Rudyard Kipling"
āWhen 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 soldierā
General Douglas MacArthur"
āWe are not retreating. We are advancing in another direction.ā
āIt is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it.ā āOld soldiers never die; they just fade away.
āThe soldier, above all other people, prays for peace, for he must suffer and be the deepest wounds and scars of war.ā
āMay God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't .ā āThe object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his.
āNobody ever defended, there is only attack and attack and attack some more.
āIt 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."
A friend writes about this tragic incident, the dragon boat
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Bodies of all six victims recovered. Yes, do not expect Police helicopters to help in the search nor the authorities to act with a sense of urgency. The incompetence of the authorities is only overwhelming, in Malaysia, as no one is held accountable. Is there even a search and rescue team on standby at all times for civillians. The RMAF has teams.
They were finishing the normal training session and on their way back. It had been a tiring session, particularly when there were new rowers so they took a break. No one really notice the waves were slowly sweeping the floating boat towards a parked tug boat. The coach asked them to turn and keep rowing to avoid from hitting the other boat but you know, kids being kids, sometimes they just donāt listen. Perhaps they were waiting for their friends to keep rowing while they rest and in the end, no one moved. And then the big waves came. It swept the boat and it overturned.
The first turned threw 2 people off the boat, but they managed to cling onto the boat with the rest, then the second waves came. The boat overturned again and this time, everyone was threw off the boat and they were so near the tug boat that our boat was practically sucked in by the underwater current halfway down into the tug boat (I hope Iām elaborating this right) Of course everyone panicked. Some managed to cling on to the boat and drag themselves up above the water and a fisherman boat who happened to past by saved them all.
All 12 but the 6 of them. A teacher, who was a newly appointed advisor for their dragonboat team and also his first time rowing, and 5 other students, all aged between 16 and 17. My dadās friendās son happened to be one of the unfortunate ones.
There was nothing we could do except to hope for the best. Some of our fellow members borrowed some boats and went into rescue mode but came back looking blank and sad. It was almost 11, almost 2 hours since the accident and yet there were no divers at the spot! Only the police and the emergency fire department were there.
Worried parents, relatives and more busybodies who just wanted to get a piece of the action started to crowd the place. At 11, a phone call was received by one of the students. The first body was found. Every parent was hopeful, running here and there asking the identity of the body but no one knew until the body was brought up to the shore. Read it in full here...
