printVDARE.COM’s James Fulford has published (http://blog.vdare.com/archives/2011/02/02/scenes-from-the-surrender-in-south-africa/) a most poignant letter from a South African veteran of the Angola war. It is also a reminder of why I support the draft … for politicians and bureaucrats (http://www.ilanamercer.com/phprunner/public_article_list_view.php?editid1=59):
“I knew a number of vain, self-righteous pseudo-intellectuals during my time in the Army. They all had elegantly-appointed offices, with double-overlaid carpeting in the floor and expensive paintings on the walls. They fairly dripped with assumed self-importance and constantly boasted of ‘ political connections’ up the food-chain.
They wore starched uniforms, but were always far removed from my young lads and me in the ops area, up in Angola. With sand, blood, and dirt between our teeth, we lived in mud, with our dead and wounded lying in ditches, some on stretchers in the back of idling C130s, their body fluids running down the rails, onto the loading deck, and ultimately accumulating in grotesque puddles on the runway.
Many of these curiously never-deployed types actively participated in ‘negotiations’ to ‘end the War.’ Conversely, those of us who actually participated were kept away. In fact … ”
MORE.
Our unit was disbanded in 1993. We gave de Klerk 30 x(1 Rand) coins as we were betrayed. I came back to civvie street (civilization) a changed man, bitter and angry. 3 years doing my duty for nothing (Short term service). I spent over 20 months in SWA (Now called Namibia) and Angola.
Now we fight another battle each and every day while still fighting the old one.
I usually post under my real name, but I felt that “Unknown Soldier” says it all.
[Thank you, whoever you are. You ID is always protected here.]
Waiting impatiently for your book on SA!