Petraeus affair: In search of the real Paula Broadwell

Gen. David Petraeus, Paula Broadwell
In this handout image provided by the International Security Assistance Force, former Commander of International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces-Afghanistan; CIA Director Gen. Davis Petraeus (L) shakes hands with biographer Paula Broadwell, co-author of "All In: The Education of General David Petraeus" on July 13, 2011. CIA Director Gen. David Petraeus resigned from his post on November 9, 2012, citing an extra-marital affair with Paula Broadwell.
Handout/Getty Images

In a Slate article Monday, Hanna Rosin wrote, "The battle over the reputation of Paula Broadwell, who had an affair with General David Petraeus, might as well be taking place on some fifteen-year-old's Facebook page."

Why are we stuck asking such unsophisticated questions about women at the center of sex scandals? Will the affair be more damaging to Broadwell than Petraeus? What questions should we be asking about Broadwell?

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