Harry leaves Afghanistan after media leak

[David]

MSNBC News Services
updated 5:19 a.m. PT, Fri., Feb. 29, 2008


LONDON - British Chief of the Defense Staff Air Chief Marshal Jock Stirrup confirmed Friday that the army will pull Prince Harry out of Afghanistan after news of his deployment there was leaked.

Harry, third in line to the British throne, has been serving on the front line with an army unit in Helmand, one of Afghanistan's most lawless and barren provinces, since mid-December.

The leaks raised concern that Harry, the youngest son of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana, could become what officials term a high-value target for al-Qaida and other Islamist militants.

Fight against Taliban
Harry, 23, was deployed to fight against the Taliban in the southern Afghan region of Helmand in December, seven months after plans to send him to Iraq were scrapped following threats from Iraqi militants to kidnap or kill him.

The military posted him only after the British media and selected members of the international press agreed not to report his presence until he had returned from a scheduled four- to six- month deployment. The embargo was broken on Thursday when German, Australian and U.S. Web sites reported he was in Afghanistan.

The breaking of the embargo, a rare agreement in Britain's usually free-for-all media environment, infuriated the military.

"Now that the story is in the public domain, the chief of staff and I will take advice from the operational commanders about whether his deployment can continue," the head of the army, General Richard Dannatt, said in a statement.

"I am very disappointed that foreign Web sites have decided to run this story without consulting us," said Dannatt.

Harry has been responsible for calling in air strikes against Taliban positions, has conducted foot patrols through villages and has fired on suspected militants, media photographs and film footage showed after the embargo was broken.

'Exemplary conduct'
"His conduct on operations in Afghanistan has been exemplary. He has been fully involved in operations and has run the same risks as everyone else," said Dannatt. Video

In interviews given to reporters sent out to cover his deployment as part of a so-called "pool" arrangement, Harry said he was aware that if his presence in Afghanistan was reported it could make him a target for al-Qaida or other militant groups.

"Once this film comes out ... every single person that supports them will be trying to slot me," he said.

"Now that you come to think about it, it's quite worrying. But as I say, now that this film has been made and now ... people will know I'm out here, no doubt I'll be a top target."

Talking about his experiences on the front lines, Harry said: "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."

It was Harry's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, who broke the news to him that he would be allowed to go to Afghanistan.

Harry was at one time dubbed a royal "Wild Child" by British tabloids for underage drink and drugs antics.

Before he was deployed, Harry told reporters he sometimes wished he was not a member of the royal family as it made it difficult to do things that he enjoyed, including being a soldier in the army.

"I wish that quite a lot actually," he said, adding his older brother Prince William shared the view.

"William and I have said numerous times that there's a lot of opportunities that we miss out on — as well as we also got a lot of chances — for who we are."





A photograph made available on February 28, 2008, shows Britain's Prince Harry sitting below the turret of his Spartan armoured vehicle as he communicates with other units by radio, in the desert in Helmand province in Southern Afghanistan, on February 20, 2008. Prince Harry, the youngest son of Prince Charles and the late princess Diana, has been fighting the Taliban on the front line in Afghanistan, the defence ministry in London said Thursday. The 23-year-old, an officer in the Household Cavalry regiment, has spent the past 10 weeks secretly serving in the volatile southern province of Helmand, where most of Britain's troops are based.

[Jerry D]

Gotta give the kid two s up for his volunteering to go to Afganistan after being told he couldn't go with his unit to Iraq. Even if he doesn't think he is a hero many young people around the world now have a decent role model among their peers to look up to! Three cheers for Harry and may as they used to say "the King is dead long live the King"

Prince Henry of Wales (Henry Charles Albert David; born 15 September 1984), commonly known as Prince Harry

[DeadlyDaring]

Prince Harry aka 'Bullet Magnet' in Afghanistan third in line to the thone 23- year-old the people's prince...Dog of war or PR pawn?


Heres a video of him
http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news...et_magnet.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...wn-790323.html

[ronaldSteward]

Reviving old traditions yeah? didn't kings of old fight side by side with their soldiers?