Thank You, General Petraeus

I spent most of two days listening to General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker being grilled by three Congressional committees. I came away from the experience with undying respect for both of these fine patriots - and, even less than ever for Congress. I am so thankful that General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker are keeping us safe and free.

Besides the attacks from Congress, General Petraeus was subjected to the most vile attacks from the far left of Code Pink and Move On.

Pressed to comment on the attacks against him, Petraeus offered a simple response. "I disagree with the message of those who are exercising the 1st Amendment right that generations of soldiers have sought to preserve for Americans," he said. "Some of it was just flat completely wrong, and the rest is at least more than arguable."

The General said that a friend emailed him the following poem and it gave him strength. The General had to endure vile personal attacks on his integrity, yet dealt with it with honor and decency. He makes me proud.

IF by Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,

Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,

And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;

If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with triumph and disaster

And treat those two imposters just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,

And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breath a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;

If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -

Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,

And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!