Lt. Colonel Tim Collins
Royal Irish Battle Group
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 get more on this speech, and the English press reaction by going to:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,482-619266,00.html
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