SrWoodchuck Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 From the American Thinker: August 9, 2011 Kipling - and a Chinook Down In the wake of the terrible news Saturday that 30 American and eight Afghan troops were killed by hostile action in Afghanistan, one could have done worse than turn last weekend to the war poetry of Rudyard Kipling. Kipling (the poet laureate of the British Empire) knew all about violent death in Afghanistan. The Indian-born, English-educated, Darsi-speaking Anglo-Indian began his career as a newspaper editor and reporter in Lahore (now Pakistan). He ended it as the recipient of the 1907 Nobel Prize for Literature. Nothing (except, perhaps, his American in-laws) daunted him: Kipling even served as a war correspondent, knowing all the great men of his time. He is also one of the few men to have refused a knighthood. Kipling was, in the view of his contemporaries, the greatest artist of Victorian England. Britain's Afghan wars were no more splendid than our war, either. Over those eighty years -- and based on bitter experience -- British strategy changed from one of occupation of Afghan territory (embodying the so-called "Forward Policy") to that of punitive expeditions. The former, be it noted, ended in disaster and defeats, while the latter met with success. Indeed, a young British subaltern named Winston Churchill participated in and wrote his first book about just such a punitive expedition. It was called The Story of the Malakand Field Force: an Episode of Frontier War (1898). His book was originally serialized in the Daily Telegraph. Kipling's writings chronicle the evolution in that strategy. In the 1886 poem, "Arithmetic on the Frontier," he notes the deadly cost of hostile terrain and hostile tribesmen using modern weapons against an elite British force: Two thousand pounds of education Drops to a ten-rupee jezail - *** Strike hard who cares - shoot straight who can - The odds are on the cheaper man. and....from "The Young British Soldier" a true soldier's poem. The last five stanzas: ... When first under fire an' you're wishful to duck, Don't look nor take 'eed at the man that is struck, Be thankful you're livin', and trust to your luck And march to your front like a soldier. Front, front, front like a soldier . . . When 'arf of your bullets fly wide in the ditch, Don't call your Martini a cross-eyed old bitch; She's human as you are - you treat her as sich, An' she'll fight for the young British soldier. Fight, fight, fight for the soldier . . . When shakin' their bustles like ladies so fine, The guns o' the enemy wheel into line, Shoot low at the limbers an' don't mind the shine, For noise never startles the soldier. Start-, start-, startles the soldier . . . If your officer's dead and the sergeants look white, Remember it's ruin to run from a fight: So take open order, lie down, and sit tight, And wait for supports like a soldier. Wait, wait, wait like a soldier . . . When you're wounded and left on Afghanistan's plains, And the women come out to cut up what remains, Jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains An' go to your Gawd like a soldier. Go, go, go like a soldier, Go, go, go like a soldier, Go, go, go like a soldier, So-oldier of the Queen! Another from Rudyard Kipling: Recessional- (A Victorian Ode) God of our fathers, known of old -- Lord of our far-flung battle line -- Beneath whose awful hand we hold Dominion over palm and pine -- Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, Lest we forget -- lest we forget! The tumult and the shouting dies -- The Captains and the Kings depart -- Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice, An humble and a contrite heart. Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, Lest we forget -- lest we forget! Far-called our navies melt away -- On dune and headland sinks the fire -- Lo, all our pomp of yesterday Is one with Nineveh and Tyre! Judge of the Nations, spare us yet, Lest we forget -- lest we forget! If, drunk with sight of power, we loose Wild tongues that have not Thee in awe -- Such boastings as the Gentiles use, Or lesser breeds without the Law -- Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, Lest we forget -- lest we forget! For heathen heart that puts her trust In reeking tube and iron shard -- All valiant dust that builds on dust, And guarding calls not Thee to guard. For frantic boast and foolish word, Thy Mercy on Thy People, Lord! Amen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casino67 Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 AndrewBreitbart AndrewBreitbart www.attemptedtofarm.com approved by all branches of US govmnt! Your $50k comes with impeccable American political seal of approval! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rheo Posted August 12, 2011 Author Share Posted August 12, 2011 Anyone watching the debate on Fox? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rheo Posted August 12, 2011 Author Share Posted August 12, 2011 Mitt: I'm not going to eat Obama's dog food, what he served up is not what I would have done if president. Ha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rheo Posted August 12, 2011 Author Share Posted August 12, 2011 Pawlenty will come to your house and cook you dinner if you can find anywhere a plan of Obamas...or cut your lawn, under one acre. ha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rheo Posted August 12, 2011 Author Share Posted August 12, 2011 Chris Wallace is now up asking questions. Trying to pit Bachmann and Pawlenty. Is she unqualified or just beating you in the polls? WTF? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rheo Posted August 12, 2011 Author Share Posted August 12, 2011 Pawlenty says that Bachmann has done great things, but her record in congress is non existent. You cannot have that for president....you need a record of accomplishment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rheo Posted August 12, 2011 Author Share Posted August 12, 2011 Bachmann says you passed cap and trade, etc....that sounds more like Obama. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rheo Posted August 12, 2011 Author Share Posted August 12, 2011 Isn't that the worse thing you can say to a R candidate for president to compare him to Obama. per Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rheo Posted August 12, 2011 Author Share Posted August 12, 2011 Whoa...they are getting mean now. Fight the dems, not slam each other!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rheo Posted August 12, 2011 Author Share Posted August 12, 2011 I had better hear these kind of "questions" to the dems. Ha...right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rheo Posted August 12, 2011 Author Share Posted August 12, 2011 In case you haven't heard it lately, we really have the best members at TRR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rheo Posted August 12, 2011 Author Share Posted August 12, 2011 Ha. Newt says to Chris..I took seriously Bret's advice to put away the talking points and I wish you would put away the got you questions. The crowd cheered and Chris's face is pissed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rheo Posted August 12, 2011 Author Share Posted August 12, 2011 Great comments by Newt! Chris's rebuttal got booed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rheo Posted August 12, 2011 Author Share Posted August 12, 2011 This Huntsman guy reminds me of Gary Condit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rheo Posted August 12, 2011 Author Share Posted August 12, 2011 Cain cracked me up. Chris asks him like 5 questions in detail. Cain says you want me to answer all those in 1 minute. Pick one Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geee Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 I am so glad that Newt put Wallace in his place. He prepared each question to each candidate to make them look as bad as possible Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rheo Posted August 12, 2011 Author Share Posted August 12, 2011 He is really torquing me off. And I have no torquing room left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestVirginiaRebel Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 Is anyone else watching the Republican debate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rheo Posted August 12, 2011 Author Share Posted August 12, 2011 I may really be losing it cuz Ron Paul makes good points and seems less kooky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rheo Posted August 12, 2011 Author Share Posted August 12, 2011 Byron York has the next round. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestVirginiaRebel Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 Regardless of what you might think of him, Mitt Romney looks like one of the adults here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geee Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 I hate to say this but Ron Paul and Newt sound the best so far Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rheo Posted August 12, 2011 Author Share Posted August 12, 2011 I hate to say this but Ron Paul and Newt sound the best so far Ha. You are losing it too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rheo Posted August 12, 2011 Author Share Posted August 12, 2011 Pawlenty...obama should cancel his cape cod vacation and get to work...paraphrase Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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