I think you'll find Bigman's karma is minus 3. Tch!

Back to Prince Harry.

I was actually watching breakfast news when the story broke and I must say I thought the lad done good. Of course the press will want plenty mileage out of the story now.

Hopefuly, his being there will highlight the situation and remind us of our troops out there. Notice I said 'our troops' are out there and not 'we' are out there. Big difference.

Maybe Tibbie can answer this better than I can but I heard one soldier say that they were happy for him to have been out there as it put the spotlight on them and the job they are doing in Afghanistan.

Incidentally, can anyone explain to me what a legal war is?

On a lighter note. Doesn't young Harry suit that colour?

Hi Farrah,

On a lighter note. Doesn't young Harry suit that colour?

I think he looked better in field grey. He should have stayed at home and stuck to dressing up.

Did you know he had a detachment of SAS troops to protect him in his bunker safely away from enemy lines? My son and his mates didn't have the luxury of that kind of protection, if he had I might have slept better at nights. They only had each other. In their opinion: An over privileged Hooray Henry having a jolly wheeze playing at soldiers.

Incidentally, can anyone explain to me what a legal war is?

Ask some of the guys who've come back minus an arm or a leg. Ask Rose Gentle and all the other parents who've lost a son. Apparently they're quite vociferous on that question.

Well said, Jimbo.

Oh Jeez, I forgot what forum I was on.

Thank you for answering my question about whether the troops welcomed him being there. I guess I misheard the one soldier saying he did.

Was WW11 a legal war?

Why don't you make yourselves clear? I wasn't being sarcastic when I asked what a legal war was. No war is good but don't tell me that some wars are more legal than others.

Did you know he had a detachment of SAS troops to protect him in his bunker safely away from enemy lines?

Could you expand on that Jimbo?

Wasn't it the Gurkhas?

In that way I kinda feel sorry for him. He wanted to be 'normal' but I don't think the queen would send the 3rd in line off to Afghanistan without protection.

Hi Farrah,

Oh Jeez, I forgot what forum I was on.

I don't speak for the others on this forum. Any views I give are purely my own, I wasn't getting a dig at you. I'm just a little bit bitter that some poncy royal gets to play out his little fantasy in safety whilst the rest of our guys are up to their necks in it. BTW, I'm pleased to say my son is no longer there but I can empathise with the parents of those who still are.

I guess I misheard the one soldier saying he did.

I don't think they'd have put anyone up front who would say otherwise. What these guys get to say in public and what they think privately are two different matters. When our troops were disenfranchised by Blair at the last GE they weren't allowed to say anything in public. Privately, they were furious.

The level of care and equipment our guys receive from the Labour Party is appalling (no wonder they made sure they never got to vote). When my son went to Kosovo we had to send him a duvet and thermals as the quality of bedding and clothing supplied for temperatures of minus 20 degrees and worse was pitiful.

When they first went to Afghanistan some of their equipment was still back in UK. Some of them had no body armour, some had little or no ammo for Christ's sake. Do you think they made sure Harry had everything he needed, apart from his SAS bodyguards?

Was WW11 a legal war?

Yes! We didn't invade a sovereign country on a false pretext. We fought to free allies from invaders and to avert invasion of our own country.

I wasn't being sarcastic when I asked what a legal war was.

I apologise Farrah if I came across somewhat harsh. Your question re legal wars closely followed by how well Harry suits his attire made it appear to me, rather flippant.

The Laird wrote:
Did you know he had a detachment of SAS troops to protect him in his bunker safely away from enemy lines?

Could you expand on that Jimbo?

From the Heraldsun (Oz) who broke the story.

"SIX elite SAS troopers acted as guardian angels to Prince Harry during his tour of duty."

tinyurl.com/2xmhn7

EDIT: You'll have to allow pop-ups on this link.

The footage shown on TV of him on patrol on the front line was, according to the Washington Post, the deserted town of Garsimir.

Ah Jimbo. Didn't realise you had a son in the army. I'm only going by one of my closest friends who's husband served in Iraq.

I realise it's just me but message forums are just that. Places online to post your opinions. I only post what I think. I really hate the way some people make other peoples opinions on a message board life or death. I can't stand the way that some people use message boards to spout their own vitriol rather than debate maturely. If people were sincere in their desire to change others opinions then they sure are going about it in the wrong way.

