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."
Rohingya row - a rabbit hole we should cease burrowing into - By Commander (Rtd) S THAYAPARAN Royal Malaysian Navy
Monday, September 11, 2017
Malaysiakini : “Whenever a man does a thoroughly stupid thing, it is always from the noblest motives.” - Oscar Wilde, ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ COMMENT | If you are easily
“triggered”, please stop reading this article. The cause célèbre amongst
ethno-nationalists and liberal types is the plight of the Rohingya
refugees. In the former, their support is based on religious solidarity
(with the exception of the ruling elite, more on that later), and the
latter, as a means to dispel perceptions that they are Islamophobic (the
quote that begins this piece is aimed at this group).
Both sides are hypocritical and are a danger to the security of this
country where race and religion are used to bolster support in diverse
political bases and external stimuli could be the basis of homegrown
terrorism.
Those interested should read my piece here,
where I alluded to the regional implications, not to mention the
hypocrisy of the Umno regime when it comes to the “plight” of the
Rohingyas – “The plight of the Rohingya is more than just misery porn
from Umno and PAS political elites. To treat it as just another
propaganda tactic to bolster Malay/Muslim solidarity and detract from
financial scandals hides the very real security issues this country
faces.”
