If that is what he wants to do so let him…He is not putting anyone in “more danger”, its a war zone so they have to be prepared anyways, it’s their job.
The Royal Family will always be a target no matter where they are, I dont think he being there makes him more of a target. The Taliban has showed us enough times that we dont have to facilitate anything, if they want to do something, they will regardless. Lets all remember 09/11.

I am not very happy with you reporting on the fact that Prinz Harry is in Afghanistan don’t people realize how much danger this puts onto the British Forces who are serving out there and Prinz Harry. By reporting this you have put everyone serving in Afghanistan in to extra danger. I really think that this should have been kept quiet our guys don’t need that extra pressure out there. What will you feel like when the Taliban ups their attacks out there and people end up being killed because of it?

I whish that the media would think a little bit more before they release these stories. Just think about the poor soldiers who risk they lives out there we should try to help them not make it harder!!

It is unbelieble that the American, Australian & Germans break this news the Americans have their soldiers are out there as well and have probable put their own soldiers in danger as well now. What are they thinking off? It is totally irresponsible to release this story now.

In regards to Prinz Harry I have only one thing to say. Good on him for doing what he is trained to do I always thought that he would do his job when he had too. Just let him get on with what he wants to do and respect his decision to go out there!

I hope for your sake that this is not going to end up with lots of soldiers getting killed because I would not like to have that on my conscience.

Gaby

my respect for the royal family was lost long ago after the Queen showed she can’t do her job properly. However, I think that the media is more to blame here than Harry. Total irresponsible reporting once again - it will only be a matter of time before the media is censored and breaking this story is one step towards censorship.

It is about time the media realised that its freedom is dependent upon the state and not a god given right. I don’t want to see it censored but if it keeps running stories that puts people’s lives at risk (no matter who they are) then they are going to get censored in the future.

Does the public really have a right to know every step Harry makes? I don’t think so, he is nothing special so why bother with him.

If I was the royal family or the military I would put a complete embargo on the media. No more stories from the Royal Palace or MoD, no more photo opportunities, no more press releases, no more exclusives… etc. Play the media like that horrible Maggie Thatcher. Those who play ball get a story, those who don’t get put in the cold. Copyright the word MoD, all military personnel, and the members of the Royal family, anyone running an unauthorised story or photo gets sued for breach of copyright.

I’m a US Army Captain serving in Iraq right now on my second tour.
Do I think better of him now? Certainly!
Is he harming his unit? Hell No!
What happened to British Courage? I think you can see that it is Safe and Sound if Prince Harry is any indication! His unit has a leader who gives them an additional reason to fight that much harder. The British people should be proud and support him, not like that dolt who’s complaining about risks. As one man said, they are in a war zone anyway. I’d hope that someone of royal birth would at least show courage and try to act like it.
I know I’m just an American to you, but let me tell you: what motivation that would be to know that a man who never has to put his life in danger is willing to serve alongside me. If he performs well then what trust I’d have in him as a future leader.
Is there anyone that has not made a fool of himself at some point in his life? Undoubtedly the standard is set higher for this young man from birth simply because he is a Prince. He is doing an exemplary job of proving his mettle, doing what most good young men do and that is learn from past mistakes.
It is never too late to do the right thing.

You only get one run at life, and if Harry wants part of his life to be fighting in a war who are we to stop him? Yes, he’s been born privilidged, but that’s no reason to block him from trying to to do with his life what he feels is right for him. Imagine if someone said to you “you’re not allowed to do that, because your family name is xxxx”. No one would want to stand for it!

We’re all humans after all, social standing in my view should not preclude people from doing whatever they feel they should. If someone on hard times with no home wants to sign up and fight then they shouldn’t be stopped either.

