To think that Prince Harry is putting soldier's lives at risk and shouldn't be on active service

[wiggofan]

Relieved to hear that he's safe after the recent attack and "his life was never in danger" but this isn't likely to be much comfort to the relatives of the two soldiers killed.

Yes, it's clear from the Channel 4 reporting that the Taliban hit Leatherhead and the US guarded area perimeter. Neither places to find British personnel. And for the first 10 hours, there was no mention of any Brit. It's propaganda. Unless their mysteriously alluded to 'sources' within Bastion are really, really bad of course.

And the Mohammed film protests spread globally (even to Sydney yesterday) on or around the 11Sept anniversary.

Last time, they didn't announce he was there until the Aussies broke it, and then they yanked him out sharpish. Which in some ways, let Al Queda win the PR war and kind of dictated policy - if any target would get too much credibility to the Taliban or whoever, we won't let them serve there. Which is kind of ridiculous when you think about it. So this time, they've gone the other way. Everyone knows he's there, and it is a base they'd attack anyway whether we like it or not (though I think winter isn't far off, which tends too cool the action down a bit). It does make the British public pay more attention as well to the fact that we are still out there fighting.

I'm glad at least that a family in some sort of power is willing to have their families serve and take the risks of war they ask others to do on their behalf. I'm not noticing Blair's or any other MP's children out there fighting. Bit like that Michael Moore take where he notices that no US Senators children were serving in Iraq.

Good point about having the children of the decision makers choosing themselves to serve. It makes me think of the Parker family - the father was a very senior general and his son came back from Afghanistan minus a limb. There is no way the British top brass will overlook the effect on families; I do sometimes wonder about the politicians.

"""""He joined the armed forces to fight for his country, just like every other serving soldier. My cousin was in the forces in the 80s and just missed out on the Iraq war (the first one). He was rather pissed off that he spent 10 years training to not put his skills to use.""""

I have a problem with this attitude. I would have have thought you join the army to defend your country and provide all the other things that armies do in peacetime. If all else fails and you have to go to war I would say its unfortunate, something to be done with a degree of regret, not something to aspire to.

But WANTING to go to war? To be "pissed of " at "just missing" the Iraq war. If you want want to put your training to use, you perform as well as you possibly can in training so that you are ready to go to war if you need to. The real thing, putting all that training into practice, with live rounds, means taking up arms to kill other human beings. I really dont think the oportunity to kill people or be killed is something to aspire to, its something to be undertaken with regret.

My brother is out there at the moment. He was at sandhurst with Harry and has always felt that Harry should be able to use his training and do his job, just as any other soldier does/wants to.

Yabu

He shouldnt be there. Our soldiers are dying because he's there and they said they will be more attacks. Prince Harry shouldnt be there end of.

Everyone joins for different reasons. Some really want to go to war. Some want to serve Queen and country in any needed capacity. Some couldn't find another job suited to their skills. Bit like any other job, really (in terms of variety of reasons for taking it. I'm not aware of any of my colleagues hoping they'll get to fight in a war.) So long as they do the job professionally, whatever job that is, I don't think it is my place to complain about the attitudes of soldiers wanting to go to war. For most of history, that's all that defending queen and country meant, and is definitely still what they're trained to do, even during peacetime.

From the reports I've heard from various military friends is that Harry is VERY good at his job & well thought of.

The Apaches are bloody expensive bits of kit that are tricky to fly, no way on this earth would they let him loose flying one unless he'd passed the training properly.

No soldier wants to kill but having the opportunity to actually put your training into practice I can understand. Particularly when you are accused of being a waste of space & not having a proper job all the time.