Prince Harry

[big jimmy]

So the Prince does not get sent to Iraq...If he came from Sunderland or Sheffield or Plymouth..he would have been sent without a moments hesitation.....As Harry had signed up for the armed forces in a volunteer army...I feel ashamed of my country at this moment....lets hope there is a revolt over this.....what a disgrace.....

[redzonerocker]

i have to agree jimmy.
every time i see harry in the news it seems he's either in a nightclub drunk or on holiday in somewher, not quite what you would expect from an officer in the uk army.
the whole thing is just pr nonsense just the same as it was for prince andrew.

[Kraka's Dad]

It was not Harry's decision not to go so you cannot blame him for this situation.
It was the authorities.

[Big Boy]

My gut feeling is that he's accepted his Gran's shilling, he should be treat like, and take his chances with everybody else who's sent to Iraq.

Then my common sense head comes in to play, and I realise how stupid it would be to send him. If you send such a high profile target to Iraq, the insurgents will concentrate on hitting him to gain the publicity. However, he would look no different in the heat of the moment to any other soldier riding along in his little tank. Therefore, his presence would put his entire unit at significant risk.

Better they leave the insurgents to concentrate on attacking their own.

[niggle]

I can't help wondering if he really will be going but to somewhere less troublesome (is there such a place in Iraq?).
Maybe they put out that he isnt going to deflect him from bieng a target, he seems to have accepted it too easily after all he said at first.
Then again, I beleive all conspiracy theories !!!!

[STEVE G]

i have to agree jimmy.
every time i see harry in the news it seems he's either in a nightclub drunk or on holiday in somewher, not quite what you would expect from an officer in the uk army.
the whole thing is just pr nonsense just the same as it was for prince andrew.

I was serving in the Royal Navy at the same time as Prince Andrew and I met him a few times. I didn’t consider him to be a particularly pleasant person, but he did serve in the Falklands war with 820 squadron alongside friends of mine, and carried out his duties without any favoritism, and took as much risk as anyone else in that position.
The story in the press afterwards about him flying in Sea King helicopters used as exocet missile decoys is true. This was not as suicidal as it sounds because the missile was designed to attack ships and flew just above the sea, so as long as the specially equipped helicopter stayed above this height the missile would go underneath it.

[nevets]

My father joined the ROYAL HAMPSHIRE REGIMENT in 1933 ,and was in India north west frontier 1936 fighting Afghan tribesmen and local war lords. He said if you join you are expected to fight and go were you are sent with out complaining he served 19yrs 13 with the colours in India ,north Africa , Palestine, Italy , Cicily , France and Germany and a small time in Burma and Malta . He was one of the lucky ones and lived through it and died 12yrs ago. My admiration to all that serve.

[HHTel]

Well done Big Boy, that was one of the reasons given. Never mind specific threats to himself but his very presence would put the rest of the troop in danger. If Harry is to be believed, then he actually wanted to go. Sensible decision here.

[BaaBaa.]

I agree, pointless sending him really.

[nevets]

Yes i think he would be a high risk to his other teem members as well, and because of his name a big target that would cause a lot of problems, and get people killed just for him to satisfy his need to join the forces. Other royal members i think were in the navy and could have a little moor protection of a steel ship around them. Although still very dangerous.

[big jimmy]

I have read all the posts here and I have to say I disagree with those who say that Harry would put the troops in extra danger.... What about the boys and girls who are already there serving their country ?...The insurgents want to kill any British soldier, Prince or not.....of course Harry would be great propaganda if he were killed but his life is no greater than that of the ordinary soldier sent out to the field...to say his life is more precious than an ordinary soldier is wrong...he should go...serve his country...and take his chances like all the other brave souls..he wants to go..so let him go....

[BaaBaa.]

His life is not greater, I think everyone would agree, but its quite obvious that he would be the ultimate prize to the enemy.

Imagine if he was taken hostage.

Red rag to a bull springs to mind.

[redzonerocker]

his rank is lieutenant & he's a tank commander. what was the point of all the training at sandhurst? he was never going to be allowed to iraq, full stop.
just seems to be a pointless career for a royal in my opinion.
i agree with the posts suggesting if you are signed up for the army, you get deployed whenever & wherever.
can't help but feel its just another token gesture from the royalists to show they have a common touch.

[Wanderlust]

Yes, but where else can they learn to clasp their hands behind their backs like that?

[HHTel]

When a royal joins the forces it gives them one of the few chances to touch reality. Anyway, they usually finish up as Commander-in-Chief or equivalent. To be the head of the armed forces you need at least some experience.

To the posters who say he should take his chance with everyone else, you don't seem to have got the message. I agree the lads are in constant danger every day but why add to that danger by putting a prize target with them.

There is more to the forces than fighting you know. Learning discipline, skills, comradeship, self reliance to mention a few. Not many of you will know, but when a royal joins the forces, until he gets rank, he's treated more or less like anyone else, getting the shitty jobs etc. I know!