Gentile vs. Petraeus, Part II

Remember Yochi Dreazen's article on Gian Gentile? Upon reading it over a few times, Gian took issue with the quote at the end. His statement:

I am surprised that I have not been taken to task about the concluding quote from me in the WSJ article by Yochi Dreazen.

The quote by me presented a defiant tone to the reader by stating:

"Really, what's the worst they could do to me?"

Although I do not question that I made this statement in the interview to the WSJ reporter and I take full responsibility for my words it was taken out of context for the point I was trying to make. I do apologize for the quote which was unprofessional and the impression that it has probably left on many readers. The context of the question where I made this statement went something like this. Yochi Dreazen at the end of the interview told me that he thought I was courageous for speaking my mind about Iraq, the Surge, and going against conventional wisdom in the Army. I quickly cut him off and did not want the word courageous applied to me. That word is more deserving of the brave men and women in the American military facing down the fire of a hostile enemy in Iraq and Afghanistan. So the point I was trying to make was that I didn’t see myself as "courageous" but instead in a good place to be for the space and distance from Iraq that I think gives me a good perspective on things. At the end of the discussion I quipped the statement that he quoted. Now I certainly wished I had not and apologize for it.