Thursday, September 13, 2007

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!

9 comments:

Melissa Markham said...

What a wonderful poem. I am going to share it with my son.

Sarge Charlie said...

The General is my hero, reminds me of Ollie North during the Reagan years, they could not lay a hand on him......

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Anonymous said...

This poem is interspersed in the 1974 Howitzer - the West Point Yearbook for the year he graduated

Flag Gazer said...

Thank you for that information, Mike.

Ron Simpson said...

I take it the "anonymous" jerks have hit your blog again. A couple dropped by mine to comment. Cowards.
I think the good General did a wonderful job.
I also think Senator Clinton made some pretty reprehensible comments. I wish someone would call her out and ask her to provide facts as to why she calls him a liar.

Mike's America said...

I think Rudy Giuliani did call her out. He took the lead very admirably and even ran an ad in the NY Times calling attention to her statement attacking Petraeus.

Moveon is a creation of the Clintons. It's about time they were held responsible.

Flag Gazer said...

The Clinton's have so much to be held accountable for - I believe history will...