Who Has Respect For Prince Harry...

[rsmith6621]

.......and thinks that is a good example for political family's who send others children to WAR...

.....or was this a grand publicity stunt...

[babylonsister]

1. The entire English population, and me.

It's expected of the royals from what I hear (to serve their country), just not the one to take the throne next. I give him props and doubt it was a publicity stunt. He did the time...

[saltpoint]

4. Yup. I'll second that, babylonsister.

[TechBear_Seattle]

14. Very unlike the US royals, the British royals are expected to serve

If the Crown Prince did not serve on the lines, he would be denounced. I do not get the feeling this was a publicity stunt, although I expect that he was much better protected than the average soldier, probably more than the prince realizes.

[Warren Stupidity]

18. US royals?

I thought we got rid of them 200+ years ago.

[TechBear_Seattle]

21. (Insert snort of derision here)

The Clintons, the Bushes, the Kennedys.... We got rid of one royal family and replaced them with a lot of self-appointed royal families.

[spoony]

63. Right on

[Darth_Kitten]

84. You speak for the entire English population?

Why aren't people cheering all the off shoots of parents not named Diana?

[Branjor]

2. I don't know....

Harry originally wanted to go to Iraq with his unit, but it was decided that he would not because there was a big TARGET on his head. Now he is in Afghanistan. Pretty brave actually, I think.

[TexasProgresive]

34. It is rumoured that his mates nicknamed him

Bullet Magnet.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

88. British accent can be hard to understand

They probably named him "Bullshit Magnet" for all the praise constantly heaped upon him. "Great shot with the machine gun, m'lordship, almost hit the broad side of that barn."

kidding.

I think he was some kind of forward air controller. Sort of like a sniper, just watch and don't get spotted. Once in a while, hit a target. He shot using a radio instead of a scoped rifle. Not a prestigious or fun job.

[TexasProgresive]

89. In Vietnam

Forward air controllers were rumored to have a short life span. They call in the air strikes and on occasion called them in on their own position.

[jumptheshadow]

71. Afghanistan is considered more dangerous

I have heard from guys who have served in both countries that Afghanistan is considered the most dangerous assignment by far. The terrain is brutal, the opponents are tougher, there is less security, and it's just all-around more dangerous. It's also considered the more honorable war by quite a few of them...

[devilgrrl]

3. He's wicked awesome.

I admire the heck out of him

:sarcasm:

[RaleighNCDUer]

26. C'mon. It was a costume party.

If he was dressed as Darth Vader you wouldn't think he really wants to blow up planets, would you? I once got a costume prize when my wife and I went to a Halloween party dressed as confederate soldier and southern belle (she was the belle - had to clarify - it WAS is San Francisco, after all). That doesn't mean I have any sympathy for slavery.

Having faced down Hitler, at a cost of a million citizens, the Brits have a long tradition of mocking the nazis in costume.

[MH1]

32. That incident was another cut

in the death of free expression, by a thousand cuts.

Unless I missed part of the story, he wasn't glorifying nazism at all; he just got flattened by the pc-express.

[baby_mouse]

80. It was very an annoying watching that one unfold.

It had nothing to do with Harry and everything to do with his status as a royal. I'm not surprised he wanted to buck the establishment by dressing up in something shocking. The royals are supposed to symbolise the nation. Imagine being born into that with no choice!

[CTyankee]

27. He was probably trying to live that incident down by going to AFghanistan.

It was a harsh way to learn a lesson. I hope he did and that he is safe. He needed to be sternly corrected for his misdeed and his insensitivity. Now let him come home.

[truebrit71]

40. Probably not....

..."sternly corrected" for mocking the Nazis? You completely mis-read the whole costume party issue.

He was furious that he couldn't go to Iraq, so he "settled" for Afghnistan....And I salute him for it..

[CTyankee]

48. Well, you understand this better than I do...

I don't pay much attention to the royals but the Nazi thing was disgusting.

[truebrit71]

50. He was taking the piss by wearing it...

...again you miss the point...

[CTyankee]

55. Yup. Sorry...n/t

[truebrit71]

56. No worries...as long as you understand that he was poking fun...

...which is in a long tradition of fancy dress parties...

[CTyankee]

58. Are you talking about the Nazi thing? n/t

[truebrit71]

62. Yes.

.

[CTyankee]

65. well, then i don't get it. the nazi thing is an abomination.

i don't get the satire at all. in fact, it's pretty enraging. plus it doesn't work. the swastika is too "loaded" a visual, and i think that's right. it should be "loaded".

don't get me started...

[truebrit71]

39. Sorry but you have to understand British humour...

...wearing costumes like that to fancy-dress parties has been a common occurence in the UK as long as I have been alive...

