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."
Pol Pot - The Khmer Rouge & the Killing Fields Documentary
Monday, February 13, 2023
I've never had such an eerie feeling as I did whilst standing in front of the killing fields memorial in Cambodia. To see such a tower of human remains and know it's only a fraction of all people killed was truly horrifying and mind blowing..
I was shocked to discover a few years ago that the hair-cutter at the shop I frequented escaped with her sister from one of the Khmer Rouge jungle prison camps where many died. One day, we were making small talk as she cut my hair and I asked where she was originally from, and she said Cambodia.
She then told a story how they left during Pol Pot's rule, and that she and her sister escaped to save their lives. At first, I thought she was kidding, but then I saw her sad eyes and the emotion in her voice. They escaped at night preferring to die trying rather than wait for an almost certain eventual death in the camp.
The two hiked quietly for many days through the jungle until they reached Thailand and safety. From there, they eventually were allowed to resettle in the US. She and her sister are brave. Sadly, many in their family disappeared during that bad time.
Never forget, he did not do these things alone. He was human supported by other people. The killing fields were ran by everyday people. That's an important point to remember when looking back on dictators.
How people came to do these things are just as important as who was at the head of government.