troung

February 6, 2006 Monday

HEADLINE: SAS to mind Harry on royal guard duty

The Sunday Times

BYLINE: David Leppard

London

PRINCE Harry is to be guarded by his own detachment of SAS soldiers during military operations abroad, under plans being considered by Britain's Ministry of Defence.

The prince, third in line to the throne, is likely to require at least a three-man or four-man SAS unit to protect him, because he is considered a terrorist target when on military duty abroad.

Senior army officers are in talks with aides at Clarence House, the royal London residence, on the most effective way to protect Harry.

Some officers involved in the talks have expressed opposition to the plan, saying it will divert SAS resources from their duties.

But military commanders have been presented with a dilemma after the prince, due to complete his officer training at Sandhurst in April, said he was determined to go on operations and be treated as normally as possible.

The ministry confirmed that Harry, 21, would take on the post of a troop commander in the Blues and Royals, a regiment of the Household Cavalry.

But officials played down reports the prince would be sent to Iraq next year. A spokesman said no decision had been made about the deployment of British forces to Iraq. However, he added: ''If his squadron does go to Iraq, he will probably go with it.''

As a troop commander, the prince will have the rank of cornet, in charge of 11 men and four light tanks. He will be given control of his own Scimitar armoured vehicle.

The tanks are part of reconnaissance formations that serve as the furthest forward -- and most vulnerable -- units in a battle area. Their job is to act as the army's eyes and ears, operating ahead of the troops, and gathering intelligence about the movement of enemy forces.

Any SAS unit given the job of protecting the prince would have to travel alongside his unit in a separate vehicle.

SAS troops traditionally act as bodyguards when members of the royal family, the prime minister and other senior ministers visit danger areas such as Iraq, Kosovo or Northern Ireland.

But military experts say it is unprecedented for the elite regiment to be asked to take part in permanent protection duty involving royals on military operations abroad. They point out that Harry would have plenty of protection around him in his own army unit, and said it would not be the best use of the SAS regiment's valuable skills.

However, the ministry is aware of the risks Harry would be taking in combat zones.

''The army wouldn't want to take the blame if the third in line to the British throne got wiped out,'' an official said.

A spokesman for Clarence House said he could not discuss the protection arrangements.

LOAD-DATE: February 5, 2006

Dreadnought

He should get no special treatment Royalty or not. If he cant stand on his own two feet then dont send him and keep him at home. He will pose a security risk to the rest of his mates that will have to play nurse maid to him knowing that some day he may become King or be held responsible if he was to get killed. IMO its not fair to the men in his regiment. The less they watch him the more they can watch their own butts from getting shot off and aggresively do their jobs. If he wants to play dress up keep him at home where he is safe and not a worry to the Brits or to Allied friendly fire.

*Heres a good question for them... Even know this may never happen.

What if he were to be captured? What would the Brits do then? IMO They would concede to whatever the terrorists wanted. After all who would want to be responsible if he were killed and they didnt do everything in their power to save a future King of England. The Brits would be forced to release every prisoner they hold to get him back and pay as well. Making it that much more dangerous for Americas and the other Allied countries troops.

IMO its unfair to all the Allied nations troop safety if the allow him to go.
They don't need him do not send him. We dont need the headlines for the Media to extort. And as well ease the burdens of those who have to watch him.
Keep him in England where he belongs! Keep the dog and pony show at home!

dave angel

staggeringly unlikely that young Harry will get a gang of jedi to look after him, after all he's in a fecking tank surrounded by 30 of his own soldiers. good as the jedi are, armoured warfare isn't their scene or forte.

its all a tabloid make-up story to get 'SAS' onto the front page.

people talk about the increased security risk of having him as the No.1 target for every jihadi for a thousand miles, well they might have a point, but if you stick someone on top of a tank and then drive them around the desert for a few days i thinks its very unlikely that their own mother would recognise them, let alone some 'tard with a three year old photo of a very clean young man.

the only issue of potential concern is that his elder brother, William, is also joining the Army - he's just gone to Sandhurst - and therefore the second and third in-line to the throne will both be members of an Army at war, so its quite likely that they won't be able to go on operations at the same time, they'll have to be alternated, but with courses, garrison duty and roulement that shouldn't be an insurmountable obsticle.

edited to add:

i don't think that we are open to the type of blackmail you suggest, both have spoken about understanding the risks they run, not just as officers, but as officers who are also Royals.

is it a risk, yes, everything is a risk but i doubt this conversation hasn't been had at a more senior level.

__________________
before criticizing someone, walk a mile in their shoes.................... then when you do criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

Dreadnought

i don't think that we are open to the type of blackmail you suggest, both have spoken about understanding the risks they run, not just as officers, but as officers who are also Royals.

IMO that would be the true test of wether the crown would influence British forces or the Prime Minister himself. I would almost bet the farm on it that they would concede fearing for his life and their future heir to the throne (Officer or not).
In a way you couldnt blame them. But in others you can.

You have to admit when the Queen passes Charles will not be King for that long of a period unless something happens to his sons. Charles probably wont see the throne for another 10 years is my guess in which he will be 10 years older as well.
William and Harry ofcoarse will follow and until they have children the immediate heirs to the throne end there. IMO they arent/wont be willing to risk the future of the British monarchy over this. (We all know they dont rule England but on the prestiegeous note they will insure a monarchy continues as it has for centuries past) And if they were to send him whatever happens (to himself or the officers that protect him) they can only blame themselves for putting him out there where he certainly dont belong.

Parihaka

Exactly.
Prince Edward and his helicopter was used as missile bait during the Faulklands. The Royal family refused to leave London during the Blitz. As absurd as it seems the duty of a Royal is to lead. They'll sacrifice em if they have to.

lemontree

If Prince Harry is joining a Recce & Support unit then what good are the SAS team with him. The poor chaps will have to travel either on his tank or in a separate APC behind him. The Scimitar is quite vulnerable though, maybe they should request an Abrams issued to his unit especially for him .

__________________

Cheers!...on the rocks!!

Dreadnought

To me its just going to be a horse and pony show. A poor choice to send him to Iraq. Another high price target for any extremeist that happens to own a gun in Iraq and another high price target for snipers. And hopefully just hopefully none of his nursemaids will pay for having to watch his bum with their own lives when it could certainly be avoided to begin with.

They'll sacrifice em if they have to.

Only if hes already dead. If they stand a chance at saving him trust me they will give up the crown jewels to get him back no matter what they have to do or who they have to befreind. As I stated above "A poor choice and yet an avoidable one". Just my opinion but we have already seen this done by the Italians so its very possible as far as scenario wise. This person was not of royalty as Harry is. You cant deny this hasnt already happened atleast once.

Prince Edward and his helicopter was used as missile bait during the Faulklands.

Key word missle bait.
Harry would be a definate target to any sniper, insurgent attack, car bomb, IED, etc. in that dessert or any of those dessert towns. Even know the Brits may kill the sniper his toll will have already been taken if anyone of them gets a shot at Harry.

How much of a target would he become after the tapes of these Brits gets out?

These people arent dumb you put a high level prize in front of them and they will jump at the chance to get it. Wether it costs them their lives or not they will try their best to add a high profile target such as Harry to their Kill list further discouraging the Brits alliance in this conflict. So from the get go lets show some brains before we end up regreting the choice of sending him there irregardless of who his nursemaids are.

Parihaka

I will buy the argument that he has an increased risk of being a target, and therefore places his unit at greater risk, as for the rest, the ability of the insurgents to id him would be pretty minimal I would have thought.