As far as the taliban/enemy upping their attacks - news reports seem to suggest that they’re already going pretty hell for leather. If they became reckless in their wish to kill one man that might even work in the allies favour? Who can say? Us civilians have basically no clue what’s happening on the ground out there, so I don’t think we are in a position judge what difference one man being present in a warzone will make? Guess work serves no real purpose

Good for the prince and the royal family.
I applaud them for taking up the glove of challenge that’s been thrown in the face of every peace loving country in the world on a such a personal level. This is the act of a man who is unwilling to hide behind the castle moat and faces adversity in spirit of his forefathers.
You can’t be a great leader unless you’re willing to get your hands dirty and work side by side with the people you’re leading.

I don’t have a strong belief in the meia and what’s published - epecially tabloid stories. Alot of the media today is about sensationalism and the bottonm line. However, I hold the media houses who engaged in the embargo in high esteem; they were able to understand the sensitivity of the situation and how the early release of the story could endanger not only Prince Harry but also his team.
He was able to do the job he was out there to do without any additional fear or burden and I’m proud to see that.

I did not previously have an opinion of Harry, but the fact that he is serving in Afghanistan as a regular soldier makes me admire his courage.

An agreement by certain high level media personnel to keep a story such as this private — a story that potentially saves lives if kept quiet, and offers no benefit whatsoever to anyone finding out about it while Harry is still deployed(except the Taliban who might want to target Harry or his peers; or the media because they might sell more product on the day such a story becomes public) shows that at least some people in the media have principles and ethics.

I think that blindly claiming the public has the right to know every detail of everyone’s life is the easy way out for the media. If journalists want to be considered as serious prefessionals, not just entertainers out to make a quick buck on being the first one to report some irrelevent detail of a famous person’s private life, then they have to exercise some judegement and discretion in what they print and when. Every other profession is expected to deal with personal information in an appropriate manner, why not entertainers…um, I mean jornalists?

I find it interesting that the media is having such a problem with this. Historically, it doesn’t depart from the “norm”. Gossip mongering is typical in any culture, and the first to open their mouths is usually seen as the authority on the subject no matter how grievous the errors in judgment may be. I find fault though in the manner of how it was reported. As a public figure, a possible monarch, what he is doing is participating, instead of watching, which his countrymen should be honored to see. Which if the media was trying to inspire, then it was done in the name of pride; however it was more likely for the greed value. The fact that it was reported during his deployment only brings about a target to the backs of his fellows in arms that he marches with. So, for just getting the exclusive, at the expense of his regiment, at the expense of the other lives of those around him, I think that the same media should be responsible for writing the family letters should the regiment be targeted any more than they already have stepped in the way for. This is what the media’s dilemma should be about.

I now admire Prince Harry, but it is sad that misguided journalists have leaked this info, putting lives at an even greater risk.

What about our troops with him - are they better equipped and do they have a plentiful supply of food and water now that he is there?

He is fighting against terrorists. In my personal opinion he is growing
up so it´s a good sign for UK. An excellent person could lead a great
nation

I just read on another site that it was the infamous Drudge Report site that was stupid enough to release this information.

This is war. You do NOT release deployment information, etc. to the press. Do these idiots not think that the enemy reads the web as well?

I think Prince Harry being in combat is actually good; so few leaders leave their guilded cages (look at Prez. Bush).

The problem is that leaking this information does put greater peril on the men (including Harry) in the squad. What should be done is for the British government to track everybody involved in the leak and quite frankly, punish them. This doesn’t fall under ‘freedom of the press.’ This falls under arrogance and stupidity. Neither are an excuse for what they did; any judge will tell you that before they sentence someone to jail.

Better yet, take the ‘reporters’ who released this news and send them to Afghanistan for six months!

Since I posted my view this morning, the government have compounded the farce by bringing Harry home. The Taliban will be having a bit of a giggle around their campfires tonight.

What a pathetic grovelling sycophantic media we have. Harry is no more important than any other young man - drop it and report news - things of significance to humanity.

Full marks to the media, full marks to Prince Harry.
Forget the Father, forget the elder Brother, Harry for King I say!!!

