Should Prince Harry go to Basra?

[PrinceOfLeigh]

He joined the army, he should get treated like he's in the army. Which means the same treatment as any other soldier. I don't care that he's in the monarchy, I want the monarchy abolished anyway.

And to hell with the soliders he serves with?

 

[JoeM]

Of course he should go to Iraq – the decision was made a couple of years ago when he signed up and it cannot be reversed for many reasons.

What is your point? He signed up after Iraq (and possibly Afghanistan) started knowing he would almost certainly be going to one or the other.

I think we're in agreement here, so I'll move along.

Of course there would be a huge impact. If his going out there is such big news at the moment, his death would have a big impact. And if he is captured it would be massive.
Where were you when Princess Diana died?

In a recording studio actually, "watching the coverage as it happened". We had our best turn out on the day of her funeral, in fact, but I guess that's besides the point

Okay, you're right - I guess it just wouldn't have an impact on me.

I do tend to agree with the military officers who don't care. The likelihood of him being successfully targetted and captured alive is minimal. The potential morale gain for the image of the "victorious warrior Prince" is IMO higher.

Either way, I don't care.

If Euan Blair was going out we would be having exactly the same discussions.

Not that he would of course: he is too busy out in the States on special courses and work experience. And how did he get there? Why ‘bloodlines and inherited privileges’ of course.

Would we? I wouldn't. The Prime Minister is an ordinary citizen, and so is his son. If Euan Blair went to war and got killed it's a stretch for me to believe there would be a 'Diana' effect.

 

[ComradeDavo]

And to hell with the soliders he serves with?

How exactly will he be harming the soliders he serves with?

In fact not sending him is worse of a message.

'It's ok for you guys to die....but not Harry!'

 

[JoeM]

We may not, but those in the region he is being placed, I believe, still do.

Fair point.

 

[PrinceOfLeigh]

How exactly will he be harming the soliders he serves with?

As I mentioned before, Harry is a high value target. If he is at a higher risk of attack, so are the men with which he serves. I'm not saying that should be a reason to bring him home, but it ought to be a consideration which you don't appear willing to make simply because Harry is a member of the Royal Household.

 

[ComradeDavo]

As I mentioned before, Harry is a high value target. If he is at a higher risk of attack, so are the men with which he serves. I'm not saying that should be a reason to bring him home, but it ought to be a consideration which you don't appear willing to make simply because Harry is a member of the Royal Household.

In case you haven't noticed, British soliders are under constant insurgent attack as it is.

I don't like the idea that his life is more valueable than that of say that of my friend Alister who is serving in Iraq at current.

 

[PrinceOfLeigh]

In case you haven't noticed, British soliders are under constant insurgent attack as it is.

I've noticed. And I don't care to add to that situation without making allowances for it.

I don't like the idea that his life is more valueable than that of say that of my friend Alister who is serving in Iraq at current.

You don't like the idea but it's a fact isn't it? Just as your mate Alister and my mates life is worth less to the enemy than Major General Graeme Lamb's is.

 

[Mega Tsunami]

In case you haven't noticed, British soliders are under constant insurgent attack as it is.

I don't like the idea that his life is more valueable than that of say that of my friend Alister who is serving in Iraq at current.

It isn’t a question of his life being more valuable – it’s a question of your mate Alister being killed simply because Harry is there. – ie from increased action that wouldn’t otherwise have happened.

AFAIK that is the only reason the authorities don’t want him to go – nothing to do with his safety and more to do with the safety of his fellow soldiers.

Edit – He wants so much to go to Iraq he has apparently threatened to resign if he doesn’t go.

PRINCE Harry has renewed his threat to cut short his army career after it emerged that the Ministry of Defence is reviewing the decision to let him serve on the front line in Iraq, military insiders said yesterday
http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=648412007

 

[Abaddon]

Let him die.. i'll be closer to my goal then...

 

[Golden Touch]

only issue I can see is that the people in his platoon will be at higher risk than they expected when they signed up. but if he buys them all a lordship maybe they'll get over it

 

[Mega Tsunami]

According to the Times, two soldiers have already died because of the Prince going out to Iraq.

Army chiefs fear that a fatal attack on two British soldiers in Iraq last week was a dry run for an attempt on Prince Harry’s life, The Times has learnt.
The attack was made on a type of vehicle that the Prince will use, and took place in a part of the country where he is due to be deployed as early as next month. The two died when their Scimitar reconnaissance vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb – the first time that British soldiers had been killed in a Scimitar as a result of enemy action.
The Army fears that extremists deliberately chose the vehicle knowing that the Prince is a troop leader for a Scimitar-equipped unit.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article1712049.ece

 

[GinandTonic]

No-one has touched on the possibility of the insergents prioritising Harry working in our favor.

