'Arry the 'Ero

**HoreTore** · 03-01-2008, 00:14

Originally Posted by InsaneApache

I'm no fan of the royals, far from it. My understanding is that he volunteered to go, getting granny to apply pressure on his behalf. The reality is that if it became public knowledge he would become a bullet magnet, so it was made subject to a 'D' notice that requested the media not to report his whereabouts.

He's a bloody Prince! His ancestors wasn't afraid of being a bullet magnet, and neither should he.

I won't be satisfied until I see him leading the cavalry charge into kabul swinging a big axe...

**spmetla** · 03-01-2008, 01:08

I do believe that there is an increased risk by having a 'royal' in the front. While I'm sure that Harry knows what harm can come to him but the problem lies in the increased threat to the member of his unit. If he's in a certain area doing a particular job that makes everyone doing that job more likely to be targeted because all soldiers look pretty much alike.

Now do I think that he should be sent home because of his threat, no. I'm not a British taxpayer but imagine that spending all that money on training and equiping someone to be an officer in the army just to send them home is stupid. If they are going to do that then they shouldn't have let him join. It's bad for his unit to have to switch from Harry the garrison officer to a new guy they probably don't know well once they go abroad. And for morale I imagine that overall this will no go well with families of other British servicemen/women who will ask "why can't my family come home because of the threat."

Honestly I believe the command should keep him there. Let AQ try kill him, if it brings fighters out of their caves into an open fight its likely that those same AQ fighters will be killed. If he gets killed then may he RIP. It may not be fair to the members of his unit to get extra heat but then that is just how it is with 'celebrity' soldiers.

**Lemur** · 03-01-2008, 04:36

He should stay in the operational theater? Now that every tribesman knows that a fortune in ransom is hiding under one of those helmets? Good lord, what an awful idea. You'd see British troopers kidnapped on the one-in-the-million chance that they might be the Prince, in hopes of a royal ransom. Forget the Taliban and Al Qaeda, the locals will be ready to grab every Briton in sight.

No, better to send him home, very publicly, and get the locals off the idea of a quick mega-buck.

Does anybody else think Drudge was a complete and total tool for breaking the embargo on this news?

**spmetla** · 03-01-2008, 20:04

Originally Posted by Lemur

He should stay in the operational theater? Now that every tribesman knows that a fortune in ransom is hiding under one of those helmets? Good lord, what an awful idea. You'd see British troopers kidnapped on the one-in-the-million chance that they might be the Prince, in hopes of a royal ransom. Forget the Taliban and Al Qaeda, the locals will be ready to grab every Briton in sight.

No, better to send him home, very publicly, and get the locals off the idea of a quick mega-buck.

Does anybody else think Drudge was a complete and total tool for breaking the embargo on this news?

For some reason I just don't see British soldiers allowing themselves to be captured too easily. I doubt the local villagers would dare to try grab British soldiers unless perhaps its a local warlord or something and even then it'd take a lot of force to kidnap them, especially seeing as Harry's job is calling down air and artillery strikes. Bear in mind that in open fights the NATO forces usually have the upper hand and that the bigger threat to Harry would be the increased threat of IEDs or indirect fire getting him while off duty at the FOB with of course the ever present threat of snipers.
I'd say that kidnapping is far less likely to happen than him getting killed. I'd rather not have extra IEDs going off in the area that he's in on the off chance that they knock out his vehicle. I don't wish him harm or death but soldiering isn't easy or safe and that's the risk he volunteered to endure.

I hope that AQ and the Taliban are hard pressed enough that threatening to go after Harry specifically would not be able to carried out on the scale that would be needed. If anything I could see them just sending a few 'specialists' to put more pressure on the area Harry patrols instead of any grand scale kidnapping which I doubt they are capable of because otherwise we would have seen it happen to more than aid workers.

I think Drudge were 'complete wankers' for breaking this story.

and @ Horetore
I understand the aspect of tradition and the old role of the Royalty with the military and you make a fair enough point.

**KukriKhan** · 03-01-2008, 21:03

Apparently it wasn't all drudgery and guard duty in Afghanistan:

Looks like he got that ancient Honda running after taking the pillow off the seat. :)

Lt. Windsor could do with a haircut.

**Husar** · 03-01-2008, 22:33

Guess it won't be too hard to find him anyway if he has around a thousand paparazzi following him around all the time.

**caravel** · 03-01-2008, 22:35

"That's it men keep going!, the Taliban are that way... I'm errr...right behind you!..."

**ZombieFriedNuts** · 03-02-2008, 00:03

I thought it was hilarious that they actually sent him I thought they wouldn’t want to put him in danger.

Also does anyone know why the Prince Charles has what looks like a leak pined to his lapel

**HoreTore** · 03-01-2008, 05:48

Originally Posted by spmetla

I'm not a British taxpayer but imagine that spending all that money on training and equiping someone to be an officer in the army just to send them home is stupid.

In most kingdoms, giving the royals officer training is part of their education as royals, just like they go to harvard etc. They're there because of tradition, not because they plan on going to war. Remember, they're usually the commander in chief, would look rather ridiculous to have a four-star general who has never seen a gun before....