Should Harry be sent to the front lines?

[northwind]

Originally Posted by Well Oiled

Probably, but they let his Uncle Andrew go to the Falklands, so he probably thought they'd let him go to Iraq. I don't think he's insisting he should go as false bravado because he knows they won't let him. Do you?

Nope... Personally I reckon that this was probably raised the moment he suggested joining up in a ground role, and he assumed he could get round it, but who knows, it might all be a case of poor planning or some such.

Prince Andrew's case is a bit different, since that was fighting a conventional war where, if captured, he could expect to bne treated as a POW. Also, the risks to him were different as a pilot- it'd be impractical to specifically target him, and wouldn't have achieved much anyway. The rules are pretty different in Iraq.

Originally Posted by Well Oiled

Point taken about royalty being in the thick of it through history, but this ain't Agincourt - things have changed.

Other than Britain becoming a country full of sissys, how have things changed?

Don't buy the "it's not fair to his troop, they'll become a greater target" line either. If the insurgent rabble somehow managed to get the required intel on where he was, there's no garuntee they could capitalise on it.

Even if they could and half his troop did get blown away, they're soldiers, it's the job they chose and we should respect that. For all we know, they could be quite eager to stand shoulder to shoulder with Harry anyway.

although i accept that it is our job etc etc, i have done a couple of vehicle patrols out there ( in signals so did not do foot ones in the towns) , and even though you expect or are on alert for it being possible i would not think that any of the men would really relish the chance to be in his patrol, due to it being a sure way to attract all the fire the insurgants are going to dish out.

a bit like wanting to go and play a footy match in a mine field.

[northwind]

Originally Posted by Flamin_Squirrel

"insurgent rabble"

The same rabble that's killed 112 british troops on active and (apparently) 3300 US troops? They know what they're about, and they've shown organisation and effective planning and observation... Some rabble.

Originally Posted by Balky001

You make a good point Mr Pedrosa but I think you are doing yourself a disservice. You are arguably the MotoGP Prince and King in waiting yet you are on the front line risking all whereas Tanaka-san, Leitner-san and Puig-san are well behind the pit wall directing your achievements. But ss this not the right thing for them to do?

Ooh Mr.Balky....I wasnt be thinking about it like that. I now be think you having point.

Originally Posted by northwind

The same rabble that's killed 112 british troops on active and (apparently) 3300 US troops?

Those are tiny numbers.

They may have some strategic organisation, but I doubt they have any reliable intel on the movements of individual allied units.

Originally Posted by Flamin_Squirrel

Those are tiny numbers.

They may have some strategic organisation, but I doubt they have any reliable intel on the movements of individual allied units.

you would be surprised. The police out there are the bigest problem. by day they are going on patrol with us, by night they are mortaring us!!

we were told to be carefull what we divulged around them and the iraqi army. its a well known fact they have members in their ranks.

[northwind]

Originally Posted by Flamin_Squirrel

They may have some strategic organisation, but I doubt they have any reliable intel on the movements of individual allied units.

They hit the Black Watch fatally twice within a fortnight of their relocation to Camp Dogwood... And I know a lot of people don't consider it a coincidence that it was a controversial and unpopular deployment here.

Originally Posted by Flamin_Squirrel

Other than Britain becoming a country full of sissys, how have things changed?

Don't buy the "it's not fair to his troop, they'll become a greater target" line either. If the insurgent rabble somehow managed to get the required intel on where he was, there's no garuntee they could capitalise on it.

Even if they could and half his troop did get blown away, they're soldiers, it's the job they chose and we should respect that. For all we know, they could be quite eager to stand shoulder to shoulder with Harry anyway.

It's changed because he will be used as a figurehead for US/British imperialists in drumming up anti US/British fanatics. It's changed because if killed his death would be heralded as a great vistory for Islam against the infidel and pictures of his death would appear all over the internet, and if captured he would be paraded by his captors, videod in captivity, maybe even videos of his beheading posted. It's not a case of being brave versus being a sissy, it's a case of using your head and not giving your enemy a potential political coup.

Originally Posted by Well Oiled

It's changed because he will be used as a figurehead for US/British imperialists in drumming up anti US/British fanatics. It's changed because if killed his death would be heralded as a great vistory for Islam against the infidel and pictures of his death would appear all over the internet, and if captured he would be paraded by his captors, videod in captivity, maybe even videos of his beheading posted. It's not a case of being brave versus being a sissy, it's a case of using your head and not giving your enemy a potential political coup.

You do realise politics isn't a new thing, don't you? Popular politics maybe, but not politics.