http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18399400/

This just seems like a bad idea. Not having the Prince serve in Iraq, but the amount of detailed media coverage. Now I'm not one to limit the freedom of the press, anywhere, however advertising the arrival of such a high profile person in Iraq just doesn't make sense. Why not say "hey Prince Harry just got back from a 6 month stint in Iraq. No he wasn't in Cancun on extended Spring Break, idiots."

I get the reasons why they may be letting everyone know, ie. political leadership, don't make it look like you are screwing the British people, etc.

Quote :

"Commanders reportedly had reconsidered their decision to allow the prince to fight in Iraq for fear he would become a target of insurgents and his presence could endanger other soldiers. Harry’s regiment, the Blues and Royals, is due to begin a six-month tour of duty in Iraq within weeks."

See its like ringing the dinner bell to every radical Muslim in the entire Middle East and saying "COME AND GET IT, ALLAH IS GREAT."

am i right? eh?

4/30/2007 4:14:51 PM

didnt he volunteer and then they said no for a while before reversing?

4/30/2007 5:03:08 PM

There's a bounty on his head.

4/30/2007 5:10:54 PM

^^^ They knew already. I saw it on the news 6 months ago he was placed in a regiment. All it takes is for one radical to realize 2+2=4 when that regiment gets deployed.

Not to mention I'm sure troop assignments are public record and all one has to do is look for "Harry Windsor".

[Edited on April 30, 2007 at 5:12 PM. Reason : .]

4/30/2007 5:12:06 PM

Quote :

""COME AND GET IT, ALLAH IS GREAT." "

+

EVEN OUR PRINCES COME AND OCCUPY/OPPRESS YOU

4/30/2007 5:13:43 PM

this is quite normal for Monarchies and Royal Families. These aren't the Bush's or Kennedy's

4/30/2007 5:31:24 PM

I thought Bush Sr. and JFK both served with distinction. Isn't this more on the lines with the "old school" politician, the entire citizen-soldier thing that was both common, if not expected, until the Vietnam War?

4/30/2007 6:09:32 PM

bush sr. and jfk weren't hereditary princes. and they weren't running around with a boatload of media saying "hey look at this guy here, he's important!" because they weren't very important anyhow at that time.

(to his credit, ive read a few places that said prince harry is quite embarrassed by the attention, and just wants to serve as much as possible like any other jr. officer)

but if you think about it, harry is never going to be king no matter what, so in a really twisted sense, it would only help the standing of the monarchy if he were to be KIA.

4/30/2007 7:51:58 PM

Quote :

"all one has to do is look for "Harry Windsor""

It's actually Harry of Wales or Lt. Wales.

I know Prince Phillip was kept from certain duties once he was engaged to Elizabeth against his will so it isn't unprecedented to limit a royals service, that was more concern for the line, Harry isn't the heir so it may be different.

Quote :

"they weren't running around with a boatload of media saying "hey look at this guy here, he's important!""

They're covering him leaving, the royals have an agreement about coverage of the princes with the media and the media covering the military is also pretty carefully regulated so I doubt it will be quite like this once he's there. Yeah I don't understand why they didn't just say when he got back, although if the royals wanted it like that I'm sure that's what would have been done.

I think he should be allowed to serve as he sees fit and shouldn't be given any special treatment (and don't think he'd ask for it) in full combat gear you wouldn't be able to tell any difference between him and any other officer. The concern is it will make this unit more of a target for suicide bombers? I thought pretty much anyone stationed in Iraq was a pretty high target...

I wonder how it would work if President Bush had a son in the Army?

[Edited on May 1, 2007 at 10:14 AM. Reason : ...]

5/1/2007 10:11:32 AM

^should read kept from certain duties against his will not engaged against his will

5/1/2007 11:20:09 AM

I get the strange feeling that most of the Iraqi insurgents aren't checking MSNBC and the Daily Mirror that often.

And even if they are, do you think they will really go, "Okay fellas, it's time to ramp up our efforts in all of Iraq, because the Prince of Wales is here SOMEWHERE."

5/1/2007 1:21:45 PM

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/04/28/iraq.harry.ap/index.html

Quote :

