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."
In Israel, Memorial Day and Independence Day go hand in
hand, showing how we cannot celebrate our independence without
commemorating those who Alterman titled “The silver platter on which the
Jewish state was given.”
That duality of sorrow and happiness will
be shown across the country, as groups of young, and not so young men,
visit their fallen comrades’ families. They will come to lessen the
mother’s sorrow, but she will end up comforting them. They will come in
tears after visiting his grave, but will leave with smiles as even after
all these years, his squad mates show up like clockwork, never missing
even once.
Isaiah wrote “They will beat their swords into plowshares and their
spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.” The sages teach that there were
hundreds of prophets, but only those that carried a message for
prosperity were recorded in the Bible.
We must heed Isaiah’s prophecy,
yearning for the day when peace will come with our neighbors, and we
will not train for war anymore. But until that day, we mark and
commemorate those who have given their last full measure of devotion,
adhering to what King David wrote in Psalms: “Behold the Guardian of
Israel will neither slumber nor sleep”.