General Petraeus Affair Results in the CIA Director's Resignation

CIA Director David Petraeus resigned today, after admitting to an extramarital affair.

Petraeus told President Obama of the affair on Thursday and tendered his resignation. Obama accepted today, saying, "By any measure, through his lifetime of service, David Petraeus has made our country safer and stronger," in a statement. "Going forward, my thoughts and prayers are with Dave and Holly Petraeus, who have done so much to help military families through her own work. I wish them the very best at this difficult time."

Petraeus also released a statement, explaining his decision to resign and apologizing for his behavior.

"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."

Petraeus led the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in the later years of the presidency of George W. Bush. He oversaw the "surge" in Iraq, and influx of American troops that quelled much of the insurgency and paved the way for a removal of troops under the Obama administration.

After Iraq, Petraeus moved to Afghanistan to try to repeat the maneuver, but he was unsuccessful. In 2011, Petraeus moved to the CIA, replacing Leon Panetta, who took a new post at the Defense Department.

Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told NBC News, "I would have stood up for him. I wanted him to continue. He was good, he loved the work, and he had a command of intelligence issues second to none."

Republican Representaive Peter King of New York, chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, said, "General Petraeus is one of America's most outstanding and distinguished military leaders and a true American patriot."

And former presidential candidate and Senator John McCain said, "General David Petraeus will stand in the ranks of America's greatest military heroes."