) on November 10, 2012 - 13:44.
Untill religious faith groups begin to understand that Bible was written in parables and seek wisdom of Christ The Mother of wisdom to teach them, we shall not be free from spiritual bondage. Red Sea Power of Vagina of women, likewise of River Jordan of Adam's city of gays(Joshua3:15.16) When We Africans begin to understand that both Egyptian army swallowed by Red Sea and Israel army destroyed at bank of River Jordan are we, same manner we shall know the Lamb of sacrifice of Jews and Christians which is Jesus Christ, with escape goats, and Ram Muslims use for Ramadan are we then we shall change our cause of freedom and know some people are gaining from our death. We shall accept Wisdom Last salvation that abolished all sacrifices and rituals.
IT CAN'T HAPPEN IN NIJA..
Submitted by Aliyu (not verified) on November 10, 2012 - 13:26.
Somebody not prepared to do his work of giving good governance to Nigerians, is busy sleeping with married ministers in Aso Rock, Abuja, Nigeria.
He Is busy too in stealing the country's wealth with his co-fishermen and his over-sized wife.
One of them was jailed few years ago by The Otta Gorrilla who is also a thief.
America is a serious country while Nigeria is a huge joke.
What Do You Expect
Submitted by Tony h (not verified) on November 10, 2012 - 12:25.
wetin you expect when you leave foxes and chikens to roam about together, freely.
America really expect the fox to re-engineer it's thinking not to want to eat the chickens?
Oga General, well done. Hope it was worth it.
Hey
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on November 10, 2012 - 11:48.
Sahara reporters.I am reading about this first on here.
For Just Sex, A Top Class Officer ...
Submitted by Uche J (not verified) on November 10, 2012 - 11:22.
Just extramarital affairs, one of the best Army Officer in recent history decided to resign from a topmost security chief's position!
What a gulf of difference from another Country where the then incumbent president was accused, by his own son, of having sexual relationship with the wife of this son of his! Even the media did not see anything wrong with that and the man carried on as if it was a glorious act.
No need to mention governors, legislators, MDA, Army , Police etc who are known to commit serial criminal acts but who get rewarded with national honours! Yet we wonder why our country is a junkyard.
whats d gain Mrs Broadwell
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on November 10, 2012 - 09:04.
It sounds heart rendering, women can be deadly, now Gen. Petreus learnt in a hard way that not all relationship is for real, Men watch out those babes.
If na you nko?
Submitted by y'allaji kachalla (not verified) on November 10, 2012 - 07:02.
I dont blame d guy. If u leave cat wit fresh fish, wetin u think say go happen? However dis contravene d ethics of his profession. He did d right thing by taking d honorable part.