It's only in today's PC world, and viewed with eyes from across the pond, that it appears to be crass or whatever else has your gander up...

[devilgrrl]

42. I figured it was Harry trying to get in touch with his German Mountbatten roots.

You know those Windors, their English blood goes waaaaay back. :sarcasm:*



sorry... it's not about you. :blush:

[renate]

51. I read that neither he nor Prince William knew what the costume was

:shrug:

Hard to believe given the expensive education they'd received. But you can't force kids to pay attention in history class, no matter how much it costs to put them there.

[baby_mouse]

81. Wuh?!

Naaaah. Where did you read that?!

Not getting at you, dude, but that's really impossible to believe. You can't grow up in Britain and not know what a Nazi is.

[Darth_Kitten]

85. I could believe that...........

guess an Eton education is over-rated, or long-term alcohol use impairs your judgement.

[GoneOffShore]

5. Bright shiny keys, bright shiny keys

[davidinalameda]

6. me

he could have sat in London on some cushy stationing

but he went into combat

[tanyev]

7. You think it was a publicity stunt?

OK, let's send the fighting Romneys and Henry Hager over there on a similar publicity stunt and see how well they do.

[MoJoWorkin]

8. Yes, good on Harry. The Brits are funny that way.

They expect the Royals to lead by example in military service.

[Tatiana]

9. Didn't he say he was going to quit the military if they didn't send him to Iraq?

Or Afghanistan?

Yes, it was good press for the royals.

But, knowing his status, it was a very risky thing that he did. He really could have been killed. And he put himself on the line, I don't think because of a publicity stunt, but (just in looking at some footage of him) it seems like he wanted to prove something.

I wish all politicians who support war would consider sending their own children on the front lines.

[truebrit71]

41. Yup...he said that there was bugger all point of him wearing the uniform if he couldn't fight...

....and I applaud him for that...

[hedgehog]

10. I am very ambivalent about Prince Harry. Just why is it that the

career that he was aimed at is in the military as opposed say, to being a great doctor or teacher?

[muriel_volestrangler]

22. For one thing, he wasn't academically good enough to be a doctor

and I doubt teaching either, beyond primary school, anyway (and most primary school teachers I know are probably better academically than him). He struggled in 'A' levels, the exam you do when leaving school in England.

[CJCRANE]

11. I like him.

I'm just not sure if either war is worth fighting.

[11 Bravo]

12. I do. He put his ass on the line when he could have avoided combat (think Bush twins or Romney boys)

because he felt his place was with his men.

[npincus]

13. I do.

How many of the assholes who cooked up and launched this war ever considered that THEIR OWN CHILDREN would be sacrificed?

[Dhalgren]

15. He's just another Tommy. The fact that his position precluded his

buying his way out, just makes him the same as all the others. He is on the exact same level of honor and respect as any other Brit soldier...

[Reterr]

74. Exactly!

On a Democratic board the concept of all men being born equal seems to go out the window when it is "royalty" :shrug:. Bizarre!

[Dhalgren]

82. It's beyond bizarre - it's downright unseemly...

:puke:

[MrsMatt]

16. I do

From what I understand, it's been a policy in the Royal family to serve in times of war, and he stepped up to the plate.

It's just too bad that someone blew his cover before he could finish his tour. I think he'll find it hard to have to leave his fellow soldiers behind, knowing that they will still be in harm's way, whilst he's having to ship home.

[mondo joe]

17. I do. For whatever reason, he opted to not use his position to safeguard him from

the risks his age cohorts live with.

[Warren Stupidity]

19. Couldn't care less.

[TooBigaTent]

20. I give him credit for lack of hypocrisy and condemn him for supporting an immoral military action.

[madokie]

23. If his purpose to be there in the first place is to learn the perils of war

then I respect the hell out of him, figuratively speaking that is.

[RaleighNCDUer]

24. It it was a publicity stunt, why is it that as soon as it got publicity

after he'd been there for nearly 3 months, they pulled him out? If the idea to to make a show of it, wouldn't him being 'exposed' after 5 weeks be just as effective?

British royals (as much as I dislike the concept) have a LONG tradition of military service, even in combat situations. It's one of the few things I respect them for.

[Irishonly]

25. I Don't Think It Was A Publicity Stunt

The royal family has a long tradition of serving in the military.

[Twist_U_Up]

28. He needs to wake the fuck up,or is he part of the problem ?

[cloudythescribbler]

29. It's misplaced to blame Prince Harry for going to war -- but FUCK DRUDGE any way you slice it

If you think that the Afghanistan war/occupation is an "unjust war" or that Britain shouldn't be involved in it, or WHATEVER -- IT IS POLITICAL ERROR TO HAVE THE BLAME ON PRINCE HARRY'S SHOULDERS AS WITH THE REST OF THE MILITARY MEN AND WOMEN WHO GO TO FIGHT.

