PDA

View Full Version : Prince Harry will NOT serve in Iraq.



Kardan
16-05-2007, 09:01 PM
Prince Harry will not be sent to Iraq, the head of the British army has said.
General Sir Richard Dannatt said the prince's deployment would pose an "unacceptable" threat to him and the men who served alongside him.

It had been reported that militant groups had planned to kill or kidnap the young royal.

Clarence House said Prince Harry was "very disappointed" but will not be leaving the Army as a result.

'Extremely disappointed'

The move represents a U-turn by the MoD, which said as recently as last month that the prince would be heading to Iraq as an armed reconnaissance officer in the Blues and Royals regiment.

The general said he had reached his decision following a visit to the region at the end of last week.

"There have been a number of specific threats, some reported some not reported, which relate directly to Prince Harry as an individual.

"These threats expose not only him but also those around him to a degree of risk that I now deem unacceptable."

General Dannatt said he knew Prince Harry would be extremely disappointed and that his soldiers would miss his presence in Iraq.

Harry would have been deployed with his regiment to Basra

He said had proved himself as an officer of "determination and undoubted talent - and I do not say that lightly".

The army chief did not rule out deploying the 22-year-old prince to the region in the future and paid tribute to all British service personnel deployed around the world.

But Reg Keys - whose son Thomas was killed while on active service in Basra in 2003 - said he found the decision distasteful and questioned whether insurgents could have told the prince apart from other service personnel.

Mr Keys added: "It would appear that Harry's life is more valuable than my son or the other nearly 150 service personnel who've given their lives."

'Extreme reluctance'

A Clarence House statement said: "Prince Harry is very disappointed that he will not be able to go to Iraq with his troop on this deployment as he had hoped.

"He fully understands and accepts General Dannatt's difficult decision and remains committed to his Army career.

"Prince Harry's thoughts are with his troop and the rest of the battle group in Iraq."

Asked if Harry would quit the Army as a result, a spokesman replied: "Absolutely not."

The former British army commander, Colonel Bob Stewart, told BBC News 24 the decision would have been taken very reluctantly.

He said: "The Chief of the General Staff has actually made such a decision with extreme reluctance; I know that, he's a personal friend and I know exactly the way he's feeling."

Harry would have been the first British royal to see action since his uncle, Prince Andrew, served as a helicopter pilot during the Falklands conflict in 1982.

A Downing Street spokesman said: "It's an operational decision taken by the military which we of course respect."

But former Conservative Defence Secretary Michael Portillo criticised the MoD for "terrible vacillation" over the issue, and Tory MP Desmond Swayne - a former Territorial Army officer in Iraq - said the decision was a victory for Iraqi insurgents


Thoughts?

dramatic
16-05-2007, 09:03 PM
Although he would be targeted and the people around him would suffer to, what about the other soliders out there?

RedStratocas
16-05-2007, 09:06 PM
Although he would be targeted and the people around him would suffer to, what about the other soliders out there?

What about them? It wouldnt affect anyone who isn't involved with him whether he's there or not.

While it's a brave thing for him to do, I do think the right choice was made. Its about the other soldiers.

FlyingJesus
16-05-2007, 10:56 PM
It was a lose-lose situation really; either put the Prince and those around him in danger, or risk looking cowardly. To be honest, in light of the threats that have been received (and this is just taking into account those that were reported on) I think it's probably best that he doesn't go. It's a shame because he really is a good guy I think and he wanted to go for his country, but when there are personal risks like this I think the outcome decided is best.

PenguinFluid
17-05-2007, 08:08 AM
The Prince is just a *** if he didnt go because everyone else has togo. Do something for our country fgs /rant

:Hazel
17-05-2007, 09:05 AM
Would have been too risky to send him really.

Kanakai-D
17-05-2007, 09:29 AM
The thing is..
What is the bloody point of joining the army?
That maybe one day you would serve your country.
Harry must have expected to join the wars.
Royal or not tbh

Roboevil
17-05-2007, 09:32 AM
He's third in line to the throne, it'd be catastrophical if something were to happen to him- it's not like he has an heir either. It would definately be too risky for him to go.

Kanakai-D
17-05-2007, 09:33 AM
Yuh it would be risky..
So why is he in the army if he'll never fight in wars??

Roboevil
17-05-2007, 09:38 AM
Yuh it would be risky..
So why is he in the army if he'll never fight in wars??

He can fight when he has an heir.

Kanakai-D
17-05-2007, 09:45 AM
Riight ok then.
Well surely William will be having children?
William is the first to the throne?

Roboevil
17-05-2007, 10:06 AM
Well yeah, there's that too.

Agnostic Bear
17-05-2007, 10:16 AM
The Prince is just a *** if he didnt go because everyone else has togo. Do something for our country fgs /rant

Can't you read, it said his senior officer pulled him out because it's too big a threat to him and those around him. That means (Oh and I dunno if your level of intellect can begin to comprehend the British Army Hierarchy) when a senior officer says something, you follow it regardless, that means he can't go to Iraq.

