With all due respect, and you are correct these men are hard won, decorated military, through and through, and experienced in intel, but, the fact is you missed my point.
These guys, Petraus and Harwell, could have, should have, and in the old days *would* have, just said “Thanks, for the honor, Mr. President, but no thanks”, and walked away.
In the old days, after declining an offer, their personal friggin’ opinion to slap down a president would never have shortly followed, and been made available to the media and the world. Ever.
Something strange has been built under Obama. Obama has turned a lot of people willing to serve under the traitor.
Point taken, but I also don’t trust the media regarding the tone these men might have taken in declining a position. They could say “I am flattered Mr. President, but I respectfully decline” and CNN would say “Gen. Harwell slaps down the President.”