If you don't like the policy FOCUS ON THE POLICY MAKERS. This sort of thing (as in Iraq) unless the particular military personnel engage in specific wrongdoing (as at Abu Ghraib), is totally destructive of progressives' appeal and EXACTLY the kind of approach from progressives and/or ostensible progressives that turns people against the overall progressive range of positions, which at this point ARE ESSENTIAL TO PREVENT A NEW HI-TECH DARK AGES already starting to descend upon the world. Hopefully, Obama can do some to slow or reverse this, but it will take HUGE movements and massive public participation etc to really turn things around.

[truebrit71]

30. I have tremendous respect for him. He is a soldier and wanted to do his job.

Good for him and fuck Drudge...

[sepulveda]

37. i concur

much respect for harry. walking the walk, so to speak

[truebrit71]

38. Not only walking the walk, but making it damn sure he was going to walk the walk..

..from day one...

Harry may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but he has a complete understanding of the concept of soldiering...

Good man HArry, you did us proud!

[KG]

31. this is nothing new. the Princes have traditionally been officers in the military.

[SoonerPride]

33. If only our "leaders" sent their children to war, we might have less war.

Ya think?

[albert johnson]

78. you are right! and start the draft age at 50

thats what my 93 year old grandmother thinks.and grandma's always right!

[L. Coyote]

35. I had enough to keep the secret, and not say the news article was bogus.

Remember when there was non-news that Harry would not go into action
in the Middle East? It was tempting to call out the BS, but I did not.

[DinahMoeHum]

36. Matt Drudge is a fucking asshole. . .

and he's probably one wing short of a fairy, to boot.

:evilfrown:

[bdamomma]

45. Drudge put alot of people at risk.

by leaking this information.

Good for Prince Harry, now they are pulling him out.

[Zookeeper]

92. Drudge is another right-wing chickenhawk who loves war....

but has "other priorities" when it comes time to put his own ass on the line.

I don't care why Prince Harry was there; he's still worth a hundred Drudges.

[malaise]

43. I did at first because he showed some guts,

but in hindsight facilitating the wishes of this parasitic rich boy meant that the press colluded with the government and the army at the expense of disclosure. Like most critics my question is what else have the media and government hidden from the public to serve the interests of the rich.
Just watch the cartel in the US and you know that the Iraq war is invisible; Bushco's crimes are invisible, Rove's political witch hunt of Siegelman's was invisible for a long time, etc.

I will not support any cover ups, particularly just to please some royal.

For the record Drudge did not leak this story first. It was an Australian web site and a German website.

Add., sp.

[Bake]

44. I applaud him!

Bravo. At least he's not a chickenshit like George, and Dick, and Rush, and Sean, and all the other chickenshit warhawk motherfuckers over here.

Bake

[The Stranger]

46. How about not going to war any more? Like the old song?

:shrug:

[On the Road]

47. He's Not Quite Comparable to a US Politician's Child

For many centuries, English royalty and nobility have served in military campaigns. It's expected and a mark of honor. I don't particularly respect or disrespect him for it, but I think it was an understandable choice and not a publicity stunt.

[AtomicKitten]

49. Sure beats the image of him falling drunk out of a limo.

[renate]

53. I hadn't liked him for a long time--although he was an adorable child

I'm sure his mother's death hit him particularly hard, and I honestly think he should be given a little bit of slack for his pre-Army behavior because of the trauma, but on the other hand, if he's going to be a representative of the Royal Family and reap all the benefits of that lifestyle, he should behave in an appropriate manner. So I didn't like him very much once he started with the drugs, drinking, etc.

But I really admire the way he wanted to serve just like anybody else, without the fanfare or any "look at me, I'm serving like anybody else in the Army, how egalitarian of me" stuff. My opinion of him just went up a lot. I guess people mature at different rates.

[AtomicKitten]

54. The "heir and the spare" have grown up before our eyes. Diana would have been very proud.

[leftynyc]

57. I agree

Diana and Charles have much to be proud of with these two fine young men.

[Darth_Kitten]

87. Why? Elitist, drunken partiers who need to be forced to do anything......

to serve their country?

Harry less so, but Wills is just a drunken partier. Always on some "vacation", and then whines and snivels that the media is not giving him any privacy when he is photographed being drunk as a skunk, which is often. :)

[Darth_Kitten]

86. Too bad he doesn't have a drop of royal blood in him......

:hide:

Well, maybe some, several generations ago. ;)

His supposed grandmother has SOME royal blood as well. :)

[Matariki]

52. Yep, going off to KILL people always garners my respect.

now, maybe if he found a way to end world hunger and poverty...

