Pull Prince Harry Out Now!
Editorial
The Observer newspaper reports that Iraqi insurgents will regard Prince Harry as “the mother of all targets” when he arrives with the Blues and Royals next month.
As if on a dry run, terrorists have destroyed a British Scimitar armoured vehicle in the south of Maysan Province, where Harry will be deployed. Like other British vehicles, the Scimitar, which Harry is trained to command, is not capable of withstanding the sophisticated roadside bombs provided to insurgents by Iran.
To offer such a high profile hostage to the enemy, like a tethered goat, is very bad strategy indeed.
The aim will be to take him prisoner and reportedly cut off his ears, but his death would be regarded as a great trophy for the Shia militias operating out of Basra and Tehran.
Given the fact that the vehicles are helpless in the face of these weapons, and that Prince Harry will be especially targeted, isn’t it time the Ministry of Defence got off its supine backside and pulled him out of the mission completely?
Des Browne is not the most dynamic of Ministers, as we saw during the Iranian hostage crisis, but Tony Blair will be held personally responsible for Harry’s death or capture were that to occur.
The British Government should order him out of the deployment at the highest level. He is clearly a danger to all the men around him, so his personal views should be overriden, even if that results in his leaving the Army.
[...] Pull Prince Harry Out Now! Royal Anecdotes - Royal Secrets [...]
By LifeTimes » Pull Prince Harry Out! on April 22nd, 2007 at 11:50 am
John, I am aware that Harry may be a great target but despite the danger I would like him to go to Irak. Too late for changing their minds. I think this mission is the only way to bring some credibility and more prestige to the British Monarchy, because since 20 years it looks like a cheap soap opera. Unfortunately the most glorious times the Monarchy has had were from wars.
I agree it would be Blair’s fault if something happens to Harry but Tony Blair is not an institution nor the King of England. They aren’t mad, they won’t send Harry in a crazy dangerous zone and I guess they will shave his hair aswell
If Harry doesn’t go then it would appear that suddenly he realised what is happening and chickened out. Or too drunk for going there. Or maybe because one of Chelsy’s capricious tantrums who begs him to don’t go.
I really like him to go, 6 months, honestly, thats not enormous. Its enough for being traumatized, but he will survive of it.
Well, of course I’m not the right person for saying what Harry has to do or not, but Im convinced that for the moment this is the only way to improve the Monarchy’s image.
By Lilyfromfrance on April 22nd, 2007 at 1:47 pm
Hey maybe he is already in Irak after all… Maybe someone decided to choose that date for announcing Wills and Kate split… because since the split I can’t see any pic of Harry’s Barbados holidays while there were different pics every day. And he was supposed to stay 3 weeks…
By Lilyfromfrance on April 22nd, 2007 at 2:19 pm
So lily why are you not there!!!
By Trudie on April 22nd, 2007 at 4:24 pm
Where? In Irak? errr easy answer…. I’m not a soldier… but I could, if it would appease you, pay the flight and I will send you a postcard.
By Lilyfromfrance on April 22nd, 2007 at 4:38 pm
John, is it not true that the Queen is the actual C-in-C of all the military in the UK? Could she not, if she wished, order the military High Command to withdraw Prince Harry from the mission? I admit I am terribly worried about the safety of this precious Prince, but he has been properly trained and he wants very badly to go. He will be in a more perilous place than any other British Prince so near the throne in living memory, I believe, but there were Princes (the Duke of Kent, the sons of Princes Beatrice and Prince Henry of Battenberg) who were killed in the two World Wars in forward areas. I swear if anything happens to Prince Harry, there will be the Devil to pay.
By Gigi on April 22nd, 2007 at 9:53 pm
I think the military should pull him out for now !!! these threats are very real and his men are also in more danger. If they want Harry in Iraq at a future date just send him and not release any statements and clear out the bases of non british military to get rid of the moles planted. I have to agree with Gigi if something were to happen to Harry there will be the devil to pay.
By Trudie on April 23rd, 2007 at 1:47 am
The disgrace is that the Blair Government, despite the usual promises, has not upgraded the armour on all the fighting vehicles. The old Land Rover snatch cars have no armour at all. The Warriors and Scimitars are totally vulnerable. Every time a roadside bomb goes off the occupants have no chance. This has done for 144 soldiers in recent years.
To send troops into battle without proper equipment should be a criminal offence in my book.
By John on April 23rd, 2007 at 8:50 am
I agree with you, John. Our military is not properly equipped for the war in Iraq, either, and a number of soldiers we know or whose families we know, have had to invest a considerable amount of their own money to buy more protective gear before going to Iraq. This is simply absurd and indeed should be illegal.
By Gigi on April 23rd, 2007 at 2:27 pm
We hear this morning, Gigi, that even a Challenger II tank has been blown up by a roadside bomb, with the driver seriously injured.
I don’t hear of Shermans or even Humvees having the same problem.
By John on April 23rd, 2007 at 2:31 pm
That is true, John. Shermans and Humvees have had their specs considerably altered and strengthened since they were first designed for warfare. The experts in the Pentagon review performance and specs of war materiel quite frequently. Why this is not true of the Challenger II tank I don’t know, but someone in the British government needs to review materiel and make the arrangements to have the Challenger II specs adjusted immediately. If the equipment you use for warfare is not designed to enhance group integrity (protection), there is no point in employing that equipment.
By Gigi on April 23rd, 2007 at 2:41 pm
[...] The Royal Anedotes has put out a call to pull him out of Iraq pronto: [...]
By The Merry Royals » Should Prince Harry Be Pulled Out of Iraq Tour? on April 25th, 2007 at 3:04 am
John, the BBC is reporting that the Ministry of Defense is reviewing Prince Harry’s forthcoming deployment to Iraq because of escalating violence there. The decision to deploy the Prince may be rescinded. Apparently the MoD reads Royal Anecdotes and takes your articles seriously.
By Gigi on April 26th, 2007 at 2:51 am
Everybody reads Royal Anecdotes, Gigi, look how the “snob” story was rebutted as soon as we suggested it.
I’m going to put up a piece on the Harry news just to keep the MoD on its toes.
By John on April 26th, 2007 at 8:58 am
[...] Royal Anecdotes’ call to pull Harry out of the six-month tour of duty, the Ministry of Defence has announced a review of the decision at the [...]
By Royal Anecdotes - Royal Secrets » Prince Harry in MoD Review on April 26th, 2007 at 10:26 am
Well done, John! It appears that your ‘warning shot across the bow’ to the MoD was taken very seriously indeed! This is splendid news and I am now awaiting the announcement that Prince Harry’s planned deployment has been rescinded. When that occurs, I shall draw the first clear breath I have drawn in months, and I have no doubt many in Brtiain and the rest of the world feel the same way. This decision to rethink and rescind the deployment shows great courage and great character on the part of the High Command, and I am proud that they chose wisely.
By Gigi on April 26th, 2007 at 3:44 pm
Well, I hope so, Gigi. The Daily Mail is running the opposite story on its website right now, but that may have been prepared on the old information.
We won’t know for sure until it’s announced or leaked. What is certain is that a compromise solution will be found one way or another.
By John on April 26th, 2007 at 3:48 pm
[...] days ago Royal Anecdotes warned that an attack on a Scimitar armoured vehicle in the Maysan Province of Iraq was a “dry [...]
By Royal Anecdotes - Royal Secrets » Prince Harry — The Enemy Within on April 27th, 2007 at 9:37 am