Thread: Cudos to Prince Harry

Originally Posted by Driventowin

Last year military chiefs ruled Harry could not be sent to Iraq with his regiment because publicity surrounding his deployment could put him and his unit at risk.

Unfortunately this Leak has put himself and his unit at risk. Maybe they'll have to move him again.

Not only his unit. The big boys CNN and BBC decided to keep quiet, thier reporters were at extra risk also.

Australians angrily condemned the decision of a weekly women's magazine to break the news blackout on Prince Harry's deployment to Afghanistan.

The story was published in Australian tabloid magazine New Idea last month but not followed up by other media.

In an article on its website dated January 7, the magazine - nicknamed in Australia 'No Idea' - reported that Harry had seen front line action in Afghanistan despite opposition from the British government and members of the Royal family.

New Idea said it could "exclusively reveal" that the "maverick prince" had already seen front-line action.

In an online poll on Sky News Australia, 78 per cent said it was wrong for the media to have leaked Prince Harry's deployment.

New Idea's website was flooded with readers expressing their fury and calling for the resignation of its editor.

Readers labelled its journalists "guttersnipes", "money-hungry idiots", "morons" and "selfish parasites", saying they were an embarrassment to Australians living abroad.

Australian magazine broke Prince Harry story - Telegraph

Good for publicity sending him there.

He'll be protected.

Just another laugh.

Originally Posted by Milkman

Good for publicity sending him there.

He'll be protected.

Just another laugh.

That's not the point. It will put the others in his unit & in the general area at risk. It's not just him in danger because of the stupidity of the media.

more like his stupidity. let him stay home where he can dress like a nazi and booze it up.

I did see this news yesterday, but when I watched the video report I noticed there was a lot of 'close to the front lines', 'near the front lines' comments so he hasn't actually seen any action. The convenient leak will ensure he will no see any in the future I would have thought.

Not Harry's fault though, and I guess if he had the chance he would be fighting, but wanted to say the media have definitely added a bit of spin to this.

Harry's expendable. You won't see William put in harm's way.

If Harry is calling in air strikes, then those deaths of good ol' Moslem boys are going to make him a target in future for some Islamic nutter.

Credit to Harry for his service to his country.

It's a joke. Plain and simply, he's a detriment to his unit.
It's like taking on a paraplegic soldier. What is the value added?
No commander in his right mind would want him assigned.
No matter what bullshit falls out of the mouths of the leaders, they can't treat him like the rest. He's a special case who requires special treatment -- nothing like the other 23-year-old soldiers. IMO, the measure of effectiveness lost by his presence isn't worth the gains of positive PR, even if he is a good soldier.

He should be home filing papers and polishing the medals he receives for such things as breathing and blinking.

perhaps the usa should send paris hilton to fight.

Originally Posted by Texpat

he's a detriment to his unit

He is now that the Media have exposed him, and through no fault of his own.

Shame. He always said he wanted to serve with his unit and be "normal". Not like the old days, Mountbatten et al. Hip hip.

Be honest its irresponsible journalism - treat him as any other soldier, ie left alone.

Did you notice you was there with the Gurkhas, not his own regiment. With them it is like having 400 Bodyguards by your side...TP

What's his name anyway? I read three stories online and none of them thought it necessary to give readers his name. Is he like Madonna -- you should just know?

Lieutenant Harry ________.

It's like the Pattaya Mail, every Thai's first name is Kuhn.

I do think it was pretty irresponsible for this news to break. It definately does put him and his fellow soldiers in increased harms way needlessly..

I feel for Harry, he does want to make a difference and step out of his brothers limelight and there just doesn't seem to be an opportunity for him to do that effectively at the moment..

Had this stayed quiet maybe he could have had a real worth while contribution and it might have come out later after the fact and allowed him to emerge from under the shadow of his brother and distinguish himself from his legacy..

There scum for doing that, but Harry is a top fella as he smokes pot, gets on the piss and bones top looking horn bags.

At least he don't talk to foking flowers like silly old Charlie.

Anyway, Camilla must give cracking head jobs as Charlie loves her as no other bastard would go there.

