Do Sinclair, Petraeus Affairs Signal a Military Ethics Crisis?

Are the problems faced by the likes of Brig. Gen. Jeffrey A. Sinclair and recently resigned CIA chief David Petraeus isolated incidents, or do they indicate a broader problem for U.S. military leadership?

The New York Times notes that upcoming military leaders are being cautioned about the perils of hubris.

"Despite the warnings," the paper reports, "a worrisomely large number of senior officers have been investigated and even fired for poor judgment, malfeasance and sexual improprieties or sexual violence — and that is just in the last year."

But while the laundry list of infractions is concerning, it may not be unprecedented. The Times cites retired Army Col. David S. Maxwell, now at Georgetown University, who notes that wartime Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt both fired more generals than George W. Bush or Barack Obama.

“Faced with stress, and a very complex combat environment, people make mistakes," Maxwell told the Times. "These incidents do not represent the vast majority of our senior leaders.”

What do you think? Is there a moral crisis in today's military leadership? Tell us in the comments below.