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."
StratNews Global travels along the Burma border in eastern Arunachal Pradesh from Pangsau Pass to Vijaynagar.
Monday, March 25, 2024
The Assam Rifles marks its 189th Raising Day on 24 March. On the occasion we replug our series ‘East of the Northeast’ aired first in May 2023. In our ground report, StratNews Global travels along the Burma border in eastern Arunachal Pradesh from Pangsau Pass to Vijaynagar.
Firstly, in this episode, we fly on board the lifeline provided by the Chinooks of the Indian Air Force’s Mighty Talons 124 Helicopter Unit to one of the eastern most inhabited areas and Advanced Landing Grounds of the country.
En route and on location, Lt Gen P.C. Nair, Director General, Assam Rifles, Brig Swarn Singh, DIG, 25 Sector and Col Mohit Verma, Commandant, 19 Assam Rifles explain the strategic significance of how India discovered, secured and settled the critical Vijaynagar bowl.
Along The Burma Border In Arunachal Pradesh: Pangsau Pass To Vijaynagar
Our team of Amitabh P. Revi and Rohit Pandita travels to Dibrugarh, Lekhapani, Jairampur, Pangsau Pass, Jorhat, Chabua and Vijaynagar. We connect the dots of history to explain the critical importance of these little-known border areas.
We also document the path-breaking Ledo or Stilwell road, the Pangsau Pass. And how NSCN and ULFA insurgents attacked the post there in the run-up to Independence Day in 2022. We also re-visit the Vijaynagar Bowl and the history of how two Assam Rifles expeditions, the second led by Brig (later) Major General) A.S.Guraya changed how history and geography are now, and how they fit into India’s ‘Act East’ policy.
“Insurgency Levels Down, Drug Smuggling Up; ₹ 810 Crore Of Trans-border Contraband Seized in 2023”
In our series, ‘Sentinels of the North East’, Lt Gen (Dr) P.C. Nair, Director General, Assam Rifles speaks exclusively to StratNews Global Associate Editor Amitabh P. Revi in Jorhat.
The DG discusses the role, capacities, capabilities, and challenges of India’s oldest paramilitary force. He explains the Assam Rifles’ roles: along the 1,643 km long India-Myanmar border, and in counter-insurgency.
Lt General Nair talks about the Assam Rifles response during the Manipur violence, the huge drug seizures from across the border, who is behind the upward trend in contraband smuggling, and illegal migration.
Additionally, he also speaks about the general downward trend of insurgency, the role of external forces, the future role of the force he leads, and the situation across the Burma border.