"Report: Militants to target Harry LONDON, England (AP) -- Shiite militants in Iraq claim to have set up a special squad to target Prince Harry if he is deployed there with his army regiment, The Guardian newspaper reported Saturday. The newspaper quoted a commander in the Mahdi Army, the militia loyal to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, as saying the group had informants inside British army bases who would tip them off about the prince's presence. "One of our aims is to capture Harry, we have people inside the British bases to inform us on when he will arrive," the newspaper quoted commander Abu Mujtaba as saying. The Guardian said it could not substantiate Abu Mujtaba's claims and the British military dismissed them as propaganda. Harry, 22, is a second lieutenant in the British army. His regiment, the Blues and Royals, is due to be deployed in Iraq in the next few weeks. Royal officials announced earlier this year that the prince, who is third in line to the throne, would go with them. But this week military chiefs were reported to be reconsidering the deployment for fear Harry's presence could endanger other soldiers. The Ministry of Defense would say only that deployments are kept "under constant review." Abu Mujtaba told The Guardian that Harry would be a target not just for the Mahdi Army, "but every person who hates the British and the Americans will try to get him, all the mujahideen in Iraq, the al-Qaida, the Iranians all will try to get him." The government announced in February that it would begin withdrawing 1,600 of the 7,000 British troops in Iraq this summer as it hands over control of southern Iraq to local forces. But the past few weeks have seen a surge in violence, with 11 British soldiers killed in Iraq this month. In all, 145 British troops have died there since the 2003 invasion."

5/1/2007 1:30:28 PM

so they send in a look a like and when they come to kidnap him BAM out of nowhere Aston Kutcher comes out and says "You got punked"

5/1/2007 2:24:42 PM

^ Pretty good idea really, would be awesome bait.

5/1/2007 2:27:54 PM

^^^^ you are a fool if you think they don't watch cnn and the like...

[Edited on May 1, 2007 at 2:33 PM. Reason : ^]

5/1/2007 2:33:12 PM

Yeah, I'm pretty sure many insurgents do follow western media pretty regularly. I know Osama cut his phone and started switching them regularly a day after Madaline Allbright said off the record that we were listening to his phone calls.

Quote :

"the Prince of Wales is here SOMEWHERE."

He's not the Prince of Wales, that would be his father.

5/1/2007 5:19:58 PM

bah.

they'll retask him to an Indian Regiment's elephant battalion at the last moment.

you watch.

5/1/2007 6:40:25 PM

According to my understanding of the naming, Harry is also called the Prince of Wales.

And yeah, I was wrong on the following the media thing. I remember several times now that I think back to where people have said the Iraqi commanders watched CNN to get troop movement info on the Americans in Gulf War I and II.

However, I still don't think the media will provide enough information to make Harry a viable target for the insurgency. I believe they will target him, but not using any information provided by the media. If they have that much knowledge about base and location specifics, the military isn't doing a good job.

[Edited on May 2, 2007 at 11:10 AM. Reason : f]

5/2/2007 11:06:33 AM

It may be your understanding but it is still incorrect. And if anything I'm sure the terrorists would want to know if they're targeting the Prince of Wales of a Prince, whose last name is of Wales. It would have serious bearing on their plans.

5/2/2007 12:10:38 PM

Let me rephrase that, as in being polite I somehow led you to believe that I was wrong on this issue.....

IT IS THE CASE that Princes William and Henry are also given the title Princes of Wales. Although the Prince of Wales title is given only to the direct successor of the throne, his sons also retain the same title. Titles withing the royal family are applied whenever they see fit, and as such that allows the same title to be bestowed in mulitiplicity, even without the same rights.

On a side note, if the Prince of Wales dies before the current monarch, the title reverts back to the throne and then can be bestowed upon whomever they choose, as Prince of Wales is not an automatically inherited title, so that in fact by a strange set of circumstances if Charles died, William or Henry could actually lose their title instead of inheriting the right to the throne.

5/2/2007 1:32:26 PM

Well they used Princess Leia to smuggle stolen imperial plans, which seems much more dangerous.

I have no problem with this.

5/2/2007 1:53:54 PM

You started in bold face, it must be true!

5/2/2007 2:02:30 PM

HRH Prince Harry of Wales is, apparently, his official title.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Henry_of_Wales

His father is "The Prince Charles, Prince of Wales"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles%2C_Prince_of_Wales

5/2/2007 3:22:44 PM

"The Soldier formerly known as Prince"

5/2/2007 4:07:25 PM

Saddam had multiple look-a-likes / stand-ins

I'm sure the Prince will have a few 'decoys'

5/2/2007 4:13:12 PM

i'm sure you know what you're talking about, as usual.

5/3/2007 5:47:45 PM

^

5/3/2007 5:52:03 PM

yall got to ignore tree and dnl

5/3/2007 7:45:34 PM

does it not seem plausible that a member of the royal family would have some type of decoy due to the inherent increased threat to him based on his position/status?

5/3/2007 8:00:09 PM

(i think you were looking for implausible)

5/3/2007 8:05:08 PM

he's a fucking 2nd lieutenant.

and who, do you think, is going to pretend to be Lieutanant Wales, while the real one hides? and how long do you think his ability to command his 12-man tank squad will last?

go back to pulling bong hits while you watch American Idol. or whatever it is you do in your free time.

5/3/2007 8:05:54 PM

Quote :

"bush sr. and jfk weren't hereditary princes. and they weren't running around with a boatload of media saying "hey look at this guy here, he's important!" because they weren't very important anyhow at that time."

