The authorities have now decided that Mrs Windsors little boy doesn't have to go to Iraq. There's 145 families in the UK wishing their children hadn't been sent. What a morale booster for the common man. Makes me puke!
2007-04-25 18:42:08 · 35 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Royalty
As an ex squaddie this really makes a mockery of good friends who are no longer here.
2007-04-25 19:00:26 · update #1
In my opinion...
As an ex-Para, I was never in any doubt that he wouldn't be going. If he got killed or captured, there would be one hell of a s**t storm. Let's face it, he's only playing at soldiering. Had he gone, his entire Battalion would have been his own personal body-guards. He would never have gone out on patrol for fear that he would be blown-up / shot / captured.
His old man ponced about in boats for a bit, wears a lot of high-ranking uniforms (is my Colonel-in-Chief) and would be next to useless if the s**t hit the fan. His older uncle went to the Falklands in a helcopter but landed if any Argie even thought about taking-off. His younger uncle washed out of Royal Marine training after 20mins.
The lot of them have got a uniform thing and seem to collect them like stamps.
In my opinion.......
2007-04-25 19:13:40 · answer #1 · answered by Shunter 4 · 17⤊ 1⤋
There's no doubt that Harry's entirely prepared to go to Iraq. All the articles are quotinq the interview he did when he was 21 saying what was the point of Sandhurst if he ends up stuck to a desk. But there are several issues to consider:
1) The succession. Part of the problem is he's 3rd in line to the throne, so if he's killed on the front line and "they" miss the houses of parliament and hit Buck House instead wiping out Granny, Pops and big bruv the whole thing goes to an uncle/cousin - looking at the available selection, that's not exactly ideal. If he were a cousin or uncle, no problem.
2) The family. Not really a problem, as he wants to go and they want to let him. Just needs Granny as top banana in charge of the army to officially say so and the Ministry has no choice.
3) The increased potential for bloodshed / loss of life or liberty for those around him. This is partly the fault of the media, who've been busily beaming pictures of HRH in various uniforms all over the world making him totally and instantly recognisable to any terrorist who fancies making a quick buck or a big statement. If this hadn't happened, they'd have had to look a darn sight harder to find plain Hal Windsor among the thousands of other new bits of cannon fodder. As it is, the message needs to go out that he should and will be treated the same as any other soldier if taken hostage - he doesn't want special treatment and shouldn't get it just 'cos of his surname. Including his colleagues being forced to jump in front of him in the event of a badly placed bullet during a battle.
And what, may I ask, is the point of bodyguards (I have seen somewhere the suggestion that they would go with him) in a war zone?!? Other than getting in the way, preventing him doing his job, and acting like a giant signpost, that is.
2007-04-26 02:27:31 · answer #2 · answered by roza 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Im not a member of the armed forces however i have spent almost 30 months working in iraq and I have recently returned due to the increase in bombings upon the british bases. Part of me agrees that Prince Harry should go to Iraq to boost morale for the troops that are already there. However I do agree that there will be an increase in threat not only to himself but for fellow troops around him and also the military bases. Why does our country have to broadcast everything that the Princes do? If our country just sent him out there and got his tour over and done with then I believe that the threat increase would not be as great as it is now. I would like to wish Prince Harry a safe tour along with the rest of the British troops and all the civilian personnel that are currently working in Iraq.
2016-05-19 00:42:37 · answer #3 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think he should go to Iraq!! I can understand in a way why they don't want him to go, as he might be targeted and put the other troops more at risk (or is it just one of many excuses " the men is suits" usually make), but they knew the risks when he joined, no-one else can pick and choose.
I do definitely agree with you, if you sign up then your job as a soldier is to be go wherever you're sent and fight if you have to regardless of who you are. This should be the same for the Prince. I would be interested in knowing how he feels about this as he has said in the past that he wanted to be treated the same as any other soldier. Who knows, we very rarely get to know the truth. No-one wants to have to fight but do any of the other troops get a choice, Hell no! If I was one of the troops I would be fuming over this decision, it seems to me to make a mockery of this honourable profession. I can't imagine how the bereaved families and friends must feel , they are devastated enough ! They're lives were precious too! I would be really upset by this, but perhaps they are better more understanding people than me. Of course there are many that have suffered terrible injuries physical and mental this is going to be a real aid to their recovery NOT! You must be livid being a former squaddie. My Godson has always wanted to be in the army and joins up this year, he's only a bit of a kid but he won't get any special treatment, will he? I would like to say how proud and grateful we are of all our boys and girls wherever they may be, they do a terrific job, where would we be without them!!
2007-04-25 21:46:14 · answer #4 · answered by clara 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They haven't decided he cannot go, they are deciding whether ot not he will be allowed to go.
You can't blame him because he wants to go but it isn't simply a matter of protecting him.
You can't ignore the fact that he would be a military target far different to any other soldier there and as such there would be constant extra danger to whichever unit he was with so he would actually be putting the lives of those soldiers from 145 families at more risk.. He would also be a huge symbolic target for any enemies of the UK.
If he is allowed to go and killed then anyone who approved his posting would be blamed forever.
2007-04-25 21:14:00 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sending the Prince into a war of this nature is like saying to the enemy here you go here's a royal for you to go for.
I doubt any other persons child will attract the same level of interest from an enemy.
I believe that he truly dose not wish to let his fellow soldiers down, but any troop with him in will most certainly be target number one perhaps endangering more lives in the process.
Respect to the innocent peoples/victums of this greed lead war
2007-04-25 20:46:38 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Is it not true that MoD have yet to make a decision as to whether or not he should go. One point they must be taking into account is the safety of the rest of his troop. If he is to be a special target for the Iraqi insurgents, then all the other members of his troop will be at much greater risk than anybody else.
2007-04-25 23:15:08 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you choose to enter a job or professio then you should be allowed to live up to that job whatever it entails and whoever you are. If he was incompetent (which is quite possible) then i can understand them not wanting to send him but i suspect if they did send him it would prove to be popular with the public...we need to know that the royal family and authorities care about the public and not just protecting their own
Nobody joins the army, navy, raf, para's, welsh guards or any other just to play around, most that i have met..and its quite a few (military base on my doorstep) do it because they want to make a difference, corny i know, but they want to do it for their country!
If Harry wants to go they should let him.
2007-04-25 22:01:43 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I totally agree with you I cannot understand why they broadcast the fact that he was planning to go there, why not just send him with his platoon without all the fuss. I would have been devastated if I was one of the many who have lost a son out there and he was being saved from the ordeal because of his position. But in fairness to Harry I think he did want to go, it is the establishment to blame. When Blair sent our troupes out there in the first place I wondered then what he would have done if his son was one of them. It is grossly unfair.
2007-04-26 01:55:58 · answer #9 · answered by Kirks Folley 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I did think he would finally go to Iraq but could never have seen him doing any front line duties maybe working at one of the base camps behind the scene stuff where protection would have been at its highest.
Only the working classes are expected to get killed for their country not the upper classes!
2007-04-25 19:06:48 · answer #10 · answered by Russell B 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Not up on the news about Harry but I think that he wanted to go, is the authoroties saying he cannot go, anyhow I like your question and your answer to it. Our lads are ten a penny they shouldn't be there in the first place, I think the two B's should face the music for the telling of lies.
2007-04-25 19:05:15 · answer #11 · answered by terrano 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