Prince Harry will not serve in Iraq
@whiteheather39 (24403)
United States
May 17, 2007 6:23am CST
What do you think of this decision? I think it is very wise apart from him being in line for the throne he would definitely be putting his fellow soldiers in danger. His grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, did her stint in the military during World War II, the British royalty had never shirked military duty.
Britain's army reversed course Wednesday and announced that Prince Harry will not be sent to Iraq with his regiment due to "specific threats" from insurgents that expose the third in line to the throne to an unacceptable degree of risk.
Harry had been expected to deploy to southern Iraq in the next few weeks but Army Chief of Staff Gen. Sir Richard Dannatt, who recently traveled to Iraq, said the situation there had become too dangerous and media scrutiny of the plans had exacerbated the situation.
The 22-year-old prince, who had long dreamed of leading his tank unit in Iraq, said he is disappointed but respected the decision.
Dannatt said the move was due to specific threats to the prince and risks to the safety of his fellow soldiers.
Full Story:
http://origin.mercurynews.com/nationworld/ci_5909322
10 people like this
24 responses
@honeyangel (1991)
•
17 May 07
what a surprize,i know he wouldnt serve as he is a royal.as far as im conserand(sp) they should send all the royal family to Iraq.
4 people like this
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
25 May 07
I remember "Home Rule for Scotland" are they still fighting for that? My family was vey much for that.
@honeyangel (1991)
•
18 May 07
they dont do anything for scotland,they are a bunch of free loading,lazy,good for nothing and we dont need them.
1 person likes this
@lightningMD (5931)
• United States
17 May 07
I understand that he is upset about not being allowed to fight with his unit,but I think it was the right decision. I think his presence would have put his unit into grave danger. Hopefully soon none of the troops will be there any longer. I'm hoping for withdrawls to start soon.
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
17 May 07
I agree with you. These soldiers do not need any additional dangers to be subjected to.
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
17 May 07
If the vultures in the incompetent press would leave him alone he wouldn't be in any more danger than anyone else. It used to be the members of the press could be counted on to use their brains before flapping their lips and getting people killed. Now they can't wait to brag about getting people killed for their bylines.
4 people like this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
17 May 07
There has been a lot of media attention in Ausralia regarding Prince Harry not being allowed to go to Iraq. I agree with it. The threats to his life are too intense, and as you say, his fellow troop members will be at much greater risk too.
There were reports that parents of other men being sent to Iraq were saying that it's not farir. That if their son(s) can be put at risk, why shouldn't have a member of the Royal Family.
But that is a stupid ,selfish thing to say. There is no way that their sons would face the risk tht Prince Harry would. He is being targeted; their sons aren't.
There are many useful military works that Prince Harry can do back in England.
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
17 May 07
Thank you Jenny my feelings as well.
1 person likes this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
17 May 07
Oh isn't that crappy? To be honest, I always thought that the flowerpot's decision to go party is plain stupid. What is he trying to prove?
So now the flowerpot is saying no? He is gonna get real upset as I am guessing the veto came from somewhere higher up (chamber pot perhaps lol).
PS.: Sorry I got carried away haha. :P
4 people like this
@natalie1981 (1995)
• Singapore
17 May 07
I've always admired his decision to go to Iraq.
I thought he was really resolved in going. But yeah, I guess for security reasons, he shouldn't be going.
Those terrorists would be on to him the minute he sets foot in tha country. I mean, think about the repercussions if he got kidnapped.
2 people like this
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
17 May 07
The reprocussions would be enormous. What a feather that would be in the enemies' caps if he could be captured.
@marciascott (25529)
• United States
17 May 07
I heard of the news this Morning that he will go to Irag. so I don't know what to believe. I will check out your story. Ok, I will do that now. have a good day!
@rogue13xmen13 (14403)
• United States
18 May 07
Honestly people... leave the royal family alone! My family used to serve those people in the 1500's and 1600's, we came to America to escape all of that royal nonsense. They are just normal people, if you take away everything that they have then they are nothing but normal people. Also, they do not have power anymore, all of the power is in parliment. The Prime Minister is the most powerful person in Great Britain, not the Queen. The royal family is just for display. They are just a display case for all the world to see. They are not anything anymore. The American President has more power than the Queen has.
1 person likes this
@rogue13xmen13 (14403)
• United States
19 May 07
I am just saying that Harry should be able to live like a normal person and serve in the military like a normal person if he wants to and who are we to judge him or hold him back? We are making such a big deal out of what he is doing, but people like Harry have been doing things like this since the beginning of human society. So what if he is a "royal", he can still live like a normal person if you all just leave him alone. Just quit making a big deal out of what he is.
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
18 May 07
I'm very happy your people "served" royalty 500 years ago you must be proud!. What has the American president's power got to do with this topic? Although our
American politions have quite a few members in the families who do not serve in the military and very conveniently managed to avoid the draft!
