I hope its not the yank gung-ho nonsense popularized by
hollywood.
Wait out for verdict...
Edit: Its ok - Flashes of brilliance marred by the occasional tosh
- "On your young shoulders rest the hopes of mankind."
This is very much better:
We go to liberate not to conquer. We will not fly our flags in
their country. We are entering Iraq to free a people and the only
flag which will be flown in that ancient land is their own. Show
respect for them.
There are some who are alive at this moment who will not be alive
shortly. Those who do not wish to go on that journey, we will not
send. As for the others I expect you to rock their world. Wipe them
out if that is what they choose. But if you are ferocious in battle
remember to be magnanimous in victory.
Iraq is steeped in history. It is the site of the Garden of Eden,
of the Great Flood and the birthplace of Abraham. Tread lightly
there. You will see things that no man could pay to see and you
will have to go a long way to find a more decent, generous and
upright people than the Iraqis. You will be embarrassed by their
hospitality even though they have nothing. Don't treat them as
refugees for they are in their own country. Their children will be
poor, in years to come they will know that the light of liberation
in their lives was brought by you.
If there are casualties of war then remember that when they woke up
and got dressed in the morning they did not plan to die this day.
Allow them dignity in death. Bury them properly and mark their
graves.
It is my foremost intention to bring every single one of you out
alive but there may be people among us who will not see the end of
this campaign. We will put them in their sleeping bags and send
them back. There will be no time for sorrow.
The enemy should be in no doubt that we are his nemesis and that we
are bringing about his rightful destruction. There are many
regional commanders who have stains on their souls and they are
stoking the fires of hell for Saddam. He and his forces will be
destroyed by this coalition for what they have done. As they die
they will know their deeds have brought them to this place. Show
them no pity.
It is a big step to take another human life. It is not to be done
lightly. I know of men who have taken life needlessly in other
conflicts, I can assure you they live with the mark of Cain upon
them. If someone surrenders to you then remember they have that
right in international law and ensure that one day they go home to
their family.
The ones who wish to fight, well, we aim to please.
If you harm the regiment or its history by over-enthusiasm in
killing or in cowardice, know it is your family who will suffer.
You will be shunned unless your conduct is of the highest for your
deeds will follow you down through history. We will bring shame on
neither our uniform or our nation.
[Regarding the use by Saddam of chemical or biological weapons] It
is not a question of if, it's a question of when. We know he has
already devolved the decision to lower commanders, and that means
he has already taken the decision himself. If we survive the first
strike we will survive the attack.
As for ourselves, let's bring everyone home and leave Iraq a better
place for us having been there.
Our business now is north.
~CO 1RIR, Col. Tim Collins OBE