I feel the United Kingdom should be very proud of Prince Harry (he would probably just want to be called Harry). He is I feel a very outstanding person & has a lot more than the rest of his family. In so many ways such as standing out & stating what & how he feels & what he wants in life. Just like his mother. His father for Heavens sake would never have the courage that his son has. Harry’s father I feel is NOT MUCH OF A MAN. He should be very proud of his son & show some strength like his sons. His son Harry is very much a MAN & I feel if Harry ever becomes King he will be able to run his country better because of how he is & the experience & time he has spent over there fighting just like the other guys. Her has real feelings & understands things so much more than teh rset of his family. Harry should be very proud of himself & I know he does thank his mother every day but so should his father because if it was not for Princess Diana can you imagine what kind of sons he would of had possibly just like him & his wife know. Wimps just standing behind Queen Elizabeth & doing what is told & never questioning anything. Those boys I feel are so lucky to have the mother the have it is just awful they could not of been older when it there mother died. But they were taught by there mother Diana thank goodness so that is we can thank for the way they turned out. Completely different than the rest of there family. I am VERY PROUD of BOTH of THEM I am not From England but do have some of that heritage. I have a feeling he might go back over becsue of his strong beliefs. But no matter what I wish those boys the best of everything not in needs because they have all that but in there beliefs that they have inside of them. I wish there father could have just a drop of courage that Harry’s has. But he is who he is & will never change just hope & pray that there father never becomes King. I think some things should be keep private & this should have never been released of his presence over there. I am sorry for Harry that he was not able to stay his tour as he wished. As you can telll I am VERY VERY EXTREMELY PROUD OF HIM & I am sure his brother is also. I also am very proud of how close the brothers are. They seem like they are always there for each other. Thank goodness because I don’t feel the rest of there family understnds them or would be there for them or even try to understand them. They never understood Diana unfortunately she was the best thing that could have ever happened to the Royal Family. They should also be very thankful for her & I do have to say there father also but it was mainly Diana we all need to be thankful for becsue if not for her the beliefs she had her courage, wisdom, passsion, caring, integrity, love & so much more. The boys would not be who they are. Thank goodness for Daina & the boys the Royal Family has fianlly have a reason to be proud of there family. GO BOYS DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good for Harry. I think he’s shown real grit and determination to do what he believes is right, and I commend him for it, even though I am opposed to our hyper-militarized western society at this point in history.

It is at least better, in my opinion, that he fought in a war of some actual consequence unlike Iraq which is a giant sham brought on by two people, George W. Bush and Tony Blair.

As for the media… Of COURSE they blew the deal and put soldiers at risk. They are only interested in one thing and one thing only: MAKING MONEY. No story is off-limits especially if it means they will get ratings to appease advertisers. We truly have lost out on a great deal of independent and investigative media and our society has clearly been suffering as a result. Thank God for blogs.

EVERYONE should boycott Matt Drudge’s stupid website. It’s not news, it is not even a blog, it is simply biased sensationalist crap that is typically just re-posted from other sources. His original reporting is almost always un-sourced, unproven, smear-campaign-type stuff that contributes absolutely nothing of value (case in point, the photo of Obama wearing Somali tribal attire).

PLEASE BOYCOTT DRUDGE.

Well SOME Taliban may be having a ‘giggle’ after the UK Military flew him out of the country, but I can guarantee you others are right now urging militant Muslims in London to try and kill him - the infidel who dared attack them.

Its not over yet.

This war against militant Islam is going to go on for 100 more years.

He’s a young man doing what he has been trained to do in a Professional Army that all citizens of the United Kingdom should be proud of (but shamefully often are not)

As an ex full career soldier in HM Forces I would urge the former US Officers not to bicker about whether lives were placed at additional risk. Take the squabbling elsewhere, any division is divisive and that is our weakness; the militant Islamic terrorist knows this and thrives on it.

The question was aimed at our opinion of this young man.

The answer should be based on the following end state in that we should always have the utmost respect for any young man who shows the dedication, commitment and courage to fight for our country. Whether your opinion has changed therefore should simply be a case of yes or no depending on your original position (assuming that you had one) in my case the answer is a resounding yes. ATFQ!

