Obama Goes After Petraeus To Send A Chicago-Style Message - (BO - You Rotten Bastard)

Obama Goes After Petraeus To Send A Chicago-Style Message

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06:58 PM ET

Defense: Books by former Obama insiders have convincingly documented this president's distrust of the U.S. military. He's been goaded by Vice President Joe Biden's warnings not to be played by the guys in uniform.

That's a distrust shared by precious few Americans, who've elected commanders-in-chief with military experience every single time for 68 years but for two Democrat exceptions — Bill Clinton and the Suspicious One himself.

But going after retired Gen. David Petraeus a second time for national security indiscretions is a bridge too far. The Daily Beast reports Defense Secretary Ash Carter has reopened the Petraeus case to consider stripping the hero of one or two of his four stars in retirement.

As CIA director, Petraeus shared classified notebooks with his biographer/mistress, who also had security clearance. No classified intel appeared in the book, "All In."

Petraeus was allowed to plead guilty to unauthorized handling of classified intelligence, fined $100,000 and put on two years' probation.

The FBI is said to be investigating Hillary Clinton's sharing of more than 1,300 classified documents with God-knows-who all on her unsecured private email server, despite repeated warnings and subsequent obfuscations.

But, hey, she's a Democrat, the best one to preserve Obama's legacy. Don't hold your breath for an indictment from an Obama Justice Department.

Petraeus erred. He confessed. He didn't attempt to parse his way out like Hillary and Bill. Let's recall what the general accomplished before his misdemeanor plea: 37 years in the Army, creating and implementing under two presidents the surge strategy that snatched Iraq victory from defeat, ran Central Command, accepted Obama's request to take a demotion to run his Afghan war, then accepted Obama's request to quit his military career and run the CIA.

Obama showed his gratitude by skipping the rare Pentagon retirement of a four-star general, which even Biden might call a BFD.

Petraeus' real crime in Obama's eyes? The buzz had the general as a future Republican presidential candidate, despite Petraeus' repeated demurrals.

Generals have had a rough go during Obama's terms. As this president hollowed out the U.S. military, an unusual number of senior officers have retired, under pressure or frustration. In some cases, like Gen. Stanley McChrystal, they've been cashiered outright for candor.

Petraeus will survive by consulting and speaking. A post-facto demotion would severely whack his pension and add unnecessary disgrace.

The real goal is a Chicago-style warning flare to any retiring military to keep your mouth shut. And don't testify before the Benghazi committee, as Petraeus just did.

But absent legal action on Clinton's far-more serious security lapses, that flare actually exposes the blatant hypocrisy of a president already demoted in the eyes of countrymen.

Read More At Investor's Business Daily: http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials/011916-790478-president-may-demote-petraeus-as-warning-to-other-military-officials.htm#ixzz3xjuBBhUF
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