Should Sec of Def. Carter reduce GEN Petraeus back to LTG after he has retired?

First of all General Petraous is not a member of the active U.S. military, he's retired. Unless he is a member of the Retired Reserve, he can't be reduced in rank. This sounds more like political revenge by a corrupt administration.

People in high positions need to hold themselves accountable. They knew the rules. They broke them and knew they broke them. Are these the people you want leading your country or representing the armed forces? It isn't an easy job, that is why they were offered the position. They failed. I feel sorry for them. Now they pay the price. That's it.

Yes, he should be demoted! If it were you or I we would be in prison.

Sp4 Skinner, I will admit up front I'm not a fan of Gen. Petraeus. He was a self promoting car rest that had a dismal record of accomplishments with his biggest sell a very flawed Counterinsurgency Warfare program along with Marine General Amos the wrote a now infamous manual FM-3-24. Its flaws were glaring but he was able to promote himself as an "expert" and got and absolutely clueless administration to go with this flawed program. To answer I saw this manual way before his program was implemented in iraq and pointed out some flaws in it. But only an enlisted guy and the lowest rank the ate in the discussion was an 06 Colonel. Well several billions of dollars and more then a few American live later during the famous Surge in iraq my criticisms of FM-3-24 showed themselves. We are still paying for Petraeus's promoting himself to four stars with The Radical Islamic State. It was during the surge in the Anbar where the late al Baghdadi was tutored in politics and field craft from USMC General Mattis. General Petraeus knowingly passed on information he knew to be classified to a person that lacked the security clearance to receive this information. This is inexcusable and one again General Petraeus hid behind the mess called FM-3-24. No politicians want the truth to come out about this failure they were sucked into by a so called expert that was a failure in all of his commands. He should be hung, the traditional form of execution for a traitor, and General Petraeus certainly is one.

No, but I'm biased. I worked with the man for 3 years and know more about him than I care to. The affair was wrong but he claims it did not begin until he was out of the military. There is no proof to the contrary. He was charged in federal court for the illegal disclosure of classified information to a USAR Intelligence Officer with a TS clearance (but not operational need to know and for mishandling classified information. He had to perform his attrition to make Holly comfortable to remain in their marriage and he resigned his position at the CIA.

So, we take one of America's war heroes, who made the same mistake Eisenhower and others did, and crucify him with the threat of losing a star. His personal relationship had no influence on his ability to lead or serve. It did not disrupt the 'good order and discipline' and was not known until the young lady, acting like too many women, went nuts and started to threaten and stalk others via email.

The reason for the threat is obvious. GEN P is testifying about Bengahzi and all things related to the middle east. His statements place the current administration and Hillary in a bulls eye they wish to avoid. To silence him, they are threatening a demotion because in 12 months, Obama, Hillary and Ash Carter are most likely gone. Unless, of course, Congress Impeaches Obama and Carter while the DoJ indicts Hillary. There are two sets of rules and the current set of government criminals are trying to avoid responsibility and justice while applying the same to GEN P.

As long as Hillary goes to prison too, sure.

Those to whom much has been given much more will be expected of them. You would expect a four star general to be more circumspect in his personal affairs (no pun intended) Instead he acts like some low class rutting hog and used the wrong head to do his thinking.
General officers get where they are because they are politicians most of all. As a politician he should have known better than to put himself in a position to be abused.

SFC Dave Wynn, stinks? What really stinks is the idea that you can get away with something if your rank is high enough. GEN Pertaeus made a mistake. What is the appropriate response? How can the punishment be avoided?

What I'd like to see is some real leadership. I'd like to see GEN Petraeus stand up and say, "I made a mistake, and I should have to take my lumps for it. And by that same standard, Hillary Clinton not only shouldn't get off for making an ever worse mistake, but the American people should NOT stand for, 'What does it matter now', when asking why our ambassador was murdered."

I respect GEN Petraeus, but leadership means taking responsibility, not avoiding it. This nation needs a lesson in what that means.

When does one get punished after being a civilian. Also, what does the current Sec of Defense have to do with a previously settled situation. Pure unadulterated politics and retribution by the Obama administration.

Sad to think this general with so much honorable service in military and government could be so easily seduced into dishonesty at the personal level and betray his family, and in the national security level by giving up national secrets so easily. This utterly destroys his credibility and should result in a loss of confidence in his ability to command anything. Retiring as a LtGen isn't all that bad either.