Prince Harry's Battalion To Deploy To Afghanistan

[Cpl Kendall]

CTV.CA

Prince Harry's battalion deploying to Afghanistan

Updated Thu. Jul. 19 2007 12:22 PM ET

Associated Press

LONDON -- Troops from Prince Harry's army regiment will be deployed to Afghanistan in October, Defence Secretary Des Browne said Thursday.

The Ministry of Defence would not say whether Harry would be going with them.

Harry had hoped to be sent to Iraq with his tank unit, but military chiefs ruled in May that the publicity surrounding his deployment could put his unit at risk.

Harry said he was disappointed, but was determined to continue his army career.

The army's chief of staff, Gen. Sir Richard Dannatt, said the military would not comment further about Harry's movements.

When Harry's deployment to Iraq was aborted, media outlets reported on how Iraqi insurgents were posting threats on the Internet on how they planned to kill or kidnap the 22-year-old prince -- third in line to the throne.

One report cited an unnamed militia leader saying he planned to send him back to his grandmother "without his ears.''

Meanwhile, as Britain slowly winds down its military involvement in Iraq, British soldiers have been fighting an increasingly difficult battle in Afghanistan.

Troops have suffered increased losses in the troubled Helmand province, where the Taliban have regrouped.

Browne announced that British troop levels in the country would increase by 100 to 7,800.

Canada has some 2,500 troops in Afghanistan, most stationed in neighbouring Kandahar province.

Personally I'm rooting for him to go. There's no sense in having him join the Army if their not going to deploy him. If they wanted him to be safe they should have encouraged him to join the bloody Navy.