We are going into Iraq to liberate, and not to conquer.

This is Colonel Tim Collins.

Well, actually, his legendary actor, Sir Kenneth Brennan, playing Tim Collins in a film.

Tim grew up in Belfast during the troubles in the 60s and 70s.

He joined the British military in 1981 and rose up through the ranks.

By 2001, he was appointed commanding officer of the first battalion, Royal Irish Regiment.

I mean, this dude, Colonel Tim, he was kind of the real deal, responsible for the lives

of up to 1,000 soldiers.

Now, there are some who are alive at this moment who will not be alive shortly.

And here Tim was in 2003, standing in front of his troops on the eve of battle, delivering

the speech of his life, a speech that would demonstrate his idealism, his desire to

go to war and make a difference in the lives of the people of that country.

Iraq is steeped in history.

It is the sight of the Garden of Eden, of the Great Flood.

There's the birthplace of Abraham.

You tread, you tread lightly there.

This is a speech that would go down in history.

The words will be passed around through a single transcript written by a journalist at

the scene, until today where they sit on the walls of the Oval Office.

Surrounding Tim are tanks, guns, and solemn-looking faces set amongst the sparse desert backdrop

of Kuwait.

It's spring everybody home swiftly, and leave Iraq a better place for us having been

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