1 person likes this
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
17 May 07
Well to be honest if the Media would not always announce everything these poor Lads did then there would not be that danger as such I mean that is what killed Diane because they could not leave her to her private Life
But I agree it would be to dangerous to send the Lad there and I am glad that they are not I really am
@janet069 (663)
• United States
18 May 07
They said they had specific threats but I doubt that. I think they realized what a liability he would be in Iraq. He would not only put his fellow soldiers in danger but the entire country. I don't think he is any better to serve than anyone else but the facts are there whether you like them or not, he would be an enormous liability. If it was just his life that would be in danger it would be different but that is not the way it is and I don't think anybody else should be put in danger just because he wants to go fight. That is admirable of him but he needs to remember exactly who he is.
1 person likes this
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
18 May 07
What a great response. You pointed out something that I had also thought of but no-one else seems to have. The danger to the entire country and then of course allies of Great Britain would also join in whatever resulted
@OhMyDayz (157)
•
17 May 07
Personally I do care about Prince Harry as I am not a lover of the royal family. But why did he go into the army in the first place. Whats the point if he is never going to be able to go to war and fight with the commoners of the land.
I don't think it will do morale a lot of good for all those who have been stuck in Iraq for months or who are being sent over there at the moment.
I know someone who has alot of family in the army and alot of them want to leave now because of the awful treatment soldiers get in the British Army. Maybe they are not sending Harry because they would have to give him an inadequate kit, little food and out of date weapons.
The whole thing is a farse and I wish he and the rest of his family and hangers on would quietly disappear.
2 people like this
@tad1fan (3367)
• Canada
19 May 07
OK,I have read and re-read this article and with what I am going to say,I'm wondering if I understood the article or not......If I respond to this wrong,it's only a short,but to the point response,let me know if I'm wrong here.....my response.....I say they keep him where he is instead of putting all those other men in danger.....it did say in the article that threats were not only made to him but his whole unit....am I right?If I'm not,I apologize for this now.
@sassinqueen (710)
• United States
18 May 07
This is not a war of honor. The conditions and situations are horrible and I don't wish it on him or anyone else.
@blacksteel (105)
• China
18 May 07
I have heard recently that prince harry broke up with his girlfriend.I just don't understand why so many things happen to this young man.Is it merely a show? Why in britain the media draw so significant attention to the royal's life? May be that is the so-called cultural gap.
1 person likes this
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
18 May 07
Why is the US does the media draw to much attention to a president and his family??? It is just the same. What cultural gap?
1 person likes this
@banta78 (4326)
• India
18 May 07
I feel Iraq is very dangerous place to travel let alone be deployed there in line of duty esp. when one is british royal like prince Harry is who has specific threats against him by insurgents in Iraq and so not sending him to Iraq is a wise decision. otherwise he and his unit would have had added risks to face.
@jbb316 (1779)
• United States
18 May 07
Well there really is 2 ways to look at it. On one hand, given his status it probably would not be a good idea just because they were talking about people looking for him specifically to try to kill. And he is royalty and the future of England. But on the other hand, Should he really get special treatment just because of who his family is? Just because he is in line to become king one day is it fair for him to not have to go to Iraq when there are so many others who wish they did not have to go but because they are nobody they don't have a choice?
1 person likes this
@matlgal (1686)
• United States
18 May 07
I am not a fan of the Royal Family either but out of respect and admiration for Princess Diana I would hope for her sons to be safe from harm, and also to not endanger lives because of their Royalty. It's not fair that even though he would have acheived his dream he would be placing others in harms way. Maybe he can find another way to feel apart of the quest without putting hisself or his fellow soldiers in danger. I think they both have grown in to fine young men and their parents should be very proud.
1 person likes this
@mummymo (23706)
•
17 May 07
Well honey this is a subject that I am in two minds about! As a part of the British Army Prince Harry should be doing the same duties as as any other soldier would be expected to do - if it is too dangerous for him to go surely it is too dangerous for any of our boys /girls to be there! On the other hand if he would be a specific target then this would put the men he is serving with under even more pressure and in even more danger than they otherwise would be and they would spend most of their time looking out for him! I don't think there is a right or wrong answer but I think our men/women in the forces will probably breath a sigh of relief that he is not to go! xx
1 person likes this
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
17 May 07
I think the right answer was gievn when they decided he would only be an additional danger to the other soldiers.
@spudsstuff (261)
• New Zealand
18 May 07
I think this is a very good call. I heard a comment on our TV news last night that I disagreed with. It was suggesting that a Royal Life was worth more than someone elses hence why he gets to stay home. That's total rubbish. The reason he is not going is because he would be a target which would therefore make his fellow soldiers a bigger target and put them at increased risk.
1 person likes this
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
18 May 07
Excellent reponse!! Some other responders also seem to think that it was because his life is more valuable than a commonerI agree with you that this is rubbish.
