Petraeus: another statue in the scrap-yard.

Whether bronze, marble or iron the statues of the fallen super-heroes usually finish behind the fence in the re-cycling yard.

General Petraeus is the latest. News broke on Friday that this iconic figure, past general in Afghanistan and current head of the CIA, had been carrying on an affair with his biographer, Paula Broadwell.

How quickly a hero becomes a zero.

 It turns out that the competing agency, the FBI, did a special probe into the General's behaviour.
His seamy relationship with Broadwell was judged to be a National Security risk and the whistle was blown.

What adds insult to injury is the fact that he and Broadwell had just finished producing a shiny, new code of behaviour called, of all things,  "Rules for living." . Not only so, but the good general was wont in time past to speak in strongest possible terms about the base conduct of men who 'philander'.

General. Stand to attention while your medals are removed from your chest. You have brought shame on the Petraeus name, demeaned your organisation, broken the heart of your wife and destroyed the Broadwell family, even as you were preaching from your book of rules.

Step forward all men who love their wives, hold down a job, do their duty, raise good kids, fear the Lord,look after grandma, help their neighbours and are real dads.
You get the medals.

Jubilate.

Ian