Britain's Prince Harry in Afghanistan

AP on Yahoo ^ | 2/28/08 | AP

[NormsRevenge]

LONDON - Prince Harry has been serving on the front line in Afghanistan with the British Army, the Ministry of Defense said Thursday.

Officials said the prince, a lieutenant in the Blues and Royals regiment, was still deployed in the country.

"His conduct on operations in Afghanistan has been exemplary," said the head of the army. Gen. Richard Dannatt. "He has been fully involved in operations and has run the same risks as everyone else in his battle group."

Harry, who is third in line to the throne, has been in Afghanistan since December. The story was leaked by an Australian magazine and a German newspaper.

Dannatt said he was "very disappointed" that the story had leaked.

Harry, 23, has been fighting in the restive Helmand province, where most of the 7,800 British troops in Afghanistan are based.

Last year military chiefs ruled Harry could not be sent to Iraq with his regiment because publicity surrounding his deployment could put him and his unit at risk.

[NormsRevenge]

Godspeed, Harry!

In this image made available in London, Thursday Feb. 28, 2008, Britain's Prince Harry patrols through the deserted town of Garmisir, Afghanistan, close to Forward Operating Base Delhi, on Wednesday Jan. 2, 2008. Prince Harry has been serving on the front line in Afghanistan with the British Army, according to an announcement by Britain's Ministry of Defence. The Prince, who is third in line to the throne, and is still deployed in the country, has been in Afghanistan since December. The deployment was not reported due to an agreement between the Ministry of Defense and news organizations, including The Associated Press. The story was leaked by an Australian magazine and a German newspaper. (AP Photo/John Stillwell, pool)

[Slapshot68]

I doubt you’d see the Arab “royalty” on the front lines.

[BGHater]

Channel 4 news in Britain: ‘I never thought I’d find myself saying thank God for Drudge. The infamous US blogger has broken the best kept editorial secret of recent times. Editors have been sworn to secrecy over Prince Harry being sent to fight in Afghanistan three months ago. Drudge has blown their cover. One wonders whether viewers, readers and listeners will ever want to trust media bosses again. Or perhaps this was a courageous editorial decision to protect this fine young man?’

[Raymann]

Damn, now the terrorists are going to go looking for him...thanks Drudge...you bastard.

[MrLee]

He’s safely on his way home by now I’m betting.

[Hacklehead]

Get some!

[Dog]

Godspeed Harry...

[nmh]

The story was leaked by an Australian magazine and a German newspaper.

Lovely. Don’t these people have ANY sense?

[af_vet_rr]

He’s definitely growing up. Not the typical Royal anymore.

[nmh]

“I doubt you’d see the Arab “royalty” on the front lines.”

Or even high ranking terrorists.

Terrorists seem to prefer “recruiting” females that are retarded so they don’t understand what they are to do. To make it even easier for them, I read they have them look pregnant. Where the baby would be if she was pregnant is where they like to hide the bomb so all explode.

[Little Bill]

The old Viet Nam Battle Cry, love it.

[SteinwayPianoman]

Perhaps this will encourage the other NATO countries to contribute in a meaningful way. But I doubt it. Good for you, Prince Harry.

[UKTory]

“He’s definitely growing up. Not the typical Royal anymore.”

This is fairly typical of the UK Royal Family. Military service has always been a tradition. His father served aa number of years in the RAF and Royal Navy, including command of a vessel and his uncle served in the Falklands as a helicopter pilot, flying decoy missions against exocet missiles.

[NormsRevenge]

GIT SUM!!!

In this image made available in London, Thursday Feb. 28, 2008, Britain's Prince Harry mans a 50mm machinegun, at an observation post close to Forward Operating Base Delhi, in Afghanistan, on Wednesday Jan. 2, 2008. Prince Harry has been serving on the front line in Afghanistan with the British Army, according to an announcement by Britain's Ministry of Defence. The Prince, who is third in line to the throne, and is still deployed in the country, has been in Afghanistan since December. The deployment was not reported due to an agreement between the Ministry of Defense and news organizations, including The Associated Press. The story was leaked by an Australian magazine and a German newspaper. (AP Photo/John Stillwell, pool)

[SlapHappyPappy]

So, Drudge is a “bastard” for repeating news already released by papers in Australia and Germany?

[af_vet_rr]

As a matter of fact, I think his uncle made a career out of the Navy, and just recently retired. I maybe wrong though, but I know that I’ve seen his uncle in uniform in recent years.

[SolidWood]

Prince Harry has been serving on the front line in Afghanistan with the British Army, the Ministry of Defense said Thursday. Officials said the prince, a lieutenant in the Blues and Royals regiment, was still deployed in the country.

Why do you attack Drudge!? The Brits themselves made this public. Sheesh!

[NormsRevenge]

ap Update, same title

JILL LAWLESS, Associated Press Writer
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080228/ap_on_re_eu/britain_prince_harry
LONDON - Prince Harry has been serving on the front line in Afghanistan with the British Army, calling in airstrikes on Taliban positions and going out on foot patrols, the Ministry of Defense announced Thursday.

Officials said the prince, a lieutenant in the Blues and Royals regiment, was still deployed in the country.

“His conduct on operations in Afghanistan has been exemplary,” said the head of the army. Gen. Richard Dannatt. “He has been fully involved in operations and has run the same risks as everyone else in his battle group.”

Harry, who is third in line to the throne, has been in Afghanistan since December.

The planned deployment had been disclosed to reporters, with no specific date, and was not reported previously under a pool agreement between the Ministry of Defense and all major news organizations operating in Britain, including The Associated Press. The news blackout was intended to reduce the risk to the prince and his regiment.

The news embargo was broken, however, after reports of the prince’s deployment were leaked by an Australian magazine and a German newspaper, and then reported on a U.S. Web site, the Drudge Report.

Dannatt, the military commander, said he was “very disappointed” that the story had leaked.

Harry, 23, has been deployed in the restive Helmand province for 10 weeks, where most of the 7,800 British troops in Afghanistan are based, according to the military’s statement.

In a recorded interview, Harry said he was happy to be standing shoulder-to- shoulder with his colleagues.

“It’s nice just to be here with all the guys and just mucking in as one of the lads,” said Harry, who had expressed bitter disappointment when he was banned from going to Iraq with his battalion last year. Army chiefs said publicity surrounding his deployment could put him and his unit at risk.

Pooled video footage of Harry in Afghanistan showed the prince dressed in camouflage fatigues patrolling arid and dusty terrain and firing a machine gun.

Harry graduated from Sandhurst military academy in 2006 and trained as a tank commander. After the decision not to send him to Iraq, he retrained as a battlefield air controller, the job he has been filling in Afghanistan.

[Little Bill]

Maybe we should get a VFW Post to do an Honorary on him, kid looks like he is having fun.