Touch Blades

Posted 03:52 GMT
Mangala stood on the banks of the Tigris River in the dark hours before the Mesopotamian dawn. Looking up at the stars, he saw several cruise misssiles flash past in the direction of Baghdad.

"War's first salvo," Mangala said, and he sang:

Touch blades, touch blades, my gentleman warriors
Touch blades in honor my swordsmen true
A flash of the dagger, assassins at night,
Have merit aplenty before this great fight.