This is the best thing that has happened in this whole, sad war. Prince Hal finally got a brief vacation from the press. It’s a shame the story broke early and he didn’t get to finish his deployment. Welcome back!

Hey:

It’s an unjustified army occupying another sovernity like Afghanistan. Prince Harry is just another chess played by the politicians. Why he is so different from the ordinaries for with blue blood. If it is British national interests, he as a British, regardless of his “noble” identity, he should fight there with his colleagues. Pulling Harry back is just to say the royal playing the game of once being a soldiers. Harry, once being a playboy, is shamed to wear the army uniform. Don’t forget the royal member does not pay tax at all.

Harry is a soldier and should follow what his superiors tell him to do just like any other soldier. Just because he is a Prince should not make him stand out from other members of his regiments, especially for special consideration. They are doing their job and should be allowed to do so without interference from the media. As for the British media not reporting Harry’s deployment. It’s nice to know that some members of the media have ethics and consider the ramifications of their future actions. I wish our American media had such ethical standards.

I have developed a new admiration for the Prince. He has felt the call of honor and duty. He answered that call as many of his country-men have in the past; to put down evil wherever it may be. He has helped provide a freedom to a people that he, himself, will never get to enjoy as we do. He has made the UK proud and made a friend of freedom loving Americans such as me.

And yes Mike T., he fights for your right to belittle him and all he stands for. You are a class act.

Whilst it is good to see Harry growing up, I am appalled to see some part of the media feeding off Harry’s place of service.

Bringing Harry home was the only thing that could happen once his place of service was put into the public domain.

Personally I hope Harry enjoyed his freedom, and how ordinary people live in the UK and hope he never forget’s what makes the Great in Great Britain.

It is a pity that Harry chose to bring his body armour back from Afghanistan. We are told practically every day by the media that it is in short supply out there. The fact that he brought it back doesn’t change my opinion of him.

I think the Prince shuould be left alone and his willingnes to dothe job he trained for recognised and appreciated. What is it that makes the British knock anyone who steps above the rest? The palace was even acccused of staging the whole affair. How absurd. Staging something that would make the 3rd in line to the throne a target in a much worst way than the Rushdi book? When he could be sent to a soft mission like Cyprus?

I don’t think so. Good on you Harry!

I consider myself to be English and just lately I have found very little to be proud to be English about. However, after hearing about Prince Harry fighting along side many of my friends in Afghanistan I once again feel very proud to be from a country where even the Royal Family will work hard along side us normal folk doing a brave and noble job that would see many of us cowering in a corner.

I get really bored of hearing about how political this war is….. Our soliders are there because they have been told to go there… They do not need to be told that they are only there because of this and that and they are wrong for being there! They should be honoured for being willing to fight on orders of the country, and with a member of the Royal Family doing this also has really given me a reason to be proud of our tiny little islands.

Good luck to you all!

Me again. Yes, my opinion about Harry has changed from negative to positive.

It doesn’t change my opinion of Harry. It does, however, reinforce my opinion of how much a sleazebag Drudge is. He and Robert Novak: “I’ll be happy to help kill you if I can get the scoop.”

Personally, I find his willingness to try to be as \”normal\” as possible refreshing. This was important to him and he was qualified so, yeah! You go! On the other hand, the media has/had NO good reason to report his being in Afghanistan!!! That was way over the line to report it, not the other way around! He has a job to do and the media prevented his doing that job as safely and effectively as he might have done. Leave him alone and let him live his life somewhere other than under the microscope. Just because you CAN report something does not mean that it SHOULD be reported in the news. What ever happened to morals and self restraint? Apparently from many of the \”news\” stories I\’ve seen recently, that is something that most if not all journalists have forgotten.

the man did good, and then someone screwed it up for him. He is much more of a man than anyone else, since he went and would have stayed.

All this was just a photo op. Nothing more. Forget about this want a be soldier and remember the REAL men and woman out there fighting EVERYDAY who DON’T get their names on the front of papers or on breaking news headlines or can come home when they want. PHOTO OP.

