One of the political cliches now in vogue in American politics is that if supporters and the architects of the war in Iraq think it’s so vital, well, then, why don’t they make sure their OWN kids go there?
A fascinating drama is now unfolding in Great Britian where not only is Prince Harry going to Iraq but, news reports say, he is quite determined that he will go and serve there:
PRINCE Harry is going to Iraq, reportedly heading there with his unit in May.
Harry will be stationed near the southern port city of Basra and will likely be assigned to patrol the border with Iran.
London’s Daily Telegraph said Harry, 22, is determined to go, despite reports of resistance from many in the military who fear he would be a fat prize for terrorists.
They’re also worried he would attract attention and put his fellow soldiers in greater danger.
The Telegraph said officials are trying to figure out how to minimise the danger without giving Harry special treatment.
As a second lieutenant, he will have command of 11 men and four light tanks.
London’s Sun newspaper, no relation to the Calgary Sun, started the frenzy, quoting Harry’s lover Chelsy Davy saying “Haz is off to war.”
While the Prince has always insisted that he is determined to do battle with his 100-strong unit, Britain’s Ministry of Defence says a final decision about whether second Lieutenant Harry will be allowed to fight in Iraq has yet to be made. Harry, now 22, is third in line for the British throne.
Harry’s regiment is expected to take part in war games and exhaustive preparations for conflict before heading for the war zone in Iraq.
Meanwhile, as Harry prepares for his tough Iraq assignment, his girlfriend Chelsy Davy is believed to be preparing for a world tour “to take her mind off him in his absence,” the Sun reported.
According to the tabloid, the 21-year-old beauty is making plans to travel the world while her boyfriend Harry completes a tour of duty in the strife-torn land. Quoting a friend of Chelsy, the tabloid said: “Harry and Chelsy hate spending time apart but her trip is the only way she will cope while he is right in the danger zone.”
Her remark is considered the strongest hint yet the 22-year-old royal will see action in Iraq.
This adds a new twist to the ongoing story of the Iraq war. For one thing, officials have to be concerned that the Prince could be targeted as a high profile target if he’s out on the battlefield. And they have to also ensure he doesn’t get superspecial treatment OR superspecial bad treatment.
It also raises the political stakes: the government will want to take extra care that nothing happens to Prince Harry.
And Prince Harry? Whether people support the war or not, news reports saying he is insisting he serve in Iraq halts the flood of monstly negative big stories entailing the royal family in recent years. If he was a politician, his reported insistance of serving in Iraq despite his wealth, fame and family connections would serve him well in the future.
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.