Rudyard Kipling"
“When you're left wounded on Afganistan's plains and
the women come out to cut up what remains, Just roll to your rifle
and blow out your brains,
And go to your God like a soldier”
General Douglas MacArthur"
“We are not retreating. We are advancing in another direction.”
“It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it.” “Old soldiers never die; they just fade away.
“The soldier, above all other people, prays for peace, for he must suffer and be the deepest wounds and scars of war.”
“May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't .” “The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his.
“Nobody ever defended, there is only attack and attack and attack some more.
“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.
The Soldier stood and faced God
Which must always come to pass
He hoped his shoes were shining
Just as bright as his brass
"Step forward you Soldier,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?"
"No, Lord, I guess I ain't
Because those of us who carry guns
Can't always be a saint."
I've had to work on Sundays
And at times my talk was tough,
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.
But, I never took a penny
That wasn't mine to keep.
Though I worked a lot of overtime
When the bills got just too steep,
The Soldier squared his shoulders and said
And I never passed a cry for help
Though at times I shook with fear,
And sometimes, God forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around
Except to calm their fears.
If you've a place for me here,
Lord, It needn't be so grand,
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand."
There was silence all around the throne
Where the saints had often trod
As the Soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.
"Step forward now, you Soldier,
You've borne your burden well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell."
Its so sad that Malaysia is treating retired solders with such contempt ... its so different here. I have a dear friend who is what they call a "Returned Soldier", that is one who has fought for the country. He fought the Japs in Borneo and he tells me of the times when he saw his mate next to him killed by Jap snipers... Anyway, when he came back from service, the Government, gave him hectare's of farmland on Kangaroo Island (just 30mins ferry ride off coast of Adelaide) . Kangaroo Island is a tourist attraction, and the middle part of the Island is called Pandana, it is occupied by "Returned Soldiers" farms that the Government gave to them in gratitude for their services in WWII.
See the difference in treatment? By the way Kangaroo Island is as big as the size of Singapore Island and I've stayed on his farm many a times for holidays. His farm is so big that his son's family also has another big range-style house about 1 km away! He & his wife & his son & grandchildren run this big farm... sheep shearing & wool shed, prize beef stocks, grows lucern grass for hay, cows for milk (they actually make their own butter), keeps several horses .. all beautiful Palomino horses(golden tan colour with light manes).... they also run the Pistol Club on the island. But then his farm is so vast that we can actually go out to an area near his house & start shooting into the open fields... he assured me that there's nothing out there that the bullets can harm!
...and of course, he has a Pension for life . Not only that, its also free health cover for him & wife at the Veterans' Hospital in Adelaide. What's wrong with Malaysia? Its a rich country, I mean, look at all the Fat Cats in the government. Its totally disgusting how you guys have been treated... it really stinks.