If things had been different,
In another time or another placeā¦
Perhaps we may have metā¦
On a railway station platformā¦
Or at a crowded bus stopā¦
Maybe in a long queueā¦
Or at a public meeting.
Perhapsā¦we would have
Been hesitant when we first metā¦
Not being sure of each other.
Perhaps being mistrustful at first.
Just a brief ice breakerā¦
And then arranging to meet againā¦
At another timeā¦in another place.
Perhapsā¦we would have
Visited a coffee bar together ā¦
Or gone to a restaurant for a meal.
To have invited each other homeā¦
And to have met each otherās families.
For our children to have played togetherā¦
And developed friendships with one another.
Perhapsā¦we would have
Gone to the cinema to see a movieā¦
Or to have played Ten Pin bowling.
To have gone fishing in a boatā¦
And to have seen some sporting event.
To have been engaged in friendly rivalryā¦
And to have laughed about it afterwards.
Perhapsā¦we would have
Shown a mutual respect for each otherā¦
And discussed religion tolerantly.
To have shown interest in each of our culturesā¦
And to have appreciated one another.
To have been gladdened in our similaritiesā¦
And to have celebrated our differences.
Perhapsā¦we would have
Been good and loyal friendsā¦
And to have stood up for each other.
To have had shared experiencesā¦
And shared intimate secrets.
To have supported each otherā¦
Through times of adversity.
Butā¦we are not in another timeā¦
And we are not in another place.
We are in this placeā¦here.
And we are in this timeā¦now.
Fate has exerted its force upon us,
And this is warā¦obscene, inhumane carnageā¦
Extreme, unmitigated and unmerciful violence.
My Government has used its authorityā¦
āUsed its powerā and sent me to be here.
My Government is not in itself powerful.
It possesses not its own powerā¦
It possesses power only by proxy.
It uses the power of othersā¦
And the power of manipulation and deceit.
We will not visit a coffee barā¦
And we will not see a movie together.
We will not respect each otherās differencesā¦
And we will not be friends sharing experiencesā¦
We will not meet againā¦
Or perhaps we willā¦maybe.
In another timeā¦another place.
For I am an envoy of my Government.
I act not on my own behalfā¦
I act only at the behest of my Government.
I am absolved from all moral deficiencyā¦
And my obligations are dutiful.
Heretoā¦in the name of my Governmentā¦
I have a mandate to kill you.
I am the master of your fateā¦
The emissary to prosecute your demise.
I am the annihilating ministerā¦
The instrument of righteous death.
I am the agent of virtuous destructionā¦
The herald of dark destiny and oblivion.
I am the unmentionable slayer of aspirations.
I will bring to bear on you upright judgement,
And lead you to view the celestial window.
I will snuff out the flame of your candleā¦
And obliterate your mortal existence.
I will end your days and transport your soul
To another placeā¦for all of eternity.
Yes! Another timeā¦another place.
May God have mercy on me.
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