Prince Harry Fighting in Afghanistan?

[Benji MacNab]

I thought Britain and NATO's role in Afghanistan was as a peacekeeping force?

 

Prince Harry just wanted to go out there to kill people to prove he was a man.

 

The British media have covered this event like its Prince Harry's duty to go and fight and kill foreign people like its all a big personal adventure for him and we should give our unconditional support.

 

I think there is a lot more to this story than meets the eye, why havent US and British/NATO with their superior airpower destroyed all the poppy fields and heroin factories in Afghanistan?

 

The whole thing stinks to high heaven.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/7269743.stm

[Paul Smith]

I thought Britain and NATO's role in Afghanistan was as a peacekeeping force?

 

Prince Harry just wanted to go out there to kill people to prove he was a man.

 

The British media have covered this event like its Prince Harry's duty to go and fight and kill foreign people like its all a big personal adventure for him and we should give our unconditional support.

 

I think there is a lot more to this story than meets the eye, why havent US and British/NATO with their superior airpower destroyed all the poppy fields and heroin factories in Afghanistan?

 

The whole thing stinks to high heaven.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/7269743.stm

 

 

The reason why NATO have not destroyed the poppy fields is: If you destroy the livelehood of the farmer (because thats what they are) what are they going to do to support their famalies? Take a few dollors from the Taliban and fight against NATO! The farmers make a pitance of what the crop is worth, its further down the chain that the product becomes worth millions!

 

Why NATO does not buy the crops themselves and produce legitimate pharmacuticle grade drugs is another question. It would be cheaper and would also help control the drugs problems here in the U.K.

[Andy Collins]

I thought Britain and NATO's role in Afghanistan was as a peacekeeping force?

 

Prince Harry just wanted to go out there to kill people to prove he was a man.

 

The British media have covered this event like its Prince Harry's duty to go and fight and kill foreign people like its all a big personal adventure for him and we should give our unconditional support.

 

I think there is a lot more to this story than meets the eye, why havent US and British/NATO with their superior airpower destroyed all the poppy fields and heroin factories in Afghanistan?

 

The whole thing stinks to high heaven.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/7269743.stm

 

Its a soldiers duty to obey his orders, he signed up for a military career, just the same as many others did. In my opinion, he should receive no special treatment for the fact he is a member of the royal family, just be allowed to get on and do his job. No-one wishes to die, for whatever reason, or wishes to die in a foreign land, but thats the risk you accept when taking on a military career. I think its about time we showed a bit more respect for the lads and lasses on active service, instead of bleating on and on about it.

Yes Afganistan is meant to be a "peace-keeping" mission, but lets face it, the Taliban and their supporters are heavily armed, and skilled combatants. You cannot destroy the livelihoods of the common man in a country, all this will do is stir up hatred, and lead to the Taliban having even more support. A lot of the time, we rely on "hearts and minds", winning over the common man, for their support against the Taliban. I dont feel this is going to be an easily resolved issue, and indeed is costing us, the British tax-payer, heavily.

If you wish to change things, bleating here about it will not make any difference, but use your vote at election time and make it count.

[Paul Smith]

[Benji MacNab]

You cannot destroy the livelihoods of the common man in a country,

 

If only it were that simple my friend, Afghanistan was a westernised democracy before the Soviet invasion, people has a good quality of life, they were free to do what they wanted, there was poppy production on a small scale. Now there are more poppy fields at any time in history in Afghanistan, and most of the heroin produced from these poppys makes its way to poor council schemes in the UK and Europe. I dont think I need to explain the problems associated with drugs so I'll leave it there, you can make up your own mind on wether allowing 'farmers' in Afghanistan to produce one of the drugs that is destroying Britain's culture is a good thing. Raze the fields again and again, that'll stop them.

 

As for Prince Harry not being treated any different to any other soldier, he's in the officer class, they've always been treated differently. They dont work their way up through the ranks they skip all that and march like tw*ts at Sandhurst posing as mummy and daddy look on with their ruddy posh faces.

 

As for the UK media, I hate them.

