Prince Harry in Afghanistan

[loborugger]

I am surprised no one has yet started a thread on this.

There are so many news stories, I didnt pick one for a link....

Taking the youngster at his word, I have to say I am really impressed with him. "wants to do his part." "doesnt want to sit around Windsor doing nothing."

According to stories that I saw, when he was finally interviewed, he hadnt bathed in four days. He was sunburned and dirty. He was serving in a front line combat unit with regular Joes (I imagine they have a different nickname for them in the British Army). He had engaged the enemy on more than one occasion. Very impressive.

I think its even more impressive that he wanted to serve in an unpopular war on the front with the troops when we here in the states have had almost 16 years of 2 White House's that did everything they could to get out of serving in our last unpopular war and our current generation of youth with status would do anything but serve on the front lines.

Bravo, Harry.

[cutthemdown]

Props to the prince for doing what any leader should do. He was trained to be a soldier, is an officer, for him not to go be with his outfit would IMO make his being in the military a joke. Good that the British govt let him go for a bit because I'm sure not going would have ruined his morale. I know I wouldn't be able to show my face if I was suppossed to be a military officer but the royal family hid me away everytime danger arose. I can only think those type of feelings drove the prince to tell them he had to go.

[W*GS]

Who gives a fig?

[NYBronco]

Even more props to the Prince considering the news leak revealing his location put him and his buddies in even greater danger but here's to protecting freedom of the press and speech in the battle field.



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Photo gallery: Harry in Afghanistan AP Video: Harry in Afghanistan AP Video: Threats keep Harry out of Iraq AP Video: Harry Iraq-bound AP Video: British army reconsiders Harry's role Guarding Harry's 'secret'
"All my wishes have come true. 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."And some anger at U.K.'s `media complicity'

Mar 01, 2008 04:30 AM
Mitch Potter
EUROPE BUREAU

LONDON–As Prince Harry comes marching home from Afghanistan, his undercover soldiering blown by a U.S. website, debate in Britain raged over the merits of an extraordinary bubble of silence that enabled 10 weeks of high danger for the third in line to the throne.

What was to some an "appalling example of media complicity" with the British establishment was to others a rare instance of honourable conduct. Contempt for the embargo-busting "Drudge Report" featured prominently in many of the thousands of scathing comments posted on British news portals. (Australian magazine New Idea reported the story six weeks ago but it attracted no attention.)

Yesterday, Britain's defence chief decided to pull the prince out of Afghanistan, citing concerns that media coverage could put him and his comrades at increased risk.

"When Harry's mother died, we all banged on about making sure we behaved in such a way that would allow these lads to be able to live a normal life. I think this is probably the first time we have really lived up to that promise," said Ingrid Seward of Majesty magazine.

But even within the ranks of British journalism, many brooded on the revival of a cozy complicity that harkens back to World War II.


"The media did not need to collude on this. It was not an issue of state security. It is a throwback to the worst kind of media self-censorship in the face of military and royal pressure," said Charlie Beckett, director of the Polis Centre for Journalism and Society at the London School of Economics.

[alkemical]

Wow, a potential future king fighting in battle....in the middle east....

[Spider]

King Richard all over again

[Bronx33]

The kid has some balls you gotta respect that you will never see the son of any other leader (in real battle)

It figures the media would **** it up god i hate the media sometimes they could give a rats ass about human lives.

[Spider]

No kidding ....

[gunns]

Originally Posted by Bronx33

The kid has some balls you gotta respect that you will never see the son of any other leader (in real battle)

It figures the media would **** it up god i hate the media sometimes they could give a rats ass about human lives.

Obviously you'll never see the daughter of any leader either...even if that leader started the battle. Jenna, Babs, what have you done for your country? George W?

[Bronx33]

Originally Posted by gunns

Obviously you'll never see the daughter of any leader either...even if that leader started the battle. Jenna, Babs, what have you done for your country? George W?

What do ya mean! they protect the mojito supply lines every night.

[epicSocialism4tw]

Cool stuff. The young man just earned some serious brownie points here.

You cant put a price on what this does for the morale of his people.

Well played, chap.

[TailgateNut]

Originally Posted by Bronx33

The kid has some balls you gotta respect that you will never see the son of any other leader (in real battle)

.

If we would have instituted a "vote for war, send a family member" law, we wouldn't be in Iraq today. I guarantee it!

[loborugger]

Originally Posted by TailgateNut

If we would have instituted a "vote for war, send a family member" law, we wouldn't be in Iraq today. I guarantee it!

There was a Soviet foreign minister, forgot which one, who stated the same thing. He said all the heads of all the countries involved in the cold war should be required to have at least one child serving in a front line combat unit, that way they would truly fathom the cost of conflict.

When Rome was on its way up, the great Roman families led from the front lines. When Rome was on the way down, they sent servants and slaves to take their place in the line.

The price paid by the leaders of the Amer Rev was great. Some hanged, many finished the war financially broken, others had their property destroyed. They paid as much as the common soldier that volunteered for the war.

I think one of the greatest disappointments of the Bush Admin, IMHO, was that on 9/11 he allowed himself to be whisked off on Air Force One (no doubt his protection staff suggested it and they were just doing their job). However, while cops and firefighters were scrambling into buildings, he was basically running for his life. I would have had a ton more respect if he would have set down somewhere, anywhere, stood firm and in the open and said, "I am here, we have been harmed but we will survive." I am not a huge fan of FDR, but damn he sure rallied the people when he said stuff like, "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself."

Send the VP off to the secret location. Thats his sole job, to be alive in case the Prez passes. Let the Prez be the face of the nation. People look to him in times of crisis and if they dont see him cuz he is off somewhere safe, then what does that tell people?

Meanwhile, 2 years later he gave that famously stupid line, "Bring it on." I remember looking at my wife when I saw him say that and saying, "this coming from the guy who was in the safest place of all on 9/11. Sounds tough to me."

[Bronx33]

Originally Posted by TailgateNut

If we would have instituted a "vote for war, send a family member" law, we wouldn't be in Iraq today. I guarantee it!

OOOOOO k this war or all the wars?

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

[Dukes]

Originally Posted by loborugger

I think one of the greatest disappointments of the Bush Admin, IMHO, was that on 9/11 he allowed himself to be whisked off on Air Force One (no doubt his protection staff suggested it and they were just doing their job). However, while cops and firefighters were scrambling into buildings, he was basically running for his life. I would have had a ton more respect if he would have set down somewhere, anywhere, stood firm and in the open and said, "I am here, we have been harmed but we will survive." I am not a huge fan of FDR, but damn he sure rallied the people when he said stuff like, "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself."

Although I don't really care for the man either way, one of my memories of 9/11 was watching Donald Rumsfeld help carry a stretcher at the Pentagon

[TailgateNut]

Originally Posted by Bronx33

OOOOOO k this war or all the wars?

All wars. You are either a patriot or a bystander.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by TailgateNut

All wars. You are either a patriot or a bystander.

The dinks who were the most vocal supporters of the war (and who called the opponents of the war "traitors") were the same chickensh*ts who never served.

[TailgateNut]

Originally Posted by L.A. BRONCOS FAN

The dinks who were the most vocal supporters of the war (and who called the opponents of the war "traitors") were the same chickensh*ts who never served.

In goverment as it is true (in most cases) on this board, those who love to have our country go to war generally have never served and will never serve.