Rudyard Kipling"
“When you're left wounded on Afganistan's plains and
the women come out to cut up what remains, Just roll to your rifle
and blow out your brains,
And go to your God like a soldier”
General Douglas MacArthur"
“We are not retreating. We are advancing in another direction.”
“It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it.” “Old soldiers never die; they just fade away.
“The soldier, above all other people, prays for peace, for he must suffer and be the deepest wounds and scars of war.”
“May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't .” “The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his.
“Nobody ever defended, there is only attack and attack and attack some more.
“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.
The Soldier stood and faced God
Which must always come to pass
He hoped his shoes were shining
Just as bright as his brass
"Step forward you Soldier,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?"
"No, Lord, I guess I ain't
Because those of us who carry guns
Can't always be a saint."
I've had to work on Sundays
And at times my talk was tough,
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.
But, I never took a penny
That wasn't mine to keep.
Though I worked a lot of overtime
When the bills got just too steep,
The Soldier squared his shoulders and said
And I never passed a cry for help
Though at times I shook with fear,
And sometimes, God forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around
Except to calm their fears.
If you've a place for me here,
Lord, It needn't be so grand,
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand."
There was silence all around the throne
Where the saints had often trod
As the Soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.
"Step forward now, you Soldier,
You've borne your burden well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell."
His blog is called PGB Warrior, relates his experience during operations and in the Ranger Corps. He is a very experienced warrior. It makes a very interesting read. Here is an excerpt:
Operation Pagar, Ayer Kala, Perak, Malaysia 1977
The going was tough as we had to force our way up a slope covered by thick thorny underbrushes closely interwoven, much like concentina wire. Their sharp thorns pricked and scratched our bare hands and faces. As we came near the top of the hillock we were under fire. I could hear the thumping sounds of bullets as they whizzed over our heads. I tried to locate where the fire came from. As it was still dark, visibility was still bad. I couldn't see the CTs.
The target area was suddenly lightened up as flares were fired over our heads. We could hear the whistling sounds of empty canisters as they plunged down and landed uncomfortably close to us.
We reached the top of the hillock without a fight and went down the other side for another few more hundred meters into a rubber plantation. No CTs. We knew we were quite close to the cordon forces and for safety reason stopped where we were. The same story happened to the other two assaulting companies on my right. It was a disappointment for us.
Had the CTs slipped through the tight cordon at night? May be but the planners didn't think so. Leaftlets were dropped into the target area to persuade the CTs to come out. Loud speakers blared out similar messages. No response. The operation dragged on into its third day. Read the whole article here...