[treestar]

60. True, I would admire him more if he refused to go on this one and

objected to others of his age less privileged having to go and objected to the killing going on over there.

Sounds to me like he only does what he is expected to do, and drew a bad card having to do it during wartime.

Prince Andrew ended up in the Falklands for the same reason.

Though why didn't Charles end up in Viet Nam?

[Thothmes]

67. To my knowledge

The British did not have any combat troops in Viet Nam.

[treestar]

96. Thanks! That explains that!

The British are not always so foolish as to follow us into our wars.

[Reterr]

75. Excellent post.eom

[The Straight Story]

59. I only know about him what I see in the press, so I can't really say

Do we trust the press to be fair and accurate about people?

[L0oniX]

61. They should have made him serve at a catholic church as a choir boy

[lumpy]

93. He is not Catholic

x

[timtom]

64. I do.

He put his life on the line to protect my freedoms (and the freedoms of the Afghani's).

(I would use the sarcasm icon, but it's broken on my computer...)

[Booster]

66. Well, I certainly do.

[lumberjack_jeff]

68. Yes. Noblesse oblige. n/t

[Karenina]

69. We, who follow such things, are well-aware

the Royal Kidunit has a sense of right about him, which I would attribute to his Mom's ministrations. And if he isn't already outta there I'm gonna be ROYALLY FOCKIN PISSED.

[Book Lover]

70. If he wanted to keep a low profile, why did he speak to the BBC? (nm)

[Byronic]

79. It was part of the deal with the press.

The British press (and several international news organisations it seems, although we do not know which ones) agreed not to report the fact that Prince Harry was being sent to Afghanistan. In exchange for this, it was agreed that Harry would give interviews before, during, and after the fact. They would sit on the story and this footage until AFTER Harry had completed his tour of duty.

Seemed a reasonable deal.

[jmg257]

72. I do. He walked the walk. nt

[Reterr]

73. Not any more respect than I have for the average soldier over there

You know the kind of person who goes over because of the (unspoken) economic draft so to speak-well ok I don't know if that is the average soldier-but that is a lot of them. Yeah, I guess it is a more decent thing overall than most other things he has done, but I don't get why everything a "royal" does is automatically noble-these people are living on the tax dollars of the British public. There is nothing that special about them.

[BlueIris]

76. I love me some Prince Harry.

Harry is his father's son. Which is a good thing, if you ask me.

[RB TexLa]

77. None

[Darth_Kitten]

83. How about thanking the Canadians who have been there for YEARS?

:shrug:

So Harry Spencer goes to war. Big deal.

[northzax]

91. Windsor, technically

spencer was his mother's name. It is fairly common in our patrilineal society for children to take the last name of their father, as he did.

[nealmhughes]

90. Harry, like his great-grandfather, his great-great-grandfather and so on have been career British

military officers. Prince Phillip's grandfather, Prince Louis of Battenberg (later Louis Mountbatten, Lord Milford Haven) was born a German prince, but became a British subject and was "demoted" to a mere Marquess upon the Derivation of Titles Act). His son Louis Mountbatten was a career naval officer as well, and a bona fide war hero and later presided over the independence of India and Pakistan. His nephew was Prince Phillip, Harry's grandfather and a naval officer until he married Elizabeth.
On Harry's other sides of the family, both the Spencers and the Bowes-Lyons as well as the various "Windsor/Saxe-Coburg-Gotha" princes, dukes, lords and muckity mucks nearly all served at one point of their lives, many as career officers.
His uncle Andrew is a retired career naval helicopter officer.
It isn't really remarkable at all for the British upper classes to be career military men.
Evidently from a short interview I saw he said it made him grow up and see what a priviledged upbringing he had had.
I had an XO on the submarine I served on who was a Frick and a division officer who was an heir to the Gillette forutune: both were career navy and made no fancy pretenses about their relatives' wealth at all, in fact, I am given to believe that they actually used the common officers' heads. . .

[dflprincess]

97. And his grandmother, the Queen, did serve during WWII

as a mechanic and driver - pretty much, outside of nursing, the only way young women could serve then. And, she stood up to her father to do it.

[Generic Brad]

94. He could drink me under the table

But instead of that earning my respect, it only elicits my pity.

[misanthrope]

95. Far more than I have for...

...the children of most American leaders, including the Bush twins and Chelsea Clinton.

[Skittles]

98. I like him

he seems pretty normal for a guy who grew up in such a strange manner

[JI7]

99. Prince Charles opposed the war and didn't send us there, it was Blair

but yes, people such as the Romney boys should take notice and follow in his lead.

[Yukari Yakumo]

100. and the Bush girls... {nt}

uguu