Britain's Prince Harry on frontline in Afghanistan (Roundup)

UK News

Feb 28, 2008, 19:04 GMT

London - Britain's Prince Harry has been fighting Taliban forces on the frontline in Afghanistan for the past 10 weeks after a long and controversial debate in Britain over whether the 23-year-old should do active service in a conflict zone.

Picture released 28 February 2008 shows Britain's Prince Harry patrols through the deserted town of Garmisir, Afghanistan, close to Forward Operating Base Delhi, 02 January 2008. The government is reviewing Prince Harry's presence in Afghanistan, where he has been deployed with the army for 2-1/2 months, following leaks in the international media that he was deployed there, the Defence Ministry said 28 February 2008. EPA/JOHN STILLWELL / POOLHarry, 23, the younger son of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana, was stopped from fighting in Iraq last year on security grounds. A lengthy public debate on the deployment prompted the appearance of T-shirt among insurgency groups in Iraq displaying Harry's head as a target. The Sandhurst-trained prince, who serves in the Household Cavalry, always insisted that he wanted to 'fight with his men.' On Thursday, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in London confirmed that Harry had been fighting in Afghanistan's Helmand province for the past 10 weeks. The news was leaked on the US website Drudge Report, after the British media had adhered to an agreement with the royal palace that the deployment of the prince should be kept secret. The head of the British Army, General Sir Richard Dannatt, said he was disappointed that the news had come out. 'I am very disappointed that foreign websites have decided to run the story without consulting us,' he said. The move was in 'stark contrast to the highly responsible attitude' displayed by the British media, said the general. Harry, who has a reputation as a 'party prince,' was understood to have threatened to leave the army if he was not allowed to go on active service. He is the first senior member of the royal family to serve in a conflict since Prince Andrew, his uncle, fought as a helicopter pilot in the Falklands in 1982. Harry, third in line to the throne, was told by his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, that the decision had been taken for him to serve in Afghanistan. The queen had always been supportive of his wish, the prince said in an interview Thursday. He believed the fighting experience in Afghanistan would change his life. 'I finally get the chance to do the soldiering that I want to do,' the prince said. In an interview in the restive southern Afghan province of Helmand, Harry talked about life as a soldier on the frontline. 'I haven't really had a shower for four days, I haven't washed my clothes for a week. 'It's very nice to be sort of a normal person for once, I think it's about as normal as I'm going to get. 'I am still a little bit conscious of the fact that if I show my face too much in and around the area - luckily there's no civilians around here because it's ... a no-man's land. 'But I think that if, up north, when I do go up there, if I do go on patrols in amongst the locals, I'll still be very wary about the fact that I do need to keep my face slightly covered just on the off- chance that I do get recognized, which will put other guys in danger. The fear that Harry might prove to be a 'bullet magnet' - or that his deployment might place his comrades in additional danger, returned Thursday with confirmation of his deployment. The MoD said no decision had been made on whether it was safe for Prince Harry to remain in Afghanistan, where he was meant to complete a four-month tour. 'The operational chain of command is now looking at a variety of options,' said a spokesman. View photos of Prince Harry in Afghanistan.

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Good For Harry.Feb 28th, 2008 - 21:25:23

A more worthy King.

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waine UKFeb 28th, 2008 - 21:51:40

Yea he was watching it on the telly

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A good way to get rid of Diana's sonFeb 28th, 2008 - 22:08:29

Isn't it hypocricy, intrigue, how can the grand mother sacrifice the grandson, or the father get his son killed, to hide their crimes.

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DaveFeb 28th, 2008 - 22:57:47

What a Man this kid grew up to be. Whatever you think of the Royal Family, this kid shows he's got outstanding stock in him. Set aside how you feel about the war, this lad could have sat back in safety and let his comrades go and do the fighting. His mother would be so genuinely proud of him. Good on ya, Mate!

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kcvFeb 28th, 2008 - 23:38:15

He did not sit back like the sons and daughters of US Senators/Congressmen and the US President. He went into the conflict zone. Thats a great deal given the kind of hypocrisy that happens in US.

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joelFeb 29th, 2008 - 00:05:04

there are many rich old white people in the US congress that define hypocracy but most of them are on the Republic side of the isle. Democratic senator Jim Webb does have a son in Iraq right now, and he gave a great anti-war speech right after democrats took congress. don't blame america, blame the two party system. this time, it was the republicans that were dead wrong. filibustering, executive branch power shifts, and other D.C. nonsense kept the democrats gridlocked. personally, i think democrats should have brought up motions of impeachment but they believed that would not be unwise during a time of 'war' as the international community may interpret that as the US being unstable. grats to your future king for taking up arms against people who are known threats to the UK and possibly US. i'm a US Army soldier and i'm voting for Obama. hopefully i'll be able to travel abroad without pretending i'm canadian after hitler/bush is gone.

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joelFeb 29th, 2008 - 00:07:05

wise* rather..

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JackFeb 29th, 2008 - 02:40:59

With friends in the US like The Drudge Report the UK hardly needs any enemies. Shame on him and anyone visiting his site. Not that I am a royalist but this endagers UK troops in general.

I hope MI6 harass his ass whenever he travels.

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SeanFeb 29th, 2008 - 03:20:38

and the thousands of other soliders?

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GooseFeb 29th, 2008 - 04:46:32

Shame the leaders of Iran, Syria, Hez and Hamas don't have the same kinda guts....

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Britain's Prince Harry on frontline in Afghanistan (Roundup)

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