Well they forked that up for him...



Britain: Harry's Afghan deployment over

By D'ARCY DORAN, Associated Press Writer1 hour, 43 minutes ago


Britain's defense chief decided Friday to immediately pull Prince Harry out of Afghanistan after news of his deployment was leaked on the U.S. Web site the Drudge Report.
Air Chief Marshal Jock Stirrup, chief of the Defense Staff, said he decided to withdraw the prince after senior commanders assessed the risks, the Defense Ministry said in a statement.
Harry, third in line to the British throne, has been serving on the front line with an army unit in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province since mid-December. He was originally due to return to Britain within weeks, but "the situation has now clearly changed," the statement said.
The decision was based on concerns that worldwide media coverage of Harry in Afghanistan could put him and his comrades at increased risk.
The ministry asked the media not to speculate on Harry's location — or how and when he would return — until he was back in Britain.
British officials had hoped to keep Prince Harry's deployment secret until he had safely returned, but they released video of him serving in Helmand Province after the leak appeared on the Drudge Report.
The ministry deplored the leak by "elements of the foreign media."
"However, this was a circumstance that we have always been aware of and one for which we have had contingency plans in place," the statement said.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the prince had demonstrated that he was an exemplary young officer. "The whole of Britain will be proud of the outstanding service he is giving," he said.
Harry, 23, is the first royal to serve in a combat zone since his uncle Prince Andrew flew helicopters during Britain's war with Argentina over the Falkland Islands in 1982.
Tours to Afghanistan usually last six months; Harry has served 10 weeks.
Harry conceded in an interview filmed last week that when he returns to Britain he could be a "top target" for Islamic terrorists.
"Once this ... comes out, every single person that supports them will be trying to slot me," he said.
The deployment plan had been disclosed to reporters, with no specific date, but was not reported previously because of an agreement between the Ministry of Defense and all major news organizations operating in Britain, including The Associated Press. The news blackout was intended to reduce the risk to the prince and his regiment.
Harry was supposed to go to Iraq with the Blues and Royals regiment in May last year but the assignment was canceled because of security fears. Iraqi insurgents made threats on Internet chat rooms, saying he would not make it home alive.
Harry trained at Sandhurst military academy and joined the Blues and Royals as a cornet, the cavalry regiment's equivalent of a second lieutenant. After being held back from his Iraq assignment, the prince threatened to quit the army if he was not given the chance to see combat.
Harry said his older brother, William, who also graduated from Sandhurst and is training as a military pilot, is jealous of his deployment. As Britain's likely future king, Prince William is unlikely ever to see combat.

Helmand province is where most of the 7,800 British soldiers in Afghanistan are based. It has seen some of the country's fiercest combat in recent years, with NATO-led forces fighting the Taliban and al-Qaida militants.
Harry's work in Afghanistan has involved calling in airstrikes on Taliban positions as well as going out on foot patrols. He spent part of his deployment at a base 500 yards from Taliban positions, the military said.
Since Harry's arrival, his battle group has been responsible for around 30 enemy deaths, a Ministry of Defense official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the information. Video showed the prince in camouflage fatigues walking across arid and dusty terrain, calling in air support, firing a machine gun and patrolling the streets of Garmsir, the southernmost part of the province. He has since left Garmsir, and his current whereabouts are being kept secret.

Print Story: Britain: Harry's Afghan deployment over on Yahoo! News

Originally Posted by Texpat

It showed first in Australia -- sorry, UKwest.

Australia is east of the UK and a long way south.

I pointed this out in an early post on this thread. New Idea magazine was the first to release it, or so I read.

Originally Posted by Texpat

where's Ray Carey, Sabang, MilkMan, Obi, Stroller, Macha, Panda, Gent, et al, ad nauseum

Right here. I have not ragged on about US/NATO involvement in Ghan (although I am getting more sceptical if the Taliban can be defeated). On the contrary, I bemoaned the fact that, post 911, the US government wanted to concentrate on Iraqi oil and not AQ and the Taliban.

Are you hard of hearing?

sorry, come again?

post 9/11 into Iraq? I think you lost a few years, there, mate.