Petraeus stand-in has been through this before
By Pam Benson
Once again, Michael Morell is being called on to fill in as acting director of the CIA, this time after the resignation of David Petraeus on Friday.
It was only last year, during the two-month gap from the time Leon Panetta left the CIA until Petraeus took over the helm, that Deputy Director Morell oversaw the agency.
The career intelligence officer joined the CIA in 1980. Much of his early career focused on Asian issues, and he has had a steady climb up the career ladder.
Also: Who will replace Petraeus?
He served as then-CIA Director George Tenet's executive assistant and presided over the daily intelligence briefing for President George W. Bush. After a three-year overseas assignment in the mid-2000s, he returned to headquarters, where he became the associate deputy director responsible for the day-to-day operation of the agency.
After spending two years as the director of intelligence, overseeing the work of analysts, he was appointed to his current position as Deputy Director in May 2010.
In his statement on the resignation of Petraeus, President Barack Obama expressed trust in Morell continuing the work of the CIA.
"I have the utmost confidence in Acting Director Michael Morell and the men and women of the CIA who work every day to keep our nation safe," he said.
@natlsecuritycnn on Twitter
"In late October, Petraeus traveled to Libya to conduct his own review of the Benghazi attack that killed four Americans, including U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens. While in Tripoli, he personally questioned the CIA station chief and other CIA personnel who were in Benghazi on Sept. 11 when the attack occurred. The trip was so recent that the CIA has told the Congressional Intelligence committees that the trip report has not yet been completed. Petraeus' personal involvement in this investigation is one reason some in Congress are likely to insist he testify on Benghazi. But now Petraeus is telling friends he does not think he should testify."
Obama plans to nominate Morell as the Director.
Anyone but me see a coverup in the works?
Do you think that Michael Morell will be offered the job? He is after all the person who has been "ACTING" in that role a few times.
Yes it is the honorable thing to quit. But No one blames Clinton for staying as president after his affair(s) leaked. Affair or no affair, Petraeus seemed to have done a darn good job! But he failed in his duty to stick it out even with the blemish of having had an affair. There is no one who has never done anything wrong! I guess he just wasn't strong enough to withstand the backlash (or he needed to spend time to fix up his home life after the affair as he wasn't used to doing it like Bill Clinton, JFK or Gov. Terminator Conan.) I wish he would have stayed! Still I respect his decision to resign. It shows to me that he has probably not lied about anything else.
People who cheat on their spouses are LIARS. What else has Petraeus lied to us about?
I served under the General. He is one of the most honorable people i ever met in my 60 years of age. He spent numerous tours overseas keeping you safe. Far away from home in a combat zone having to make life and death decisions, In his position it can be very lonely and for those that have been there it is easy to see how it could happen. I'm sorry you have been cheated on during your life but try to put yourself in his boots. He has payed a heavy price for his affair and owes no one but his family an explanation.
has he resigned for this reason only? or he do not want to continue any more with obama because of his soft approach and failing policies in middle east.
Holy King of Arabia is blessing and congratulating David P. in photo.
Bosses come and Bosses go ... Morell is the type of professional that spreads newspaper under the new ones and tries to get them housebroken ... sometimes it works...
Maybe it's time to just give him the job on a permanent basis.
Anybody smart enough to run that outfit is smart enough not to want the job.
⭕⭕🎯❌ We really need someone strong in that position. How could this old ugly guy get into so much trouble?