He believed in projecting strength, and while he did not consider his emotions a weakness, he also didn’t feel they were something he necessarily needed to show to others. As the end of his military service approached and the outcome of the war remained uncertain, he kept the mask of command firmly in place. Even more than giving up command, he dreaded taking off the uniform. Retired general Fred Franks warned him not to underestimate the emotional impact of the next few weeks. He urged Petraeus to give himself some space and time to reflect. “Sometimes,” Franks told him, “emotions ambush us.” Petraeus was grateful for the counsel, but he thought the best strategy was to control his emotions, not give in to them. He’d rarely if ever gotten choked up during a ceremony, and he didn’t plan to start now. Avoiding self-reflection, as much as possible, seemed to be the way to go. Another close friend urged him to just let it out in private so he didn’t have a weak moment in public, or, better yet, to just let the public see his human side.
