Paula Broadwell

Paula Broadwell is a former United States Army officer, author, and researcher who gained widespread recognition due to her involvement in the David Petraeus scandal. Born in Bismarck, North Dakota, Broadwell graduated from West Point and went on to serve in the United States Army Reserve. Her career was marked by her work with prominent figures such as David Petraeus and her research on counterinsurgency and counterterrorism strategies, often in collaboration with institutions like the Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government and the University of Denver's Josef Korbel School of International Studies.

● Early Life and Education

Broadwell was born in Bismarck, North Dakota, to a family that valued education and public service, similar to the upbringing of other notable figures like Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She attended West Point, where she graduated in 1995 with a degree in Political Science and was recognized as a Distinguished Cadet, an honor also bestowed upon Douglas MacArthur and Dwight D. Eisenhower. During her time at West Point, Broadwell was influenced by the works of Carl von Clausewitz and Sun Tzu, which would later shape her research on military strategy and international relations, fields also explored by Henry Kissinger and Zbigniew Brzezinski. After graduating, she went on to earn a master's degree in International Security from the University of Denver's Josef Korbel School of International Studies, where she studied under the guidance of Madeleine Albright and Condoleezza Rice.

● Military Career

Broadwell served in the United States Army Reserve and held the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Her military career was marked by her work in intelligence and counterterrorism, areas where she collaborated with agencies like the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and was influenced by the strategies of David Petraeus and Stanley McChrystal. She was deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq, where she worked closely with NATO forces and Coalition Provisional Authority officials, including L. Paul Bremer and Ryan Crocker. Broadwell's experiences during her deployments informed her research on counterinsurgency and nation-building, topics also studied by Samantha Power and Susan Rice.

● Petraeus Scandal

In 2012, Broadwell was embroiled in a scandal involving David Petraeus, the former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. The scandal led to Petraeus' resignation from the CIA and sparked a wide-ranging investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which involved figures like Eric Holder and James Comey. Broadwell's relationship with Petraeus was the subject of much speculation, with many drawing comparisons to other high-profile scandals like the Monica Lewinsky and Bill Clinton affair, and the Eliot Spitzer prostitution scandal. The incident also raised questions about national security and the handling of classified information, concerns shared by Dianne Feinstein and John McCain.

● Personal Life

Broadwell is married to Scott Broadwell, a radiologist and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill graduate, and they have two children together. Her personal life has been the subject of much media attention, with many drawing parallels to other public figures like Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama. Broadwell has spoken publicly about the challenges she faced during the Petraeus scandal, including the impact on her family and her reputation, and has sought to rebuild her public image through appearances on CNN and NBC News, alongside commentators like Anderson Cooper and Rachel Maddow.

● Career and Later Life

After the Petraeus scandal, Broadwell's career was marked by a period of relative quiet, during which she focused on her research and writing. She has since re-emerged as a commentator and analyst on national security and foreign policy issues, often appearing on Fox News and MSNBC alongside pundits like Bill O'Reilly and Chris Matthews. Broadwell has also worked with organizations like the Brookings Institution and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), where she has collaborated with experts like Richard Haass and Zbigniew Brzezinski. Her work has been influenced by the research of Henry Kissinger and George Kennan, and she has sought to apply their insights to contemporary issues like counterterrorism and cybersecurity, areas of concern for James Clapper and Michael Hayden.

● Publications

Broadwell is the co-author of All In: The Education of General David Petraeus, a biography of David Petraeus that explores his career and legacy. The book, which was written in collaboration with Vernon Loeb, a Washington Post journalist, provides a detailed account of Petraeus' time in Afghanistan and Iraq, and offers insights into his approach to counterinsurgency and leadership, topics also examined by Tom Ricks and Sarah Kendzior. Broadwell has also written for publications like The New York Times and Foreign Policy, where she has contributed to discussions on national security and foreign policy, alongside writers like Nicholas Kristof and Sarah Kendzior. Her work has been recognized by organizations like the Council on Foreign Relations and the Aspen Institute, and she continues to be a prominent voice on issues related to international relations and military strategy, fields also explored by Robert Gates and Leon Panetta.