'Show Respect': 'We Go to Liberate And Not to Conquer'

Times Dispatch ^ | Mar 26, 2003 | Lt. Col. Tim Collins

[SAMWolf]

The eve of battle is a time for commanders to rally their troops. Some do it more memorably than others. Following are excerpts from a speech by Lt. Col. Tim Collins, commander of the First Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment, delivered last Wednesday at Fort Blair Mayne in northern Kuwait, before the battalion left for Iraq.

[SAMWolf]

(((Ping))) Good speech by a British Commander

[FatherOfLiberty]

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.

I am very much in agreement with this statement. I have been surprised and somewhat dismayed to see a number of pictures of our U.S. troops doing group pictures with our flag inside Iraq. I understand the sentiment but I believe it sends the wrong message.

This is a great speech - I believe our grandchildren may read this one in the history books about this war.

[SAMWolf]

I liked the speech too, I feel it's one for the History books.

[JZoback]

A very ultra liberal friend of mine sent this to me a couple of days ago.

I am still recovering from the shock and have not thought of a response yet.

It is good

[Victoria Delsoul]

Thanks Sam. Wonderful speech!

[Rasputin_TheMadMonk]

We go throwing the lives of our young into the meat grinder of war to liberate a nation that has languished with the boot of a tyrant across its neck. Our warriors are dying for these people in a God forsaken land because we care enough to take the burden of civilization upon our backs.

We are AMERICAN, BRITISH, AUSTRALIAN, and a myriad other peoples who followed the orders of our leaders to die for people who deserve a taste of freedom for how ever long they can keep it from slipping away. A people who have never known freedom and likely will not be able to keep it, but we go becasue it is what civilized people do.

Yet we offend those we liberate by raising our flag over our soldiers and our bases? We are agressors because we want a symbol of our homes and our families and all that we left behind? The standard on our tanks and our helicopters is seen as the flag of conquerors?

I say let these people whom we die to liberate know who they owe thier lives to. Show them that they live because AMERICANS, BRITS, AUSSIES, and others threw thier lives away for people who we couldn't even begin to hold a conversation with. Raise our flags high and wave them with a fervor of patriotism. Let ever Allied soldier look to the standard and feel for a brief moment that feeling of home that Old Glory or the Union Jack provides in a hostile environment.

We ARE liberators to the Iraqi people regardless of the flag that flies over our heads, No, not regardless of, because of the flag that shelters us beneath it's shadow. You don't see the flag of Saudi Arabia over the liberators, nor do you see the U.N. flag rushing to save these enslaved men and women. No, you don't and you never will, because it's the stadards of the civilized world that leads the way to freedom.

If our flags offend you, then seek comfort elsewhere. Surely the next group to enter your lands with weapons and soldiers will be happy to strike thier colors before they strike your heads from your necks!

[SAMWolf]

Excellent writing.

The no flag rule was the only statement I disagrred with, let them know who's coming to liberate them.

[Rasputin_TheMadMonk]

Thank you,

I was p*ssed.

[HiJinx]

They do have a way with the English language, do they not?

[Valin]

Bump