General: Prince Harry won't go to Iraq

charlotte.com ^ | 05-16-2007 | Staff Writer

[bedolido]

LONDON --Britain's Prince Harry will not be sent with his unit to Iraq, Britain's top general said Wednesday, citing specific threats to the third in line to the throne.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Sir Richard Dannatt said the changing situation on the ground exposed the prince to too much danger.

Prince William and Prince Harry, right, parade in suits and bowler hats with the Combined Cavalry Old Comrades' Association, in Hyde Park, London, on Sunday, May 13, 2007. The tradition of officers wearing black bowler hats and carrying umbrellas goes back to the First World War.

[bedolido]

Maybe they'd make fun of him in that silly hat.

[Lexington Green]

The risk of combat is what peasants are for.

[Dog]

Go easy on the kid...we wants to go....its the higher ups who don’t have the backbone.

[DManA]

Silly hats are a family weakness.

[Spktyr]

Actually, Harry *wants* to go and has been threatening to resign from the army if he isn’t allowed to deploy with the rest of his unit.

Harry actually wants to make something of himself instead of being a useless national ornament - so give him credit and cut him some slack.

[bedolido]

Go easy on the kid...we wants to go....its the higher ups who don’t have the backbone.

I agree... however, he will be king someday and it is wise to protect him. He can't have secret service surrounding him in Iraq.

[DManA]

Have you spoken to his highly worthiness?

[Red_Devil 232]

The higher ups have made the correct decision. The safety of the Paparazzi must take precedent. /s

[slightlyovertaxed]

No, but it seems he did this weird thing called Reading The News Article, in which the Prince stated his disappointment, as opposed to making a snap judgement based on personal opinion. He's tricky like that.

Is embedding a high-profile target in a unit an unacceptable risk? Have similar judgements been made in the past?

[rogernz]

the general who approved his deployment, then cancelled it, claimed there were specfic threats. There must be something like Al Qaeda moles inside the british army base or something that they can’t flush out.

[DManA]

The weird thing today is believing what you read in a news article.

[capydick]

the changing situation on the ground exposed the prince to too much danger.

War will do that to ya....

[Spktyr]

Prince Andrew served honorably in the Falkland War - volunteered to fly a helicopter as a missile decoy, and did so.

[Red Badger]

Then what about AFGHANISTAN?................

[Red_Devil 232]

The tradition of officers wearing black bowler hats and carrying umbrellas goes back to the First World War.

I thought it would be pith helmets and swager sticks!

[Spktyr]

It is extremely unlikely that he will be king. His older brother William will be king before him. And if William has any children, Harry will *never* be king.

[bedolido]

Prince Andrew served honorably in the Falkland War - volunteered to fly a helicopter as a missile decoy, and did so.

Yes and he was and is a very brave man. However, he is not in the direct line to become king of England.

[Valpal1]

Harry is the younger son, not the heir to the throne. They should let him go.

[SMARTY]

All they have to do is freeze dry his ‘DNA’ and let him go.

[CatoRenasci]

Stick a fork in the House of Windsor, they're done, and the monarchy is done when Liz goes. Nobody wants Charlie to be king (except Camilla), and if Diana's Boys are too fragile to go to war the way Liz's younger son did, then what the bloody h*ll do they need a very expensive monarchy for. The only thing aristocrats were ever good for was their willingness to fight for king and country, and their military prowess. Lose that, even now, and they're just a drag on the economy.