Should Prince Harry be deployed to Iraq?

[Vilya]

It's all for show, he's gonna be protected 24hrs in a bunker and after the tour he will ge a promotion.

 

[the_ultimate_evil]

just throwing this out, if he doesnt go doesn't that send a message that he's worth more than the soliders who has already gone and given there lives

 

[Iceman]

I'm mixed on it. On one hand, I think his intentions are good and I applaude his desire to serve his country.

On the other hand, the higher ups will be under strict orders to not actually let him do any real work which makes him sort of useless over there, not to mention there is increased risk by having him there. He will be a prime target to the insurgency.

Imagine a Prince of England being decapitated on Al-Jazeera. Not to mention his unit will be in additional danger. I dunno. I'm mixed.

Horrific thought.

My views are also mixed. I support the notion of him wanting to go and serve alongside the colleagues he's been training with but his presence will probably hamper more than benefit the military effort. One possible justification would be the potential motivational effect on other soldiers of him being involved on the front lines. I'd be worried that resources would be wasted in protecting him and some soldiers would consider taking a bullet for him just because of who he is.

 

[Harlekin]

just throwing this out, if he doesnt go doesn't that send a message that he's worth more than the soliders who has already gone and given there lives

Funny thing is, he is worth more. Maybe not to you or me, but in the grander picture, he is worth more than your typical soldier. It's just asking for trouble, really.

Everybody knows that already anyway, so I see no problem in conforming the fact.

 

[Kyalesyin]

He's only the spare part. Unless something happens to his brother, we don't really need him...

Saying that, I wouldn't want to be the wife [or indeed, husband] of one of the soldiers defending him.

 

[Harlekin]

Well, obviously, William is even more important, but that doesn't mean Harry should just leap into the fray, and get killed or captured after a day or two.

 

[the_ultimate_evil]

Funny thing is, he is worth more. Maybe not to you or me, but in the grander picture, he is worth more than your typical soldier. It's just asking for trouble, really.

Everybody knows that already anyway, so I see no problem in conforming the fact.

but he's not, outside the army maybe he is(but thats another whole debate), once he agrees to put on the uniform, then he is worth just as much as every other person who has done or will put on the uniform, if he's worth so much more than your average joe solider then dont let him join the army

look at his uncle prince andrew the queen insisted he join his naval platoon at least he fought in the falklands as a piolt and flew a load of missions

 

[Harlekin]

It's impossible to seperate the man from the uniform in this case. He will always be Prince Harry, rather than Pvt. Harry (or whatever rank he holds at this moment). Most members of European royal families have some sort of military rank (our own crown prince Willem-Alexander holds rank in just about every military department). Harry's dad, Charles, also holds a few ranks.

I can garantuee you however that they were always considered not only a top priority, but more a member of the royal family than they ever were considered a fellow soldier.

There is nothing wrong with him joining the army, as it probably toughened him quite a bit and smacked some sense into him (which, as we know, he sorely needed). It's just plain irresponsible and dangerous to send him into war.

 

[darwinwins]

of course he should. and were he to be killed, it would pretty much guarantee blair being kicked out of office and a population bent on his death. which is fitting all things considered. hell there might even be a ripple effect and causes distress on the other side of the ocean, further isolating the states. thanks a lot blair and bush!

 

[Kyalesyin]

I'm not even sure who's side you're on...

 

[Harlekin]

I'm not even sure who's side you're on...

Darwinwins or me?

 

[Kyalesyin]

Darwinwins or me?

Darwinwins

 

[Harlekin]

Ah, that did make the most sense.

 

[logansoldcigar]

I'm mixed on it. On one hand, I think his intentions are good and I applaude his desire to serve his country.

On the other hand, the higher ups will be under strict orders to not actually let him do any real work which makes him sort of useless over there, not to mention there is increased risk by having him there. He will be a prime target to the insurgency. Imagine a Prince of England being decapitated on Al-Jazeera. Not to mention his unit will be in additional danger. I dunno. I'm mixed.

