Minor update: Friday, March 21
I forgot to point out that the gentleman quoted, one Lt. Col. Tim Collins, is a British soldier; he is the commander of the 1st Battalion of the Royal Irish.
A filet mignon on a flaming sword, followed by several beers and an accordion solo to Lieutenant (and remember, it’s pronounced “lef-tenant”) Colonel Tim Collins. Before the start of the attack on Iraq, he made a very moving speech to his troops. In an age of unabated rudeness, rampant xenophobia and “kick his ass and get the gas“, I’m glad to see that someone still cares about dignity and respect, even when going about the very ugly business of war. Whether or not you believe this war is justified, you’ve got to got to agree that this is the sort of thing soldiers should be told.
We go to liberate not to conquer. We will not fly our flags in their country.
We are entering Iraq to free a people. 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, 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. 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, remember, 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 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, remember they have that right in international law. 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.
It is not a question of if, it’s a question of when. 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.
[Taken from a story in the Daily Mirror, found via the blog Raised by Chaffiniches, found in turn via Dave Dutton’s comment to a posting in BoingBoing.]