Bali to Baghdad and Beyond

by Rodney Cocks

Bali to Baghdad and Beyond is a remarkable first-hand account of life at the UN front lines and in recent post-conflict hotspots. Rodney Cocks was a UN Military Observer in East Timor and a member of the de-mining team in Iraq following the fall of Saddam. He is currently a UN security adviser in the former Taliban and Al Qaeda stronghold of Kandahar in southern Afghanistan. Narrowly surviving two deadly terrorist acts - the Bali bombings and the devastating suicide attack on the UN headquarters in Baghdad - he assisted the injured and dying in the horrific aftermaths.This young Australian's memoir also takes us behind the scenes to glimpse the realities of humanitarian and military service. An inspirational story of selflessness and courage, it reveals the terrible legacy of war in the twenty-first century.

Genres: Nonfiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published August 30, 2006

About the author

Rodney Cocks graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon, studying law and commerce while undertaking full time and part time service in the Royal Australian Infantry. His military career took him on training to the UK and Europe on several occasions, South East Asia and on operations to East Timor as part of a UN peacekeeping force.

Cocks was on holiday in Kuta, Bali, at the time of the 2002 terror bombings. Despite being injured in the attacks, he helped the injured and dying and performed trauma first aid, for which he was awarded an Australian Conspicuous Service Medal and a UN Peacekeeping Force Commander’s Commendation.

In 2003 Cocks joined the United Nation’s de-mining team in Iraq. During his service in Baghdad he was injured when a suicide bomber struck the UN’s Headquarters. Once again, he came to the aid of those injured around him, performing trauma first aid and loading people for evacuation to hospitals.

Cocks was appointed to be the UN’s Senior Security Advisor in the former Taliban and al Qaeda stronghold of Kandahar in Southern Afghanistan in March 2004. By mid 2007 Cocks was redeployed as a security adviser to volatile areas in northern Sri Lanka, where the government of Sri Lanka and the Tamil Tigers were engaged in a civil war.

Reviews

[Freya]

Such an interesting read!

[Adam Ashton]

A really interesting story of a really, really interesting bloke! This book definitely opened my eyes to a lot of things I didn't know about the world and the Middle East in particular.