Book excerpt: 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.