Harry going to war in Iraq

[wild1]

I'm just wondering what all you orgers think about harry wanting to go to war in Iraq but it says he might not be able to because of fear of secrurity reasons and what would happen if he got kidnapped. I think that he should go if he wants to go and fight for his country and good on him for wanting to go and not get any special treatment just because he is a member of the royal family. It says if he dosen't get to go then he might quit the army.

[Solus]

Why not ? he joined the same armed service as other lads of his age !

Agreed it becomes a very political hot potato should he get captured, injured or killed ! but .... the fact is he is a soldier the same as any other lad out there, if he did not want to be there i am sure he would not have chosen this career path !

Respect to him, i am not a royalist really, but if he wants to go and do his bit, then fine. ( Although i do hold my own views on the conflict over there )

[Angela]

I just wonder why this hasn't been thought through sooner? It was always obvious that if he went to Iraq, there would be huge potential problems for all concerned.

I don't doubt his courage or commitment, or his desire not to receive special treatment. But can you imagine the consequences if he was killed or captured?

I don't believe that his being third in line to the throne should make his life any more precious than any other soldier's, but that's not how it would be seen.

I believe his presence in Iraq would make life even more difficult for other soldiers and would put their lives in greater danger.

I'd hope he'd be mature enough to see it that way - and to obey whatever orders he's given.

[Solus]

Thats true Jim, never thought of it from that angle, yes it puts them in a greater danger !

[webmannie]

There is an online Petition on this very issue on the No10 Downing Street website

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/bulletmagnet/

details are

"The government should intervene and ensure Prince Harry is not deployed to a war zone. The soldiers lives are at risk enough as it is without adding him to the equation"

[MadPict]

Hmm, every British soldier in Iraq is a "bullet magnet" irrespective of the presence of some blue blood.

If you thought 15 sailors paraded on TV by the Iranians was embarrassing wait until some insurgent group gets hold of a member of the Royal Family!!
I shudder to think what they might do...

While I admire his desire to serve I have to question the wisdom of sending him into to such a theatre....

[brandy]

i wonder if prince andrew faced the same thing when he went to the fauklands?
i remember a time in history when our leaders actually led us is times of battle. when a leader would never ask of his men what he was not willing to do himself.
i applaud harry for wanting to be man enough to put his life on the line.
just because hes rich and famous dosent mean he shouldnt go to war.
his blood runs red just like every other man and woman there. i can guarantee that his blood wont run blue if hes shot.
maybe its the american in me, but the royals are no better than anyone else in this country, and if it wasnt for the common people they wouldnt have a leg to stand on.. i mean really whats the point of being queen/king if youve no kingdom to rule?

[golach]

A few hundred years ago, our Royals earned their spurs and crowns by leading their Armys into battle. What about our own Robert the Bruce?
So why not Harry, his uncle was a target for the Argies, and survived and he was acting as a decoy in his helicopter for the Exocets being fired at our lads.

[webmannie]

I agree that his blood is the same as any other man/womans. The fact is that he is who he is and some insurgent will earn allah's thanks (and no doubt a big pot of dosh) if they get him. That will increase the risk for all others as they won't discriminate, it'll be open season in the hope that they strike lucky.

Why increase the risk to all, if he cares for his 'men' he should stop being selfish

[MadPict]

The Falklands was a battle ground but at least the Argentinians didn't behead their cpatives.The Marines and FIDF who were captured when the Argies invaded were not executed for being infidels. We treated the Argentinian wounded with respect and the captured in accordance with the Geneva Convention.

The Muslim extremists are a completely new type of enemy who are not bound by any of the Geneva Conventions. They will abuse, humiliate and execute anyone they think will bring more to their cause.

Harry will have a big target pinned to his back. For the sake of the other troops out there he should not go...

[North Rhins]

There’s an old saying in the forces,‘If you can’t stand a joke you shouldn’t have joined.’

[Seabird]

I agree with Madpict, he should not be allowed to go and should be treated like any soldier that has been targeted.
It was common practice in the NI conflict to remove soldiers that had been targeted for killing members of the IRA.
The war he wants to get involved in is not like the Falklands, the Argies did'nt know where Andrew would be so he was difficult to target.
But in Iraq once he arrives they will know his every movement.
The Arabs have proved many times how good they are at con tricks, so ambushing a troop of Armoured cars will be childs play to them.
It would be gross stupidity on the part of the military or on the part of Harry to think he could go there and be treated like any other soldier.
He would be endangering every one in his regiment because they would all be singled out has high priority targets.
There is no doubt that Harry is a brave young man, but he his living in a dream world if he thinks the top brass are going to allow him outside of a secure area, thats if they allow him to go.

[_Ju_]

I'm just wondering what all you orgers think about harry wanting to go to war in Iraq but it says he might not be able to because of fear of secrurity reasons and what would happen if he got kidnapped. I think that he should go if he wants to go and fight for his country and good on him for wanting to go and not get any special treatment just because he is a member of the royal family. It says if he dosen't get to go then he might quit the army.

And never mind the people around him that get hurt/killed when his platoon is attacked to get at him because of who he is? In my opinion a true sense of responsibility should exist toward his comrades, and no, he should not go. If he does then there will HAVE to be very special treatment to protect him, that will be paid for by every tax payer and maybe also with a few lives. Besides, his dictating where he is going and what he is going to do is in effect special treatment.

As for comparing the Falklands war with the Iraqui, they are incomparable not only in the battle field, but also in the public opinion arena (I didn't live here during the falklands war, but I am under the impression that the UK backed their troops and the war en-mass).

[MadPict]

It's a double edged sword - he joins the military because he wants to 'serve his country' but he's not allowed to go to where he is expected to go as part of that service. So, in the end it's preferential treatment, which of course no-one in the military should get....

[_Ju_]

I would prefer the lives of his collegues to be spared. His wanting to go to Iraque (or Afganistan) is in itself preferential treatment ( gets to do what he wants instead of following orders like anyone else in the army) and very selfish.

[North Rhins]

Mad Pict, absolutely right.
Ju, I don't think he's getting preferential treatment, his Regiment are being sent to Iraq.

[stratman]

If he draws fire he shouldn't go.

[Cedric Farthsbottom III]

If he wants to go and fight as a soldier then its his choice.Only his.He'll know himself if its what he wants to do.Royal or not,its the choice he has made.A brave laddie he is.He will be dressed like the rest of the boys around him.He won't have HARRY HRH on his back.I could never be a soldier,he wants to be.

[j4bberw0ck]

Or as someone just said very well on "Question Time" on BBC, leave it to the discretion of the military commander on the ground who, knowing what's happening at any one time, is in a far better position to know whether to deploy him - and how to deploy him - than anyone else - including politicians and newspaper editors.

[webmannie]

If he wants to go and fight as a soldier then its his choice.Only his.He'll know himself if its what he wants to do.Royal or not,its the choice he has made.A brave laddie he is.He will be dressed like the rest of the boys around him.He won't have HARRY HRH on his back.I could never be a soldier,he wants to be.

I don't disagree, he will however have a nametag Wales on his helmet and uniform, might as well be HARRY HRH.