Rimbaud meets Rambo on the Eve of Battle

[Seasauce]

I heard this speech read on the radio recently:

The following speech was given by Lieutenant-Colonel Tim Collins, the commander of the Royal Irish Battle Group in Kuwait, hours before they went into battle in March, 2003.

“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. As they die they will know their deeds have brought them to this place. Show them no pity. But 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.

“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 that will be flown in that ancient land is their own. Don’t treat them as refugees, for they are in their own country.

“I know men who have taken life needlessly in other conflicts. 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 there are casualties of war, then 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.

“You will be shunned unless your conduct is of the highest, for your deeds will follow you down history. Iraq is steeped in history. It is the site of the Garden of Eden, of the Great Flood, and the birth of Abraham. Tread lightly there. 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...

“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. Let’s leave Iraq a better place for us having been there. Our business now, is north.”

You can read more about Tim Collins and his speech at this link: Rimbaud meets Rambo on the Eve of Battle

- Seasauce

PS - I shamelessly swiped the headline...couldn't think of a way say it better.

PPS - I am still skeptical enough to wonder if there truly is a Lieutenant-Colonel Tim Collins who really penned and spoke these words, or if this is all another internet-generated urban legend designed to exploit the public with an emotional appeal to patriotism expressed in decency.

PPS - Tim Collins better damn well be Irish - who better to write such stuff!! (Ironic that the press is comparing Collins with Rimbaud, a French poet. Is there an unreported shortage of Irish poets? As for the Rambo reference: I suppose Cuchulainn is both hard to spell and pronounce. Come to think of it maybe I could have bettered that headline.)

"For the Great Gaels of Ireland are the men that God made mad,
For all their wars are merry and all their songs are sad."
- G.K. Chesterton, "The Ballad of the White Horse"

(Not sure the Chesterton quote strictly applies, but I like it anyway.)

[Damelon]

I read an article this week in the Chicago Tribune about that speech, and a picture, presumeably, of the man.

[Brinn]

Excellent stuff Seasauce! Iraq Go Bragh!

I wish that CENTCOM would mandate that all coalition forces broadcast that speech in a repeating loop for as long as our troops are in Iraq!

[Skyweir]

or if this is all another internet-generated urban legend designed to exploit the public with an emotional appeal to patriotism expressed in decency.