Sad about Petraeus

If it wasn't for that cataclysmic decision by General David Petraeus to give his biographer Paula Broadwell a pile of classified military documents (oops, he was also having an affair with her), this distinguished soldier could have been secretary of state, defence secretary or national security adviser. Now I don't know whether he would have wanted any of these appointments under the present president. But I'm pretty sure he would have seized the chance to serve his country once again in a high-profile role. He would have been a perfect balance in a team of Trump cabinet members and White House advisers, able to influence decision-making in a more sensible direction. I've met Petraeus on a number of occasions. He's a good man, very very bright and astute, quite quiet in a studious sort of way and a strategist par excellence. I don't know his politics for sure, but I reckon he's a Republican - big-time military types often are - and he could have been a brilliant member of Trump's team, providing for us lesser mortals, getting increasingly alarmed by the new president's wild ways, with a sense of hope. But his indiscretion put a black mark on his otherwise distinguished career, and for that, he has to pay for the rest of his life. It is a great great shame and a huge loss for the country and for the American people. But who knows, perhaps Trump will wake up and say, "let bygones by bygones, we need this man in the White House!" That would be one of the first sensible things considered by this president in a long time. Well, it seems a long time although it has only been four weeks.