Prince Harry serving in Afghanistan, British officials say
The Associated Press
Thursday, February 28, 2008 LONDON: Prince Harry has been deployed to fight Taliban forces in one of Afghanistan's most lawless and barren provinces, Britain's Ministry of Defense said Thursday.
His tour is arguably the most dangerous undertaken by any royal in recent times.
British military officials had hoped to keep the 23-year-old's deployment secret until he had returned safely. But following a leak on the U.S. Web site the Drudge Report, video and interviews recorded with the young royal in Afghanistan's restive Helmand Province and in Britain before his departure were released.
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.
"I got here on Christmas Eve and going from bullet magnet to anti-bullet magnet, most of the guys were pretty bummed that I was here because nothing was happening for the first few days that I was here but things are picking up again now because it's obviously quite boring when nothing is happening," Harry said after he arrived in Afghanistan.
Although he is still in Afghanistan, military chiefs angry over the leak are considering his next move. Tours to Afghanistan usually last six months. Harry has served just 10 weeks.
"I will take advice from the operational commanders about whether his deployment can continue," said the head of the army. Gen. Richard Dannatt.
The young prince who has led a life of privilege spoke of going without showers for days, eating corned beef and hash, drinking nonalcoholic drinks and escaping from the relentless paparazzi in London.
Harry, the third in line to the throne, trained at Sandhurst military academy. He was supposed to be deployed to Iraq with his Blues and Royals regiment in May but his deployment was scrapped at the last minute because of security fears. Iraqi insurgent groups made threats to the prince on internet chat rooms, saying he would not make it back home alive.
He threatened to quit the army if he was not given the chance to see combat.
But then his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, delivered the news.
"She told me I'm off to Afghanistan so that was the way it was supposed to be," he said in an interview in Afghanistan, his hair coated with dust and his face in stubble. "She was very 'pro' me going then so I think she's relieved that I get the chance to do what I want to do," he said. He says he tries to phone home once a week.
Harry said his older brother, William, who also graduated from Sandhurst, is jealous of his deployment. William, the second in line for the throne, is unlikely to see such front line action.
Harry, 23, has been fighting in Helmand province, where most of the 7,800 British troops in Afghanistan are based. The province has been the scene of some the fiercest violence in Afghanistan in recent years.
It is a key battleground for the Taliban and al-Qaida militants who remain engaged in bloody battles there with NATO-led forces. The close-quarters combat in Helmand has been described as the most challenging British forces have been engaged in since the Korean war. British and enemy positions have at times been separated by just a few yards (meters).
Harry's work in Afghanistan has involved calling in airstrikes on Taliban positions, as well as going out on foot patrols. He has spent part of his deployment at an operating base just 500 meters (yards) from Taliban positions, the military said.
During his deployment, Harry's battle group has been responsible for around 30 enemy kills, a defense ministry official said, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with department policy.
Harry's uncle, Prince Andrew, was the last royal to see major combat when he flew helicopters in the Falklands war.
The royal family was told of Harry's whereabouts, he said during an interview in Afghanistan with pool reporters.
"It's bizarre," he said. "I'm out here now, haven't really had a shower for four days, haven't washed my clothes for a week and everything seems completely normal. .. It's nice just to be here with all the guys and just mucking in as one of the lads."
Before his posting, Harry had been better known in the British tabloids for his love of the nightclub dance floors and was pictured more than once scuffling with photographers waiting for his often boozy exit. But Dannatt described Harry's performance in the harsh battlefield's of southern Afghanistan as exemplary.
"He has been fully involved in operations and has run the same risks as everyone else in his battle group," Dannatt said.
While his deployment to Iraq drew criticism that he would be putting his fellow soldiers in danger, many welcomed the news of his Afghanistan deployment.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown said "the whole of Britain will be proud of the outstanding service he is giving."
Video extracts of Harry in Afghanistan showed Harry his red hair caked in dust dressed in camouflage fatigues patrolling arid and dusty terrain, calling in air support, firing a machine gun and patrolling the streets of Garmsir, the southernmost part of the province and just 500 yards (meters) from Taliban trenches.
Harry has since left Garmsir. Details of his current whereabouts have been kept secret by officials.
Harry had 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.
British troops have seen heavy fighting against a resurgent Taliban in Helmand, and 89 British troops have died there since the start of operations in 2001.
Posted by: NPD108
Good for him
Posted by: WaterPistola
i read this thread wrong, "Prince has Harry Balls", but good for him
Posted by: justanotherparatrooper
The ass clown that reported this story should be beaten!
