"Our Business Now is
North"
With one phrase, Lt. Col.
Tim Collins, commander of the 1st Battalion of the Royal
Irish, addressing his 800 British soldiers in Kuwait,
summed up the task at hand. Here is as much of his
extraordinary speech as has been reported. We remain
awed by the coalition troops.
"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. 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. Dont 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 nor
our nation.
"Lets bring
everyone home and leave Iraq a better place for us
having been there.
"Our business now is
north."
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