Every once in a while a person stands shining among us.This is how I viewed General Petraeus.He faced days of questioning and mud slung arrows.He took a stand,defending his view of the Iraqi war. Because the conclusions, were not what the majority wanted to hear.He was then accused of "cooking the books" and those with poor taste,and less honor made attempts to defile him.

In an attempt to see him, with more objectivity then what we have in our media at this time.I reviewed a BBC News profile of him. "General Petraeus,was born in 1952 he graduated from West point Military Academy in 1974 he also has a PhD in international relations from Princeton University.He served as an officer in airborne, mechanized,and air assault infantry units in US, Europe and the Middle East,before the invasion.He twice suffered life- threatening injuries."

"This 4 Star General has a reputation as one of the smartest generals in the US Army and helped to rewrite it's counter-insurgency doctrine." They go on to say that he is intense,ambitious and hugely competitive,and that his high profile is resented by some.

So when this confident and accomplished man, had the task to take a stand on the most divisive issue of our time,what do you think gave him some needed strength?

He carried in his pocket the Rudyard Kipling Poem- If- "If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming you" This he seemed to understand,and with great dignity and aplomb,he listened intently and responded accordingly.

"If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,but make allowances for their doubting too" He was able to give others dignified responses when they questioned and moved on through hours of questions and never seemed to falter or show fatigue." If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,Or being lied about ,don't deal in lies" It is almost as if he memorized Kiplings words, and then incorporated them into his persona.

The general survived the debasing character of the hearings,and than stood a taller man.As Kipling said "If you can fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds worth of a distance run,yours is the Earth and everything in it.And which is more-you'll be a Man my son".
It is easy to see why this man rose to the top of many,out of his commitment to his men and his country,he was called to take a stand,and he did.He was strengthened by his belief in the words written by Kipling,and he carried them in his pocket.Once more proving that the "pen is mightier than the sword"

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