Yeah, if the royal family get beheaded it should be on BBC1. Come the revolution and all that

Now for the serious answer:

No he shouldnt. Not cos he is worth more than any individual soldier, but because he isnt. 11 other men will be put in an even higher level of danger, as if dodging the USAF isnt enough, simply cos he is with them.
And you know if he did go, it wouldnt be the locals that get him..it will, absolutely will, be some gung ho halfwit in an A10 warthog, that cant tell the difference between "dont shoot yet, we want to clarify who they are", and "yes, you can shoot at them" that does the deed.

Of course, him getting caught and tortured (and i mean more than "they took my Ipod and called me Mr Bean) would go a long way towards getting some public support for the stupid war (one for the conspiracy bods there )

 

[lazur]

Well, obviously, William is even more important, but that doesn't mean Harry should just leap into the fray, and get killed or captured after a day or two.

Huh? Why are any of these royal family brats, up to and including the queen and/or king, in England important or "necessary"? England doesn't "need" a royal family. The only thing they DO is project an image of over indulgence. The royal family is to England what Hollywood is to America - just a bunch of spoiled rich people who serve no purpose but to get headlines and "be outspoken" about their various meaningless lives and/or causes. They're celebrities - nothing more - and being celebrities doesn't make them any more important than anyone else, unless you're a mindless "fan".

 

[Harlekin]

Huh? Why are any of these royal family brats, up to and including the queen and/or king, in England important or "necessary"? England doesn't "need" a royal family. The only thing they DO is project an image of over indulgence. The royal family is to England what Hollywood is to America - just a bunch of spoiled rich people who serve no purpose but to get headlines and "be outspoken" about their various meaningless lives and/or causes. They're celebrities - nothing more - and being celebrities doesn't make them any more important than anyone else, unless you're a mindless "fan".

I never said they were necessary. They are important though. They've got an incredibly huge fanbase among the public, and they are indeed comparable to celebrities. Sending Brad Pitt out on a military mission in Iraq would be just as dumb. Their stardom and importance to the public make them more important, because they are fuel to the enemy's oil.

Having them be captured or killed directly effects morale, and puts more people in danger than is necessary.

 

[lazur]

I never said they were necessary. They are important though. They've got an incredibly huge fanbase among the public, and they are indeed comparable to celebrities. Sending Brad Pitt out on a military mission in Iraq would be just as dumb. Their stardom and importance to the public make them more important, because they are fuel to the enemy's oil.

Having them be captured or killed directly effects morale, and puts more people in danger than is necessary.

We see this differently. I would not be in favor off any celebrity going into combat in this scenario, but NOT because I view them as "more important". They are NOT any more important than you or me. What they ARE is more visible. What they ARE is famous. That fame and visibility would put others in more danger than usual, and for that reason ALONE I wouldn't want them anywhere NEAR other soldiers.

Fame/visibility does not = MORE IMPORTANT. It does, however, = GREATER DANGER to themselves and those around them.

 

[Mr. Credible]

Is it fair to the other troops who are now in extra danger? His presence doesnt' even help the war effort. It actually hurts it.

how would they be in extra danger, though? i see your point and all, but think of it this way: the insurgents aren't going to know what troop the prince is in, and it's not like they are going to see a troop, whisper among eachother "so do you see prince harry? no?" then move on to the next. they're going to kill them no matter what.

 

[Harlekin]

We see this differently. I would not be in favor off any celebrity going into combat in this scenario, but NOT because I view them as "more important". They are NOT any more important than you or me. What they ARE is more visible. What they ARE is famous. That fame and visibility would put others in more danger than usual, and for that reason ALONE I wouldn't want them anywhere NEAR other soldiers.

Fame/visibility does not = MORE IMPORTANT. It does, however, = GREATER DANGER to themselves and those around them.

Pure semantics then, really. I don't consider Harry more important than myself, but his fame/visibility means he's more important to keep alive/out of enemy hands.