Good on you Prince Harry - Now lets see if all the politicians and diplomats can send their sons to the war instead of voting for war and letting the economically disadvantaged be cannon fodder.

No, it does not change what I think of Harry. He works hard and plays hard, not like the totally useless newspaper people who spend all day making up the next lie.

As a US Marine and former member of the Army in Operation Desert Storm, all I can say is “well done Leftenant, well done for Queen and Country”

No, I have always loved Harry.

Matt Drudge is the poorest excuse for a journalist in the entire US, a real scumbag.

I believe in free speech and freedom of the press, but we defiantly need some kind of legislation to stop things like this leaking out. For far too long the press have had to much power esp in the UK. In fact we lost a princess because of it!!

To the retired Army Colonel. Well said. The media’s behaviour is appalling. But let’s face it, the media of today place circulation and sales way above responsibility and integrity and in my experience they very rarely get the facts straight. Once Britain was a nation that upheld the “careless talk costs lives” mantra now our media sees fit to “publish and be damned”. They take a very cavalier attitude to their responsibility in reporting a story and are quite happy to twist the facts to create headlines. I would go as far as to say that the media today do not believe they have a responsibility beyond that of reporting “the truth” (as they see it). They fail to acknowledge that what they write has far reaching, often negative, repercussions. In whose interests was it to report Harry’s frontline deployment? In my view, those of the Taliban only.

Harry, as an officer in the British Army, had every right to be serving on the frontline. Good on him for doing his job. But he is an unfortunately position thanks to the fickle nature of the media. They criticise him for being a playboy prince and in the next breath they then slate him for doing his job in Afghanistan The bloke can’t win. And now, thanks to the latest media circus, he never will.

This his is a cleverly contrived PR scam to purge the reputation of harry as a drunken groper of British wenches.To me he appears to be doing more publicity shoots than war fighting.Hero he is not.
harrys comment that he doesnt particularly like england will stand him in good stead in the future, when he applies for the job of
Australian GG which will give him access to cheap duty free booze and the chance to fondle the women of australias bunyip aristocracy.

I didnt have much time for Harry,as I thought he was the spoiled prince. However I have changed my mind about him now due to his stint in Iraq. He desperately wanted to go & “do his bit” & he went there quietly,not wanting a media frenzy around him. From the footage shown,he seemed to fit in well with all the soldiers around him & it is to his credit the way he has conducted himself through this episode. It was good to hear that for once the british press respected his wishes for silence around his time away. It is a pity that some members of the foreign press could not have also respected his wishes. Fair play to him for trying to to his bit & I hope he continues to show a good front to help his public image.

For whatever reason the young Harry has chosen to serve…serve he did. Deploying to war zones is a risky PR stunt and not one I am sure anyone would be willing to risk (just my opinion) Having him in the field is an added risk to those that serve with him. To say that it is not is ridiculous. Soldiers do not even salute offices in the field during war time for the very reason that identifying them in the open makes them a bigger target! Shame on the press for reporting his whereabouts and for not only further endangering his life but the lives of those with which he serves. Is war not already dangerous enough without painting a bullseye on someone?

Members of the British Royal Family should not be allowed to join any of the armed forces. They are, evidently, unable to serve as the job demands. Their training as such is yet another waste of taxpayers’ money.

With the spring offensive just around the corner and the Taliban gaining strength in the war, I think the cover was blown conveniently by the British defense department just to save the prince. This is a complete farce and a spin by the politicians to divert the world’s attention on a war that is so wrong in the first place. So if the Bushes and the Blairs and the Cheneys really believe in this war, I wonder how many of their offsprngs are fighting in it.
And this prince is unlike the princes and the knights of old who would lead their army in battles on their horses in the frontlines until the last drop of blood is shed.

For all you out there with such strong opinions, GOOD ON YOU HARRY. At least you are prepared to talk the talk and walk the walk. Wretched armchair warriors amongst you!