If the insergents are over-prioritising a target they are not attacking other targets. If we know what they are tageting they have lost significant initative. The target is of little value in itself. Obviously for the soldiers being presented as a target to draw hostile action it is a rough gig, but these guys are supposed to be the elite. If drawing insurgent action can be translated into a strategic advantage wouldn't the Blues and Royals sign up to the job?

 

[Evil Tyrant]

The UK is not a monarchy.

Then why does that old lady have such a shiny hat? The UK is a monarchy, though at present it seems to have a somewhat useless one.

If they want to "act" like royalty fine. But the government should not be giving special privileges to them.

They are given special privileges from the day they are born. That is an inherent part of having a monarchy.

Call me crazy but I would not want my commanding officers to be choosen because of who their rich family is.

Of course not, but the whole point of having a monarchy is to get your military leaders from them. I don't think kings and princes should be allowed to just sit on their rears all day in a palace and do nothing. The royal family probably sucks down a lot of money for their guards, palaces, and various other things. I think they should be doing more than just keeping the tabloid industry afloat.

The idea of deciding which people lead our Army based on Bloodline rather than skill died in World War I with the several thousand men they cost us.

To be quite fair, I don't think generals from either side in WWI were much to write home about. Even ones from republics. Leading armies is the traditional job of royalty. If they are not going to do that, or anything else royal, why bother having them? They are just a drain on taxpayer money, it would probably be cheaper to just scrap them and get a republic. This opinion extends to the whole aristocracy. People should be useful, the aristocracy and royalty does nothing, but they still have the benefits of their jobs. That strikes me as wrong, they shouldn't get a free pass in life. The aristocracy and royalty should either be militarized like in Prussia, or it should be done away with entirely.

 

[Abaddon]

No-one has touched on the possibility of the insergents prioritising Harry working in our favor.

If the insergents are over-prioritising a target they are not attacking other targets. If we know what they are tageting they have lost significant initative. The target is of little value in itself. Obviously for the soldiers being presented as a target to draw hostile action it is a rough gig, but these guys are supposed to be the elite. If drawing insurgent action can be translated into a strategic advantage wouldn't the Blues and Royals sign up to the job?

Cool thinking!

 

[PrinceOfLeigh]

To be quite fair, I don't think generals from either side in WWI were much to write home about. Even ones from republics. Leading armies is the traditional job of royalty. If they are not going to do that, or anything else royal, why bother having them? They are just a drain on taxpayer money, it would probably be cheaper to just scrap them and get a republic. This opinion extends to the whole aristocracy. People should be useful, the aristocracy and royalty does nothing, but they still have the benefits of their jobs. That strikes me as wrong, they shouldn't get a free pass in life. The aristocracy and royalty should either be militarized like in Prussia, or it should be done away with entirely.

That's a discussion not fit for this thread, it's also a point I've never heard made by the Republicans before. Can't think why.

 

[GinandTonic]

That's a discussion not fit for this thread, it's also a point I've never heard made by the Republicans before. Can't think why.

The suggestion that if Mick Jagger gets to be a knight he has to lead a bayonet charge does have a certain appeal...

 

[JoeM]

The suggestion that if Mick Jagger gets to be a knight he has to lead a bayonet charge does have a certain appeal...

Woah, that is *so* cool.

Let's get all the knights of the land together for a photo shoot. That'll scare 'em.


I'd rather put the Lords on the front line though, myself...

 

[Abaddon]

Oh tits....

 

[Kev1916]

In case you haven't noticed, British soliders are under constant insurgent attack as it is.

I don't like the idea that his life is more valueable than that of say that of my friend Alister who is serving in Iraq at current.

Fair point, and you can bet that Harry the "cheat" will be well protected and kept under wraps.

If he doesn't go then its time for him to get a new "role" before taking up hunting and golf.

 

[Ramius75]

No-one has touched on the possibility of the insergents prioritising Harry working in our favor.

If the insergents are over-prioritising a target they are not attacking other targets. If we know what they are tageting they have lost significant initative. The target is of little value in itself. Obviously for the soldiers being presented as a target to draw hostile action it is a rough gig, but these guys are supposed to be the elite. If drawing insurgent action can be translated into a strategic advantage wouldn't the Blues and Royals sign up to the job?

But the problem is that they might not recognize harry together with thousand of UK troops, so they might step up attack on UK scimitars regardless of the intel and hope they got a lucky kill.