EXCLUSIVE: HARRY TO FIGHT IN IRAQ

[240 is Back]

PR stunt to regain support for the war in the UK where people are thru with it?

PRINCE OFF TO FRONT LINE 'IN DAYS'
By Chris Hughes 17/02/2007
PRINCE Harry will be serving on the front line in Iraq by the end of the month.

The 22-year-old prince will head for Basra with comrades from the Blues and Royals Regiment within days and will then probably be deployed along the border with Iran.

A senior military source said: "The final details are being sorted, but he is definitely going. Naturally, his royal status has to be taken into account - but he will see action."

Second Lieutenant Harry, who insisted on going, is likely to be in charge of a troop of 12 soldiers in light armoured vehicles.

They are expected to be sent on reconnaissance missions, spending days or even weeks out in the desert. Defence Secretary Des Browne is expected to announce the news on February 26.

"TROOP COMMANDER WALES DOES NOT WANT ANY SPECIAL TREATMENT..HE JUST WANTS TO SERVE"
PRINCE Harry is being sent to Iraq after making it clear he was not willing to sit out the war in safety while comrades risked their lives.

A senior military source said: "He has insisted on being able to perform his duties as any other officer would. He won't be just flying a desk.

"As a young officer Harry will want to go to war as a point of pride. There would have been no point in him training for this if that was never going to happen."

Second Lieutenant Harry, who will be known as Troop Commander Wales by colleagues in the Blues and Royals Regiment, warned superiors he would resign his commission if he was denied active service in Afghanistan or Iraq on security grounds.

Defence Secretary Des Browne is expected to officially announce in the Commons on February 26 that Harry is off to the front line.

The prince will arrive in Iraq in the middle of massive security clampdowns centred on Baghdad and Basra. More than 1,200 British troops are sweeping across Southern Iraq in pursuit of insurgents.

All border crossings into Iran have been closed and road checkpoints reinforced to cut off supply routes.

Men from the Blues and Royals are among troops scheduled to replace soldiers from the 19th Light Brigade in April. But military commanders and royal aides have decided to allow Harry to head to Iraq early after spending months debating the issue.

They decided it was best for the 22-year-old prince, third in line to the throne, to go while the clampdown is still under way.

The source said: "The thinking was always that Harry would go to war but perhaps during the safest period."

Once he arrives in Basra he will receive intelligence briefings on the insurgency in Iraq. After a few days he will be probably be deployed along the Iranian border to help the security operation against Shia insurgents.

Harry, who graduated from Sandhurst Military Academy last year, will lead his troop of 12 men in light armoured vehicles on missions to gather intelligence.

It is not known if Harry's private secretary, former SAS officer Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, will join him. But he will be "mentored" by an experienced and older soldier - probably a sergeant.

His mobile force may spend days or even weeks out in the desert, possibly in the volatile Maysan Province. Although isolated from the main battle group, Harry is likely to operate some distance from dangerous towns.

As a small mobile unit, it is unlikely to face sustained mortar and rocket attacks. His men are likely to drive small Scimitar or Spartan tanks fitted with 30mm cannon and sleep out in the open.

The tanks have night vision technology to spy out ambushes. It is possible they will be given open-top, lightly armoured vehicles - essentially Land Rovers fitted with heavy machine guns.

Recce troops are trained in operating behind enemy lines or as close to them as possible. Although his duties sound hazardous, Harry's troops will be well-protected by air support if caught in a battle.

Their nature of their mission means they avoid roads - reducing the risk of casualties from the roadside bombs that have killed so many British soldiers. It is thought unlikely Harry will be required to go into rebel towns.

[mightymouse72]

"TROOP COMMANDER WALES DOES NOT WANT ANY SPECIAL TREATMENT..HE JUST WANTS TO SERVE"
PRINCE Harry is being sent to Iraq after making it clear he was not willing to sit out the war in safety while comrades risked their lives.

good for him.

some americans should take note.