[Andy Collins]

The media, I'll give you that, and agree with, but so far as the officers, well they crawl in the mud, and the rest of the crap the same as the next man. Ok they may have several privileges that go with their rank, but at the lowly commissioned rank for the likes of Harry, not so many. I'm glad he managed to at least serve some of his tour with his comrades, he has more guts than most youngsters these days. If the media could have been trusted to keep its collective big mouth shut, then just maybe he could have completed his tour, without endangering his colleagues with his presence.

As far as the farmers go out there, yes they produce narcotics, and this is not good, but remove the market for them back here, and this would then become a valueless crop, they would then grow cereals or something. Simple law of supply & demand.

But to raze their livelihood to the ground would lead to more insurgency, and more support. Afghanistan may once have been a westernized democracy, but that is now many years ago, since then they kicked out the Soviets, & fell under strict Taliban law, which many people suffered under. Whether or not we are right to interfere in another country's affairs is another issue, but I wish the Great British public could at least have the common decency to support our troops, they have it tough enough already.

[Chris Harris]

I thought Britain and NATO's role in Afghanistan was as a peacekeeping force?

 

Prince Harry just wanted to go out there to kill people to prove he was a man.

 

The British media have covered this event like its Prince Harry's duty to go and fight and kill foreign people like its all a big personal adventure for him and we should give our unconditional support.

 

I think there is a lot more to this story than meets the eye, why havent US and British/NATO with their superior airpower destroyed all the poppy fields and heroin factories in Afghanistan?

 

The whole thing stinks to high heaven.

 

firstly there's no such thing as a peace keeping mission out in Iraq or Afgan it is still extremley offensive out there, its just we dont hear about much anymore. You cant run a peace keeping mission when your being attacked day in day out. secondly Prince harry should be out there risking his life with his men Royal or not, just as I would expect my officer in charge to do when i was in Royal Marines. Every serviceman would expect there OIC to next to them in a battle field! & certainly all my ex OIC would want to be there!I doubt very much that Prince Harry joined the army to kill people, as i did'nt join for that reason but i certainly would slot someone if it was a case of me or them!

Make no bones about it he's out there having rounds winging over his head just like the rest of his men. he's not sat on his arse pushin pens.

The only thing that stinks is the fact his cover was blown!

As for the locals you cant go in taking away there livelihood, they will turn against you its all about winning Hearts & minds. Once the Taliban have been sorted (if ever!) then i'm sure we will try an educate the local farmers to produce other things & then export it properly cause at the moment theres an export ban & has been for years as understand. We need the locals on side at the mo other wise it just is'nt gonna work out there.

It doesnt matter what your opinon is whether we should be out there or not, the fact is we are and every member of our forces, Royal or not should have backing IMO. Luckily for me I left just before the recent Iraq war after doing 6 years but i've got a couple of good mates that are still in & i Know i would be speaking for them!

We will never undertand the full ins & out of this war. Its very easy to judge an opinon on something when your in your own home surrounded by all your home comforts &, IMO i dont think this kind of thing should be talked about on an Arb forum

 

As for killing someone to be a man, what a load of cack! i didn't & the last time i looked in the mirror i was still a man with big gahooners!

You'll probably get a bit of a back lash from this, certainly from ex forces members

[Andy Collins]

I agree whole-heartedly with your sentiments greenboy, the Lounge however is intended for non-arb chat and stuff tho, so this topic is in the right place to be discussed. Opinions will vary on topics widely, and we must respect others points of view, as they should respect ours.

[Chris Harris]

I agree whole-heartedly with your sentiments greenboy, the Lounge however is intended for non-arb chat and stuff tho, so this topic is in the right place to be discussed. Opinions will vary on topics widely, and we must respect others points of view, as they should respect ours.

Sorry mate i didnt even look at the fact that it was in the lounge:icon14:

[treemotion]

I think its a joke my mates a private and gets told what to do ie you go and get shot not me by these tits who had mummy and daddy put them through sandhurst. The rich command the poor to die and get the rewards medals and they never fired a shot.

 

I hate this shite army when the rich wage war its the poor who die never a truer word said.