Prince Harry fighting in Afghanistan

Harry shouldn't be there - no royal should be fighting in this war, simply because their life is more valuable to the enemy than a 'regular' soldier. They're immediately at a heightened risk because of their royal status, this automatically means his squadmates are in more danger, just by association. No doubt the taliban would see his death or capture of great symbolic value - If he was captured by the taliban, just imagine that. As for this press black out - ****ing stupid. If you need a world-wide press black out to send someone out to war then don't send them. How damn naive and irresponsible of you is it to send someone to war on the basis that the entire worlds free press keeps their mouths shut?
 
Freefaller said:
I'm happy that he is getting his hands dirty, but then again I don't regard the royal family in the regard that a lot of people do. Probably because I'm French! :p
Click to expand...
Isn't it strange? We have more respect for him than some people here and he isn't even a part of our royal family. Hell we should be slamming royalty every chance we get, considering our past :D

drunkenmaster said:
who says he's 500 metres from a gunfight exactly? he's 500 metres from what, an ongoing battle? no, he's not.
Click to expand...
I was actually referring to your 'as safe as being 500m from the frontline in a fight with the Nazis', not to his situation.
drunkenmaster said:
i think someone who can't do well in gcse's or a'levels is unlikely to be a fantastic tactical genius frankly, when he went to the best schools and clearly could afford at least a semi decent tutor, and he still did really really pants in school, make up your own conclusion of what that means.
Click to expand...
I must have missed the Tactical Planning GCSEs when I was at school then. Being a military leader isn't about intelligence, it is about leadership. As a royal I'd say he's in a better position than most to possess this rare quality ;)

Besides, maybe school isn't for him. Maybe he wants to get his hands dirty. People like that exist in the world, and they lead damn good lives at the end of it :p

drunkenmaster said:
I didn't contradict myself either. I didn't say he'd be a good leader if he went to war ;) . In the past we might have had generals whose kids grow up being taught how to think like a general go into the army and simply be almost groomed into being a great general. we haven't groomed these kids to be leaders, because the royal family doesn't really do anything anymore. He's not an intelligent kid, he's obviously spoiled, you can't fail to be a little bit in that situation. he won't fight on the front lines and won't turn into a great general someday so i see little point in him being in the army at all.
Click to expand...
Being in the army is about more than turning into a General at the end of it. The idea is to serve, and what better place to serve than with fellow soldiers who trained just as he did?

drunkenmaster said:
you see lots of dictators in various countries who are in power in a time of war and their kids grow up as various commanders, at the side of their dad learning the ropes and being groomed to take over. thats how it used to be here.
Click to expand...
It sure is, but now that no one is banging on our doors to invade us, little royal has to go and find a conflict himself rather than sit next to his dad in meetings wondering why we don't have enough manpower when he could go himself ;)

drunkenmaster said:
I just can't see there being much chance that he'll be one of our greatest military thinkers. he's never going to see front line action, so i ask again, whats the point? If anyone decided to move within 5 miles of that line thats 500metres away from him, they'll move him another 10 miles back.
Click to expand...
You mention front lines and how things used to be. As far as I understand, due to the nature of modern warfare front lines rarely or never form. There is no line you can move away from ;)

More importantly, this is what he wants to do. I don't understand this general dislike for the royal family in this country. You obviously chose to keep them or they wouldn't be there. People moan that they apparently don't do anything of use, and now one of them wants to go to a place where I'm assuming they'll use all the help they can get and people aren't happy with that, either.
 
Samione said:
Harry shouldn't be there - no royal should be fighting in this war, simply because their life is more valuable to the enemy than a 'regular' soldier. They're immediately at a heightened risk because of their royal status, this automatically means his squadmates are in more danger, just by association. No doubt the taliban would see his death or capture of great symbolic value - If he was captured by the taliban, just imagine that.
Click to expand...

My question is: what realistic chance do the Taliban have of identifying him in a combat situation?

Even assuming that they all watch BBC News and keep a photo of Harry in their wallets, is it realistic to believe that they could spot him in a crowd of British squaddies, through a fog of smoke and dust? :confused:
 
Killerkebab said:
More importantly, this is what he wants to do. I don't understand this general dislike for the royal family in this country. You obviously chose to keep them or they wouldn't be there. People moan that they apparently don't do anything of use, and now one of them wants to go to a place where I'm assuming they'll use all the help they can get and people aren't happy with that, either.
Click to expand...

How long have you lived in England? I'm sure you realise that a lot of people heree would rather moan that do anything else. It's too cold, it's too hot, it's raining, it's too sunny so on and so forth.