[240 is Back]

good for him.

some americans should take note.

Note of what?  The reasons we're really there (longterm global energy domination)?

[Mr. Intenseone]

Note of what?  The reasons we're really there (longterm global energy domination)?

Jeez !!

[240 is Back]

Jeez !!

It's true.   It's not pretty, it surely is hard to face when there are dead soldiers lost for a resource, but it's very real and very true.  You won't find an intelligent person who will deny we are there to at the very least *manage their resources for them* and who will deny that China will grab it if we don't.

[Dos Equis]

good for him.

some americans should take note.

*Applause*  I agree.

[mightymouse72]

It's true.   It's not pretty, it surely is hard to face when there are dead soldiers lost for a resource, but it's very real and very true.  You won't find an intelligent person who will deny we are there to at the very least *manage their resources for them* and who will deny that China will grab it if we don't.

this is not about any politcal debate. 
it's about doing the right thing.  he is serving his country honorably and willing to risk his life for it.
i don't know his feelings about the war, he may think it's BS. 
but what amazes me is, if he really thought it's a BS war he could have easily said NO, i won't go.   and would have been applauded in doing so.
he is willing to fight next to his fellow countrymen and possibly die to protect them. 
in my eyes, he is very honorable. 
you've had some ingrates in the US trying to sue the govt to keep from going.  cowards. 

[240 is Back]

this is not about any politcal debate. 
it's about doing the right thing.  he is serving his country honorably and willing to risk his life for it.
i don't know his feelings about the war, he may think it's BS. 
but what amazes me is, if he really thought it's a BS war he could have easily said NO, i won't go.   and would have been applauded in doing so.
he is willing to fight next to his fellow countrymen and possibly die to protect them. 
in my eyes, he is very honorable. 
you've had some ingrates in the US trying to sue the govt to keep from going.  cowards. 

You said Americans should "take note".  I asked "note of what"?

You say "this is not about any politcal debate.  it's about doing the right thing."

It's obviously a political debate (Senate debating it on a Saturday) and the "right thing" isn't yours to decide without politicizing it, which you just said isn't being done.  You have destroyed your own logic.

[Camel Jockey]

I bet he'll have the 100 best mercenaries money can buy around him day and night.

[mightymouse72]

You said Americans should "take note".  I asked "note of what"?

You say "this is not about any politcal debate.  it's about doing the right thing."

It's obviously a political debate (Senate debating it on a Saturday) and the "right thing" isn't yours to decide without politicizing it, which you just said isn't being done.  You have destroyed your own logic.

come on, you're thinking too much, i smell the smoke from here.

i said SOME americans should take note.  SOME americans don't have a clue on what it is to the right thing

you've had some ingrates in the US trying to sue the govt to keep from going.  cowards. 

the topic of the thread was Prince Harry to serve in Iraq. 
that's not a political debate. 

[240 is Back]

my take is that he's doing it to drum up support for the war and to gain credibility for his own political ambitions later. 

He's going to be more harm than good, he's going to be a target for the insurgents who don't like blair.  He's going to be a distraction.  His unit is going to be different because of whatever extra security detail he has.

It's a PR stunt.  And a politically motivated one at that.

[Deedee]

my take is that he's doing it to drum up support for the war and to gain credibility for his own political ambitions later. 

He's going to be more harm than good, he's going to be a target for the insurgents who don't like blair.  He's going to be a distraction.  His unit is going to be different because of whatever extra security detail he has.

It's a PR stunt.  And a politically motivated one at that.

It's possible... but the Royals have always been big on serving in the military.  And whenever there's military action one of the lessers usually serves, like Prince Andrew did in the Falklands, etc...

[mightymouse72]

my take is that he's doing it to drum up support for the war and to gain credibility for his own political ambitions later. 

He's going to be more harm than good, he's going to be a target for the insurgents who don't like blair.  He's going to be a distraction.  His unit is going to be different because of whatever extra security detail he has.

