WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – Petraeus pled guilty to one misdemeanor count in spring, and was sentenced to two years' probation and a $100,000 fine for sharing classified information with his biographer and mistress. The US Army has recommended Defense Secretary Ashton Carter not to reduce Petraeus in rank.
"The secretary is considering going in a different direction," a defense official told The Daily Beast online news publication, citing reasons of "consistent…treatment of senior officers who engage in misconduct."
Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook told the outlet the Department of the Army was "still in the process" of providing information to Carter on the matter.
"Once the Secretary has an opportunity to consider this information, he will make his decision about next steps, if any, in this matter," Cook said.
The possible demotion carries a $50,000 pension cut from $220,000 a year paid to four-star generals.
The unnamed sources said the potential lowering in rank would be seen as a message for other military officials that "even men of Petraeus's fame and esteemed reputation are not immune to punishment."
Petraeus served as CIA director from September 2011 to November 2012. Prior to that assignment, Petraeus served as the Commander in Afghanistan from June 2010 until July 2011.











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| 0 | Edit | Delete Yeah. He might not be able to scrape by on $170,000 annual retirement pension. *sarcasm* Reply 
| 0 | Edit | Delete It would be a manifestation of justice! Reply 
| 0 | Edit | Delete Well, he should had known better. You NEVER EVER talk. No to wife. NOT to NO ONE. refuse debriefings too. Go get drunk. Reply 
| 0 | Edit | Delete Four Star? The last time a guy disgraced an American uniform this badly his last name read ARNOLD. He, at least, had the guts to be run out of the country. What will Carter do with this guy? Probably recognize his years of loyal service to our country and then tell him to get the hell out of Washington and not come back. Of course, part of this communication will happen behind closed doors; the Oval Office where there is no integrity anyway. Reply 
| 0 | Edit | Delete jas, For a Four Star General that is peanuts. Cheney got 6 Generals to resign their commissions and go to work for Halliburton in Iraq, rebuilding their infrastructure at taxpayer's expense. Those 6 Generals made millions. Reply 
| 0 | Edit | Delete He does not deserve demotion. He deserves a long jail term. Reply 
| 0 | Edit | Delete Cronyism at its best. Makes me ill !
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