Obama praises Petraeus role in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON (PAN and Iraq, saying national security was not compromised in the sex scandal that led him to resign as the CIA director.

“Gen. Petraeus had an extraordinary career.  He served this country with great distinction in Iraq, in Afghanistan, and as head of the CIA,” Obama said at his maiden White House news conference after his November 6 re-election.

The news conference was mostly devoted to domestic issues and that of resignation of the CIA director and there was no question on Afghanistan. “By his own assessment, he did not meet the standards that he felt were necessary as the director of CIA with respect to this personal matter that he is now dealing with, with his family and with his wife. And it’s on that basis that he tendered his resignation, and it’s on that basis that I accepted it,” Obama said.

Obama said there was no compromise on national security issues as a result. “I have no evidence at this point from what I’ve seen that classified information was disclosed that in any way would have had a negative impact on our national security.”

But the president acknowledged the former general had provided the country an extraordinary service. “We are safer because of the work that Dave Petraeus has done. And my main hope right now is, is that he and his family are able to move on and that this ends up being a single side note on what has otherwise been an extraordinary career.”

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