Posted by: KozmoKramer
Harry has more balls than 3/4 of our elected...
I'm really impressed with what I've read and watched on the news. The kids a warrior.
Posted by: irish937
JAP is right, this article endangers everyone in his unit that much more. This nitwit author just put the Taliban and every other terrorist group on notice that there is a high profile target in a combat unit somewhere. Guess who they're looking for now?? Smart.
Posted by: Cinderella
Prince Harry aborts Afghan mission after web leak
Emergency plans to extract Prince Harry from Afghanistan are being drawn up today after the news leaked that he had been on a secret combat tour in Helmand province since before Christmas (writes Michael Evans, Defence Editor, and Philippe Naughton).
We are proud of u Harry well done! and F*ck the low life who leaked the story!!
Posted by: GodblessThearmy
Godspeed to him, he is a brave chap. Wonder if his vet status with bump him to the top of the list for the throne <- humor hehe.
Posted by: justanotherparatrooper
Now he has the time to find out who leaked it and beat the crap out of him
Posted by: kwflatbed
Britain: Harry's Afghan deployment over
By D'ARCY DORAN, Associated Press Writer 40 minutes ago
LONDON - Britain's defense chief decided Friday to immediately pull Prince Harry out of Afghanistan after news of his deployment was leaked on the U.S. Web site the Drudge Report.
Air Chief Marshal Jock Stirrup, chief of the Defense Staff, said he decided to withdraw the prince after senior commanders assessed the risks, the Defense Ministry said in a statement.
Harry, third in line to the British throne, has been serving on the front line with an army unit in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province since mid-December. He was originally due to return to Britain within weeks, but "the situation has now clearly changed," the statement said.
The decision was based on concerns that worldwide media coverage of Harry in Afghanistan could put him and his comrades at increased risk.
The ministry asked the media not to speculate on Harry's location — or how and when he would return — until he was back in Britain.
British officials had hoped to keep Prince Harry's deployment secret until he had safely returned, but they released video of him serving in Helmand Province after the leak appeared on the Drudge Report.
The ministry deplored the leak by "elements of the foreign media."
"However, this was a circumstance that we have always been aware of and one for which we have had contingency plans in place," the statement said.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the prince had demonstrated that he was an exemplary young officer. "The whole of Britain will be proud of the outstanding service he is giving," he said.
Harry, 23, is the first royal to serve in a combat zone since his uncle Prince Andrew flew helicopters during Britain's war with Argentina over the Falkland Islands in 1982.
Tours to Afghanistan usually last six months; Harry has served 10 weeks.
Harry conceded in an interview filmed last week that when he returns to Britain he could be a "top target" for Islamic terrorists.
"Once this ... comes out, every single person that supports them will be trying to slot me," he said.
The deployment plan had been disclosed to reporters, with no specific date, but was not reported previously because of an 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.
Harry was supposed to go to Iraq with the Blues and Royals regiment in May last year but the assignment was canceled because of security fears. Iraqi insurgents made threats on Internet chat rooms, saying he would not make it home alive.
Harry trained at Sandhurst military academy and joined the Blues and Royals as a cornet, the cavalry regiment's equivalent of a second lieutenant. After being held back from his Iraq assignment, the prince threatened to quit the army if he was not given the chance to see combat.
Harry said his older brother, William, who also graduated from Sandhurst and is training as a military pilot, is jealous of his deployment. As Britain's likely future king, Prince William is unlikely ever to see combat.
Helmand province is where most of the 7,800 British soldiers in Afghanistan are based. It has seen some of the country's fiercest combat in recent years, with NATO-led forces fighting the Taliban and al-Qaida militants.
Harry's work in Afghanistan has involved calling in airstrikes on Taliban positions as well as going out on foot patrols. He spent part of his deployment at a base 500 yards from Taliban positions, the military said.
Since Harry's arrival, his battle group has been responsible for around 30 enemy deaths, a Ministry of Defense official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the information. Video showed the prince in camouflage fatigues walking across arid and dusty terrain, calling in air support, firing a machine gun and patrolling the streets of Garmsir, the southernmost part of the province. He has since left Garmsir, and his current whereabouts are being kept secret.
Have to admit...these Royals are leading by example, good for them!
Posted by: justanotherparatrooper
Id be so friggin pissed if I was him, he obviously has a warriors heart and wasnt asking for favorable treatment...to get pulled because some asshat "had" to report his presense must really burn his ass.
Posted by: pahapoika
hope that reporter catches a stray bullet. he put allot of men in danger for a frigging news story
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