[April 11, 2015] On the eve of combat in 2003 to take the country of Iraq from an evil dictator, allied troops were reminded of the values we placed in honorable service. While there was no doubt we would win the war by force, we also knew that the upcoming combat would be dirty, nasty, and deadly. We were also reminded that we should extend our hand of generosity and decency to the Iraqi people.
Those militaries involved in the Vietnam War had learned valuable lessons. Truth, honor, justice – time honored traditions of the most advance nations have successfully attempted to ensure these values are made a keystone of their military services. A British officer in 2003, just prior to jumping into combat, Lieutenant Colonel Timothy C. Collins, reminded his soldiers of their duty and the importance of generosity and decency. Here is the beginning of his speech:
“We go to Iraq 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.” – Colonel Tim Collins1
For our military, there will be times where the unexpected is common, where fear and terror is real, and yet where there is also time to be both generous and decent. Generosity and decency are common human ideals and our military ingrains those values. There is not any society on this planet that does not have these values and in many Western nations, those values are raised to the highest of levels of admiration.
Despite the terror of combat, the uncertainty of a rapidly-changing world, or of appeals by evil, those human ideals will remain a part of our society and of the military that protects them. Our goal in the military – and of our leaders – should always be to retain those aspects that are for the common good and for all our peoples.
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[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Collins_(British_Army_officer)