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CIA director David Petraeus resigns, citing extramarital affair

The retired US Army general, who formerly headed up US and NATO forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, asked President Obama for permission to resign Thursday.

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Cliff Owen/AP/File
In this file photo, then-CIA Director-desigate Gen. David Petraeus testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington. Petraeus has resigned because of an extramarital affair.
  • By Kimberly Dozier Associated Press

| Washington

David Petraeus has resigned as director of the CIA after admitting he had an extramarital affair.

According to his letter of resignation, Petraeus asked President Barack Obama on Thursday to allow him to resign and on Friday the president accepted.

Petraeus said in a statement that he had shown "extremely poor judgment" in having the affair.

Petraeus has been married for 37 years to Holly Petraeus, whom he met when he was a cadet at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

The retired four-star general led the military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan, then took the helm of the CIA in September 2011.

The CIA had no immediate comment.

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