It's a PR stunt.  And a politically motivated one at that.

all you can do is speculate, you don't know his mindset, only he does.  but i do agree, he has a political agenda.
but the fact remains, he's still serving under his own reasoning. 
i don't feel the insurgents need another target, they don't care who they kill, just kill. and even if they wanted to go after him, they don't know how.  trying to find a needle in a stack of needles. 

extra security detail??  explain.  you can't get more secure than your own armoured unit.  he's going to be in the line of fire just like everyone else.

[240 is Back]

all you can do is speculate, you don't know his mindset, only he does.  but i do agree, he has a political agenda.
but the fact remains, he's still serving under his own reasoning. 
i don't feel the insurgents need another target, they don't care who they kill, just kill. and even if they wanted to go after him, they don't know how.  trying to find a needle in a stack of needles. 

extra security detail??  explain.  you can't get more secure than your own armoured unit.  he's going to be in the line of fire just like everyone else.

hey, we're all speculating here.
yes, extra security.  I thik it's reasonable to assume the prince will have at least one man assigned to protect him.  After all, iraq puts one in a vulnerable position and i highly doubt he will be exposed.  Just a hunch.  He's a valuable target for other groups besides insurgents - the K & R crowd.  He will be protected.

[chaos]

Note of what?  The reasons we're really there (longterm global energy domination)?

what exactly is your problem with long term global energy domination?

[240 is Back]

what exactly is your problem with long term global energy domination?

Nothing at all.

Only when little bitches deny it and say "we're only there to help, we're not messing with their oil".

At least sack up and have the balls to admit it, ya know?

[chaos]

Nothing at all.

Only when little bitches deny it and say "we're only there to help, we're not messing with their oil".

At least sack up and have the balls to admit it, ya know?

I'm sacked up and ready to admit it. I'm happy to know my government is planning 200 years ahead.

[240 is Back]

in that case, you the man.

Now, ask beach bum if we're in iraq for the oil.

[G o a t b o y]

I'm happy to know my government is planning 200 years ahead.

Lol... divide that 200 figure by 10 or 20 and you're closer.  Worldwide oil is past peak supply, yet demand continues to grow, and with the emergence of China and India could quadruple or more in a very short time.

Oil will run out in our lifetimes, no expert seriously disputes that, and we will face supply shortages and disruptions sooner than that.  How soon?  That's the part no one knows.  But, maintaining operational control over the Persian gulf region is absolutely essential, and it's better that we didn't wait until it's too late.  The idea of trying to introduce democracy into a country like Iraq and not expecting it to blow up in our faces, however, is beyond laughable.

[240 is Back]

Correct.

Also, people who deny we are in Iraq for oil, and endorse bringing thousands of iraqi refugees to live in the US, are beyond stupid. 








PS. Hi beach Bum!

[Camel Jockey]

Nothing at all.

Only when little bitches deny it and say "we're only there to help, we're not messing with their oil".

At least sack up and have the balls to admit it, ya know?

Lying about it is what causes this country to be hated. But it's not like we'd be praised if we were honest. What we should have done was negotiated, like we did in the 80's with Saddam. The US has always been involved in world affairs, whether as a shadow role in past or as as a blatant occupational force, such as now. I liked the past role much better.

[Dos Equis]

this is not about any politcal debate. 
it's about doing the right thing.  he is serving his country honorably and willing to risk his life for it.
i don't know his feelings about the war, he may think it's BS. 
but what amazes me is, if he really thought it's a BS war he could have easily said NO, i won't go.   and would have been applauded in doing so.
he is willing to fight next to his fellow countrymen and possibly die to protect them. 
in my eyes, he is very honorable. 
you've had some ingrates in the US trying to sue the govt to keep from going.  cowards. 

Completely agree.  The honorable thing to do.  Someone should introduce him to Watada.