Letters to the Editor

Letter: Petraeus' infidelity no match for Casey's assassination attempt

On March 8, 1985, CIA Director William Casey sponsored — probably with Saudi money — a car-bomb assassination attempt against the late Grand Ayatullah Muhammad Hussein Fadlalallah (may Allah have Mercy on him). The deadly attack killed 80 people and wounded 256 more. The CIA had — wrongly — identified Syed Fadlalallah as Hizbullah's spiritual leader. Eight school children walking past that car were disintegrated.

In light of such unmitigated evil, what set of "values" allows us to take seriously any argument that David Petraeus' infidelity somehow makes him not "good enough" for the CIA? That's like claiming American Nazi John Taylor Bowles wouldn't have been good enough for Hitler's SS. Are our sexual hang-ups that all-consuming?

"Thou shalt not commit adultery" and "thou shalt not murder" are both biblical commandments but how do consensual — albeit illicit — sexual liaisons force Petraeus' resignation from the CIA when terrorism and multiple murders didn't disqualify Casey? The former is not worse than the latter. Qur'an says a single unjust killing is equal to murdering all humanity.

What's the "thinking" here?

— Al-Hajj Frederick H Minshall

Anchorage

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