Prince Harry can't win when it comes to some people. IF he doesn't serve then he's a coward who isn't fit to be in the Royal Family. If he goes he's putting everyone around him at additional risk, if he comes home it's a propaganda vitctory for the Taleban.
 
wordy said:
How long have you lived in England? I'm sure you realise that a lot of people heree would rather moan that do anything else. It's too cold, it's too hot, it's raining, it's too sunny so on and so forth.

Prince Harry can't win when it comes to some people. IF he doesn't serve then he's a coward who isn't fit to be in the Royal Family. If he goes he's putting everyone around him at additional risk, if he comes home it's a propaganda vitctory for the Taleban.
Click to expand...

LOL that is so bloody true, especially the first paragraph. :)

That's why we call 'em "whinging Poms" Down Under.
 
It makes me laugh so hard when people state that a Royals life is so much more valuable than a regular soldiers and that they shouldnt be in war zones.

Hello, go read some history books to find out how royals have contributed in the past in wars.

This war is no different at all, you honestly think they werent big targets in the past as well?
 
Evangelion said:
My question is: what realistic chance do the Taliban have of identifying him in a combat situation?

Even assuming that they all watch BBC News and keep a photo of Harry in their wallets, is it realistic to believe that they could spot him in a crowd of British squaddies, through a fog of smoke and dust? :confused:
Click to expand...

They only have to know his regiment. You also have to remember that it's not just him at risk, it's his fellow squadies who would have bore the brunt of an angrier and more focus-fired mob. I certainly would be more fearful if I served alongside Harry, knowing he's a prime target.

So many people in this thread don't seem to realize Harry's entire regiment would have been at risk. It's not just all about him. The MoD took into account the elevated risk that the regiment faced, and dealt with it accordingly. It's a wise move, not a 'oh he's royal, kiss his ass' move.
 
Lord-Jaffa said:
It makes me laugh so hard when people state that a Royals life is so much more valuable than a regular soldiers and that they shouldnt be in war zones.

Hello, go read some history books to find out how royals have contributed in the past in wars.

This war is no different at all, you honestly think they werent big targets in the past as well?
Click to expand...

Valid point but you might have noticed that military technology has changed a bit since the times when they used to wield swords.
 
KNiVES said:
They only have to know his regiment. You also have to remember that it's not just him at risk, it's his fellow squadies who would have bore the brunt of an angrier and more focus-fired mob. I certainly would be more fearful if I served alongside Harry, knowing he's a prime target.
Click to expand...

How exactly do the Taliban identify specific British regiments? Flags? Billboards? Matching stationary and pen sets? Number plates? Bumper stickers? Throw me a bone here, mate. :confused:

So many people in this thread don't seem to realize Harry's entire regiment would have been at risk. It's not just all about him. The MoD took into account the elevated risk that the regiment faced, and dealt with it accordingly. It's a wise move, not a 'oh he's royal, kiss his ass' move.
Click to expand...

I appreciate this as well, but I remain unconvinced about the Taliban's ability to identify Harry and his regiment with the ease that so many people seem to be assuming.
 
Evangelion said:
How exactly do the Taliban identify specific British regiments? Flags? Billboards? Matching stationary and pen sets? Number plates? Bumper stickers? Throw me a bone here, mate. :confused:
Click to expand...

They'll probably use the ones with Brummie and Yorkshire accents to do that!
 
Evangelion said:
My question is: what realistic chance do the Taliban have of identifying him in a combat situation?

Even assuming that they all watch BBC News and keep a photo of Harry in their wallets, is it realistic to believe that they could spot him in a crowd of British squaddies, through a fog of smoke and dust? :confused:
Click to expand...

I'm sure they'd put quite a fair few resources into finding him - he'd be a massive trophy for them. Which is clearly why there was a press-black out was it not? The good his service would do there is completely outweighed by the massive risk he is, not only to himself but to his squadmates. Not to mention the position his death/capture would put our country in. The last thing we need is the taliban thinking they've got one up on us. No royal should be allowed to fight in the army. Even with that aside - the fact you even need a worldwide press black out to send one person to war means you probably shouldn't do it in the first place.
 
maybe the MOD will use this as a nice way to set up ambushes and to lure out and target, high ranking members of Taliban and other factions.


With or without the princes knowledge or if he would even still be there.
 
Lord-Jaffa said:
It makes me laugh so hard when people state that a Royals life is so much more valuable than a regular soldiers and that they shouldnt be in war zones.

Hello, go read some history books to find out how royals have contributed in the past in wars.

This war is no different at all, you honestly think they werent big targets in the past as well?
Click to expand...

Who stated that exactly? His life is more valuabe, to the enemy without a doubt. What has history and previous royal contributions got to do with this? It's totally irrelevant. Just because they faught a couple of hundred years ago doesn't suddenly make it valid. This war is different, because it is? How on earth is not different :confused: Technology is different, warfare is different, attitudes are different, society is different... to name but a few differences.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom