[frank ballenger]

RE: a punctilious desire

Or a case of being pusillanimous?
Or a case of perspicacity?

pu·sil·lan·i·mous

showing a lack of courage or determination; timid.

per·spi·cac·i·ty
the quality of having a ready insight into things; shrewdness.

I was inspired by the great Sprio Agnew:
“....a politician relentlessly on the attack. He railed against “nattering nabobs of negativism,” and “pusillanimous pussyfooters.”

[frank ballenger]

It was Spiro.

[NautiNurse]

I’ll go with pusillanimous.