And then there's the assessment of this four-star general

A thematic consistency is shaping up:

Retired four-star Army Gen. Jack Keane, who co-authored a policy paper that inspired the Iraq surge in the George W. Bush era, told the lawmakers “it is not true that our alliances are stronger, indeed, they are weaker because our allies are fundamentally questioning the ‘will’ of the United States; many allies believe the U.S. will not be there for them in a time of peril and, sadly, U.S. standing in the world is at its lowest since prior to WWII.”

“When American leadership is strong in the world, the world is a safer place. And when American leadership is inconsistent, indecisive, and we are willing to permit others to lead who do not have the capacity or when we are paralyzed by the fear of adverse consequence, then American leadership is weak and the world is a more dangerous place,” Keane continued. “As such, our adversaries are emboldened, they become more aggressive, they take more risks and the results are more death, more casualties and the security of the American people is threatened. Tragically, this is where we are today.”

The general stressed “the harsh reality is that radical Islam and the al-Qaeda affiliates are on the rise and the evidence is overwhelming.”

Keane highlighted the “strategic blunder” of leaving no residual force in Iraq and the danger of making the same mistake in Afghanistan, noting without support for Kabul the Taliban will “truly threaten the regime” and al-Qaeda will “return to their most desirable sanctuary, the mountains of Afghanistan.”

“Because of the failure of American leadership the term radical Islam or Islamic extremism is not mentioned in U.S. policy, which is quite astounding,” Keane said. “…What makes this movement the most threatening we have ever faced is their stated objectives to use WMD against the people of the U.S. Unchecked, radical Islam is an ideological struggle with the U.S. and its allies that will dominate most of the 21st century.”

Under questioning from lawmakers, Keane further stressed that “al-Qaeda becoming decentralized has always been part of the plan” with a strategy of spreading out across the globe in countless affiliate networks.

“Sometimes the world doesn’t cooperate with a presidential narrative and I think that’s where we are,” Lieberman said, noting there’s “something in between” sending in military forces “and just pulling out.”

Everybody smells weakness.