Ok so maybe I'm wrong but if any of the Taleban wanted to take out Prince Harry, I'm sure they'd have a good go. Gurkhas or no Gurkhas. I'm also maybe wrong here but I just felt that Harry so much wanted to be "normal" (fighting in Afghanistan?) that he was prepared to put himself in danger. Ok so in that way he would possibly be putting every other soldier in danger but how much more dangerous can you get than fighting the Taleban in Afghanistan?

Another point. Do you honestly think that the tabloids would not be rubbing their hands in glee to find at least one soldier that would dis Prince Harry in public?

I don't know about the duvets but my friend's husband never complained about duvets. Sorry, that's all I have to go on.

Still not with you on the legal war thing.

And yes, I was being flippant on the uniform thing. Why not? It was at the end of a post. I'd lose the will to live if there wasn't some humour around, even on a serious post. I'm sure the soldiers serving in Afghanistan would be looking for the humour in this lot. Jeez.

On a lighter note, if I may say Jimbo, I'm glad your lad's out of it. You must have been so worried. Where is he now? I have the utmost respect for him and the rest of the soldiers who put their lives on the line and never reason why.

Hope you don't take offence. I just like to say my bit.

"Opinions are made to be changed or how else is truth to be got at?" Who said that?

Hi Farrah,

why is is it that when you post what you think you call it an opinion yet when I post my opinion you call it vitriol?

I don't know about the duvets but my friend's husband never complained about duvets.

Did he spend a full winter in Kosova?

Still not with you on the legal war thing.

If me and my gang attack you for no other reason but with the sole intention of stealing your property, that's illegal.

If you fight back using whatever force is necessary to repel us, that's legal. If allies come to your assistance to fight us off using whatever force is necessary, that's legal.

By falsely claiming that I attacked you and took your property in case you may attack me some time in the future if you felt so disposed to do so is no defence.

Iraq was not involved in the Attack on the twin towers. Iraq had made no threats to Britain or America other than to respond to their (Bush/Blair) sabre rattling that if they attacked Iraq, Iraq would defend itself. The Bush/Blair gang attacked Iraq on a false prospectus with the sole purpose of stealing that country's oil.

And yes, I was being flippant on the uniform thing. Why not?

Why not indeed? I too was being flippant when I wrote he was better suited to field grey.

Hope you don't take offence. I just like to say my bit.

Absolutely no offence taken whatsoever.

"Opinions are made to be changed or how else is truth to be got at?" Who said that?

I give in, I have no idea. Let me hazard a guess: You?

Hi Jimbo,
I think you're painting a pretty unfair picture of Harry when you imply he was sitting safely in a bunker surrounded by SAS soldiers. 2 paragraphs down from the statement you quoted it says:

"And a senior army source confirmed that although Harry did not have an armed guard and performed his duties like any normal officer, the SAS was on standby in case the third in line to the throne needed to be extracted from trouble."

What I read into this is that he was doing his best to do his duty, but there was a detachment of SAS standing by to stop the Taliban gaining PR advantage if it all went pear shaped.

I just think the guy is trying to do his best in impossible circumstances. If he had refused to go, he would have been accused of being a pampered royal and toy soldier. He went and was accused of showboating for the royals.

Who'd have his life? ...... Not me!!

Spot on Martin

Before he was allowed to go to a war zone he was pissed off as he is, 'A soldier',. He wanted to go and threatened to leave the army if he didn't, as he would not have been able to look his troops in the eye. He took flak because he did not go. Now,Jimbo, you give him flak because he did. If the ragheads had known he was there he would have been number one target for them. He was pulled out early as his cover was blown.(by the australian press) Give him some slack. Hope his family is proud of him

The army would probably have been glad to see the back of him.

On the contrary Levenax.The army are delighted to have him.Recruitment figures are on the rise and it`s all down to Harry apparently

No matter how good his intentions are, it seems to be a case of, "he is damned whatever he does, and damned if he doesn't".

As far as I'm concerned he did a good job out there.
I'm sure that he would have liked nothing more than to return back to the UK with his unit at the end of his tour of duty.

All this business of being surrounded and protected by the SAS is being well and truly blown out of proportion.

I have an inkling of how the army works and one of lifes military mysteries is that you never know where or how the SAS are operating, although it seems that an Australian newspaper knew.......Good or faulty intelligence?....Well I'll leave that for you to decide.