JFK's dad was actually an Ambassador before and during WW2. So Kennedy wasnt exactly a prince, but he wasnt a nobody.

But the point about the media still stands.

5/3/2007 8:38:40 PM

troll_schmoe

5/3/2007 8:48:21 PM

TreeTwista10: i fail to see how anyone is trolling here.

you, on the one hand, are stupid. I, on the other hand, am pointing out your stupidity.

Quote :

"JFK's dad was actually an Ambassador before and during WW2. So Kennedy wasnt exactly a prince, but he wasnt a nobody."

His father? oh you mean that guy who used to be a bootlegger in the 20's.

and yeah, i know the Bushes and Kennedys were politically connected even then. so they weren't NOBODYS, but ambassadorships are passed out as political favors, and being the son of some politically connected guy in america is a bit different than being potentially 3rd in line to become King of England.

5/3/2007 9:15:06 PM

go back to pulling bong hits while you watch American Idol

Quote :

"joe_schmoe: i fail "

as usual

5/3/2007 9:15:50 PM

i see how your only strategy now is to completly avoid the issue that I pwnt you on, instead try to divert attention away from the facts.

the difference between you and I, is that FIRST i refuted your argument on the basis of the facts, THEN I make a personal observation.

and you ought to take it as a compliment. because unlike some people here who are congenitally retarded and/or willfully ignorant, i'm acknowledging that you have a legitimate excuse: that you smoked yourself stupid.

It's the best out you've got. take it.

5/4/2007 12:12:29 AM

what exactly did you pwn me on? your own OPINION about how his time in iraq will go? ooooooooh

even if i leave soap box for awhile, you will always be a complete asshole to anyone who doesnt agree with your radical opinions...go suck some granola you seattle faggot..."i left north carolina to get away from people like you"

troll_schmoe

5/4/2007 12:16:45 AM

if youre gonna play that game, at least get it straight: it's joe_troll

anyhow, its not my opinion. its a fact: youre a fucking idiot. and you've obviously got no clue about how a military functions.



i swear i've just gotten stupider by interacting with you.

5/4/2007 12:23:39 AM

you're 34 years old and have a kid, dont you have something better to do than fuck around on a college messageboard? oh you dont? get a life

5/4/2007 12:25:00 AM

the kid's in bed, dickhead. now's my time to fuck off for a bit. besides, pwning trolls like you gives me a chubby.

and my 3 posts/day average indicates quite clearly that i have more to do in my life, than say, someone who maintains average 25 posts/day




[Edited on May 4, 2007 at 12:30 AM. Reason : ]

5/4/2007 12:27:58 AM

why dont you give me a detailed summary of how royal family members in modern day combat situations get or don't get any type of preferential treatment since you're such an informed genius

or maybe you've just got a chubby for me regardless and thats why you're always on my dick

and its 22.6, not 25...and you're 3.4, not 3...and of course you've got your JoeSchmoe alias, clearly a sign that you have more to do in your life...and your other aliases

oh yeah, and you're 34 years old and youre fucking aroud on a college messageboard

[Edited on May 4, 2007 at 12:36 AM. Reason : .]

5/4/2007 12:30:07 AM

and you can fuck off about me being 34. i didnt even start college until i was 28. you see, i was doing shit like being in the military before that.

so TWW was in its prime when i was at state. I've grown fond of this site. its my primary source of news trivia and internet memes.

and its a good place to vent my passive aggressive rages. since i dont have time or interest in maintaining a blog that no one will read, i can just come here to slap around some tards and jack my dick.

EDIT: "JoeSchmoe" is my only "alias". it has like less than 100 posts. it main purpose is just to PM mods when "joe_schmoe" gets suspended. I dont have any interest in playing multiple internet personalities.





[Edited on May 4, 2007 at 12:39 AM. Reason : ]

5/4/2007 12:36:27 AM

you're still a loser

5/4/2007 12:39:19 AM

coming from YOU, thats a good thing.

I would be devastated if you thought I were cool in any way.

5/4/2007 12:40:31 AM

you go onto websites to get validations about being cool? loser!

5/4/2007 12:41:15 AM

um.. yeah... that's exactly what i said.

you fucking crackhead.

5/4/2007 12:43:06 AM

wow you sure you're 34? your comebacks sound like something a 16 year old would come up with

but i guess thats why youre 34 years old and on a college website right now and not up inside your wife

5/4/2007 12:45:50 AM

Or because its only 10pm in seattle

5/4/2007 12:47:19 AM

so its cool for married 34 year old guys with kids to be on at 10pm, right on!

5/4/2007 12:48:55 AM

in any case, your interest in his personal life is kind of girlish

5/4/2007 12:50:02 AM