Posted on 02/28/2008 10:01:07 AM PST by Edward Watson
Of course, that is also possible... bluff followed by counter bluff!
The girls on other threads are looking at photos of him in Afghanistan and going a little daffy for him, so I’d say Harry will do fine out of this. He’s a man, worth respect in my opinion for pushing the government to allow him to go into combat.
NEW IDEA: Prince Harry: War Lord
Originally published by New Idea on Jan 15 at 12:07pm EDT at: http://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/b/new-idea/8771/prince-harry-goes-to-war-in-afghanistan/
Maverick Prince Harry has joined his regiment on a covert mission to Afghanistan and his unit has already seen front line action.
New Idea can exclusively reveal that despite opposition from senior members of the British government and the royal family itself, Harry flew out with his regiment and joined the troops on the front line. He spent Christmas with his men at the sharp end of the action.
'Harry found members of his unit were to be posted in Afghanistan for a four-month tour of duty over Christmas and the New Year,' a close friend tells New Idea.
'He had already begrudgingly accepted the decision to keep him off the front line in Iraq, but when he heard about the mission in Afghanistan he was insistent he would not stay at home eating Christmas dinner and living it up at the palace while his men were on the front line.
'At first there was a lot of resistance, but Harry even threatened to resign his commission and serve as a private if he was kept from the battlefield - and that proved to be the final straw,' the friend says.
'He wants to be a real soldier who gets the same treatment as any other officer of his rank - and that means going to war just like everybody else.'
Prince Charles was said to be against the idea of Harry seeing active service, but sources say that with the support of his elder brother William, and uncle Prince Andrew, who flew helicopters during the Falklands war, Harry convinced Charles not to take action to prevent him from going.
The Queen is said to have sent Harry a card with her best wishes and a gift with sentimental value that he has kept private.
Before he left, Harry invited William and some of his close friends to a secret 'godspeed' party at Boujis nightclub in London.
Guests were under strict instruction that there was to be no mention of the real reason for the party and no toasts or public discussion of Harry's imminent departure.
The British government is said to strongly oppose Harry's deployment to Afghanistan. Their official reason is that his presence may put his fellow soldiers at risk, but defence commentators have been quick to suggest it may be more to do with their fear that Harry could be killed or injured fighting George Bush's 'war on terror'. This would doom Gordon Brown's Labour government in the next election.
But Harry has always been insistent that he wanted to see active duty and he hated the idea of being wrapped in cotton wool while his men put their lives on the line.
He famously said: 'There's no way I'm going to put myself through Sandhurst and then sit on my a*** back home while my boys are out fighting for their country.'
For more Royal Watch, check out the latest issue of New Idea - on sale now!
I’m not sure how you arrive at your opinion about his comfort level. I’m not sure what you could possibly base that on, seeing as how he didn’t have to join the navy in the first place, and certainly had the option of resigning his commission after a certain period of time, as do all officers. But whatever you base your opinion on, you are entitled to it, of course.
Rather, they consider vile language and outright abhorrent name calling that would make a truck driver gag, against policy. Your diatribe was about the worst I've seen on FR or any other forum or blog.
Your inability to understand even that tells more than anyone needs or cares to know about your mind bent...bye now
You’ve got the moderators on your side, so I guess you can pretend you won. Do you go running to mommy a lot?
Sorry about that, guys. Drudge has broken some good stories in the past, but he stepped in it this time. This is awkward. Fleet Street, notoriously papparazzous as they are, managed to keep their lip zipped, and our guy spills the beans for a "scoop"? Great.
Way to go, Drudge. Jerk.
<wedgie>
The moderator zapped a post full of outright nasty personal attack, filthy language and remarks that were blatantly against FR rules - that's what moderators do...
If that’s what you think my post contained, you didn’t even see it.
No, Drudge DID break the news. To the Brits, he IS “foreign media.”
I’m not sure how you arrive at your opinion about his comfort level.
Well, he doesnt talk about it much. He wasnt in command for very long. Being in the navy doesn’t seem to have “floated his boat” as it were. :) This is fine - the military isn’t for everyone after all.