Stop cluttering valuable server space with your complete spam and general idiocy, take the time to read the damn post.

/constructive yet slightly offensive in a way that shows your flaws in posting rant.

On a lighter note, I hope he does get to serve later on, would be quite good to see that.

Browney
17-05-2007, 12:14 PM
Riight ok then.
Well surely William will be having children?
William is the first to the throne?

Isn't Prince Charles first in line? I wish William was 1st in line. I'm not keen on old Charlie.

Wizzdom
17-05-2007, 12:15 PM
I agree, he shouldnt be sent for obvious reasons.

-Soph-
17-05-2007, 12:32 PM
The Prince is just a *** if he didnt go because everyone else has togo. Do something for our country fgs /rant

do something for the country?

what, like get all the soilders killed around him?

hmph yeah, great thing.

Fonejacker
17-05-2007, 12:45 PM
You can't say "This war is to dangerous" to one person and send 1000's of otherpeople thats just not right he joined the army knowing the risks

-Soph-
17-05-2007, 12:54 PM
yeah, but he is a HUGE target unlike other soilders, if he went he'd only get himself and the others around him killed.

samsaBEAR
17-05-2007, 03:57 PM
You can't say "This war is to dangerous" to one person and send 1000's of otherpeople thats just not right he joined the army knowing the risks
^ agreed
he knew the risks when he joined up. he must've known that if he ever went to war, him and his team would be targeted. yet he still joined.
i say send him to iraq

indian8132
17-05-2007, 04:08 PM
I cant believe this. He isint going because he is "Too IBig of a threat" to be killed, but the royal family doesnt mind the other British Citizens going and risking their lives, oh no, the citizens are not important enough. The Queen and Royal Family care about nothing.

Maybe he knew he wouldnt go, so he said he would and when it came out it wouldnt it made him seem like the poor little victim.

Ezzie.
17-05-2007, 04:54 PM
I cant believe this. He isint going because he is "Too IBig of a threat" to be killed, but the royal family doesnt mind the other British Citizens going and risking their lives, oh no, the citizens are not important enough. The Queen and Royal Family care about nothing.

Maybe he knew he wouldnt go, so he said he would and when it came out it wouldnt it made him seem like the poor little victim.

Don't know if you're English but to us English the monarchy is our mascot so to say, they stand for what we are or were.

velocity
17-05-2007, 04:56 PM
if he wanted to, he shouldnt have been treated any diffrently from anyone else, just because hes royalty.

Browney
17-05-2007, 04:59 PM
I cant believe this. He isint going because he is "Too IBig of a threat" to be killed, but the royal family doesnt mind the other British Citizens going and risking their lives, oh no, the citizens are not important enough. The Queen and Royal Family care about nothing.

Maybe he knew he wouldnt go, so he said he would and when it came out it wouldnt it made him seem like the poor little victim.

Other British Citizens aren't in the Royal Family. The Royal Family has stood in England for thousands of years. They are truely icons. Most people think of England when they think of Royalty and they earn England masses of money. The 3rd in-line of the throne dieing would be a travesty. It would be the Princess Di saga all over again. I think it was totally the right decision.

Flame at will! :)

FlyingJesus
17-05-2007, 08:03 PM
I cant believe this. He isint going because he is "Too IBig of a threat" to be killed, but the royal family doesnt mind the other British Citizens going and risking their lives, oh no, the citizens are not important enough. The Queen and Royal Family care about nothing.

The Prince has stated throughout all of this that he fully intended to go to Iraq, because he saw it as a duty that he should uphold. This decision has not been made by the Queen to protect her grandson, it was made by army, law and government officials to protect those around him.

This has nothing to do with the royal family not caring about the British citizens, and if you truly believe that the royal family "care about nothing" then you are grossly uneducated. Other members of the army go and fight and share similar risks, but Prince Harry and those around him would be fighting with a highly elevated risk because of his status - he would most likely become THE main target out there.

If you don't know anything about the situation, it would be easier and less humiliating for you to not post.

Ezzie.
17-05-2007, 08:15 PM
The Prince has stated throughout all of this that he fully intended to go to Iraq, because he saw it as a duty that he should uphold. This decision has not been made by the Queen to protect her grandson, it was made by army, law and government officials to protect those around him.

This has nothing to do with the royal family not caring about the British citizens, and if you truly believe that the royal family "care about nothing" then you are grossly uneducated. Other members of the army go and fight and share similar risks, but Prince Harry and those around him would be fighting with a highly elevated risk because of his status - he would most likely become THE main target out there.

If you don't know anything about the situation, it would be easier and less humiliating for you to not post.

Amen FlyingJesus (see what I did there? I'm so cool...)

SusieC
19-05-2007, 03:39 PM
It was a very difficult decision- but they probably made the RIGHT one because the threats would've ended up hurting the soldiers around Harry too.

Mr.Sam
19-05-2007, 03:41 PM
They have said before that he would go within a week - this is like 2 weeks later.

I guess it's to make people think he hasn't gone when he has.

Want to hide these adverts? Register an account for free!