A reasonably reasonable article about General Betray UsPetraeus, whose report in September is an essential ingredient for the manufacture of more Freidman Units, contains this passage:

Now, in the face of a stubbornly brutal conflict and declining war support at home, General Petraeus has pulled back from the pulsating sense of self-confidence that fellow officers say has been his hallmark — that he can prevail against any odds.

Jeebus, if I wanted a "pulsating sense of self-confidence," I'll call up "Jeff Gannon," mkay?

But don't worry. Even today, Petraeus ("And on this rock...") hasn't gone completely limp:

Despite the challenges, some of the old bullishness has survived.

Don't forget to measure for me!

NOTE The reasonable part:

His pacification of Mosul proved short-lived. The rapid, $19-billion Iraqi force buildup produced, on his watch, battalions impressive for the numbers trained and the huge arsenal of weapons handed over by the Americans, but the Iraqi soldiers were often unreliable, and their units prone to infiltration by militias when deployed.

Well, long-enough lived to keep us there, though, eh?