“I’m not sure what you could possibly base that on, seeing as how he didn’t have to join the navy in the first place,”
It is very much expected that Royals do a stint in the armed forces. They all pretty much HAVE to do it.
“and certainly had the option of resigning his commission after a certain period of time, as do all officers.”
Which is exactly what he did. As soon as he possibly could.
“But whatever you base your opinion on, you are entitled to it, of course.”
Well thank you.
Actually, it is not bizarre, there was "an understanding" with news agencies which can be followed with consequences, in a dollar amount, I learned today. That was the only way he would be able to go, after dissappointment hearing he might not be able to because of danger to his unit, should the media take it among themselves to track him down. But his location was agreed to be secret. The "boys" are highly regarded by all the press. The Brits love Diana's sons. Without the Royals, the "newsboys" would go broke. The Aussies feel the same and deny Drudge's allegations.
Drudge could not be e-mailed directly through his home page yesterday.
Gotta look twice at a guy who tried to make headlines out of his self worth (a slow news day) or titles like : DRUDGE now more popular than Jesus, DRUDGE EXCLUSIVE: SADDAM HUSSEIN TAKES REVLON JOB...Is Matt Drudge the World's Most Powerful Journalist?. His royal scoop came three days after he posted a photograph of Senator Obama dressed in the tribal garb of a Somali elder, claiming it had been sent as an e-mail by a member of Senator Clinton's campaign.
It appeared to be a brazen attempt to fuel rumors that Obama was a dangerous Muslim, and within minutes, the photograph was topping the American news agenda, wrote the The Daily Telegraph, 02/29.08.
Welcome to the world of the Drudge Report. Welcome to the world of fools that read the Drudge Report.
Next time you are in London, you ask any reporter how they feel about both Princes. Their partying was fair game. But to risk the life of their favorite sons or those troops serving around him is not considered a game or entertainment even by the most "bizzare" of the Brit newsy folk.
Drudge broke the blue dress once upon a time. He put Obama in a native dress the other day. Perhaps a bigger story would be to catch Drudge himself, in a "dress", ....
Too strong a statement to be completely correct.
The Prince of Wales served for five years in the Navy and the RAF, though never saw action. Andrew, signed on as a trainee helicopter pilot in the Navy, was aboard the HMS Invincible at the time of the Falklands conflict. Prince Edward began a career in the Royal Marines, largely at his father’s urging, but left the service after only a few months. Second World War, the King’s eldest daughter, Princess Elizabeth, was enrolled as a driver in the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) — largely to set a symbol of service (real good mechanic as well).
Now trueactive command was from a distant relative, Lord Louis Mountbatten, joined the Navy and commanded a fleet of destroyers, seeing considerable action in the Mediterranean. Prince Harry wanted to serve his country and fight the war on terrorism, expecting no special treatment and remain along side his fellow soldiers. Harry could have taken the media exposure excuse "way out" early on; but fought to go into battle or active duty.
Keeping the lineage healthy is most important for the future of the monarchy.
Just about.
I read various comments from a number of Brit sources today.
Among them...
Off with his (Drudge’s) head.
Some want the British government to demand Drudge be extradited to England and tried for treason.
Reaction was rather mixed though, some were proud of Harry’s service but other’s thought it was just a stunt.
I dont think thats too strong a statement at all, considering that, as you yourself outlined, most of the royals have done some military service. Of course, many of them just did it “for forms sake”, but it is “expected”.
Like you, I have the utmost admiration for Harry actually going off and doing the business “at the sharp end”. He obviously likes being a squaddie (and Andrew was “fly navy” all the way). This example has certainly done the Monarchy the world of good.
By the by, its HMS Invincible. Not “the HMS Invincible”.
“Some want the British government to demand Drudge be extradited to England and tried for treason.”
He can’t be tried for treason if he’s not a British citizen. Even if he were, that charge wouldn’t stick. Treason requires more than that.
I know that. I was just quoting from comment in an article on British press site.
The stupidity of the British press is quite breathtaking. They really depress me.
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