He's the redheaded son of the late Princess Diana, the rowdy royal known more for dancing until dawn than waking for battle. But Britain's party prince, Harry, is getting his wish and is being deployed to Iraq with his Blues and Royals regiment.
Royal officials announced on Thursday that the 22-year-old prince would fight for his country, confirming the feverish tabloid speculation about the future of the best-recognized tank commander in Britain. His regiment is expected to complete a six-month tour.
Harry, a second lieutenant, has been trained to lead a team of 12 men in four armored reconnaissance vehicles, and could become the first royal to see combat since his uncle, Prince Andrew, flew in the Falklands war against Argentina in 1982.
Word of the deployment follows only one day after British Prime Minister Tony Blair said troop numbers in Iraq would be cut by 1,600 in the coming months. The Sun, a daily tabloid newspaper, opined: "1,600 out ... One in."
Britain will hand over much of its security responsibilities to Iraqi security forces, concentrating its troops at Basra Palace and Basra Air Base. Iraqi insurgent groups looking to target Cornet Wales -- as his rank is called in the Blues and Royals -- will not have to look far to find him. That alone has led to some concern.
"In a sense, his celebrity might be a factor in making the security situation for his troop more dangerous," said Michael Clarke, a professor of war studies at London's King's College.
Britain's Ministry of Defense has previously said that Harry could be kept out of situations where his presence could jeopardize his comrades. And there has been speculation that he will be shadowed by a team of bodyguards.
But a source close to Harry, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, told the press that Harry would not be given any special protection.
Colonel Bob Stewart, a former British commander, said he was certain Harry would be safe.
"The Blues and Royals will take great pride in making sure no one gets near him," he said. "I can't think of better security than having a regiment of British soldiers around you."
In Britain, Harry's upcoming deployment was taken in stride. Blair described Harry's decision as in keeping with his character.
"He's a very brave young man, and he's a very determined young man who wants to be part of his regiment and part of the army," Blair said during a British Broadcasting Corp interview. "I think that shows a very special character on his part."
Others thought fighting in Iraq was an appropriate task for the prince.
"It's a bit dangerous for him ... but it's good," said Lee Wills, a 20-year-old from London. "The royal family's got to do its bit for their country."
But in Baghdad Iraqis described the deployment as a public relations stunt.
"These things [are] just to beautify the picture ... the British government wants also to boost the [morale] of their troops,'' said Sabah Ali, a 35-year old employee at the Iraqi Oil Ministry in Baghdad.
The government is aiming to recruit 1,096 foreign English teachers and teaching assistants this year, the Ministry of Education said yesterday. The foreign teachers would work closely with elementary and junior-high instructors to create and teach courses, ministry official Tsai Yi-ching (蔡宜靜) said. Together, they would create an immersive language environment, helping to motivate students while enhancing the skills of local teachers, she said. The ministry has since 2021 been recruiting foreign teachers through the Taiwan Foreign English Teacher Program, which offers placement, salary, housing and other benefits to eligible foreign teachers. Two centers serving northern and southern Taiwan assist in recruiting and training
WIDE NET: Health officials said they are considering all possibilities, such as bongkrekic acid, while the city mayor said they have not ruled out the possibility of a malicious act of poisoning Two people who dined at a restaurant in Taipei’s Far Eastern Department Store Xinyi A13 last week have died, while four are in intensive care, the Taipei Department of Health said yesterday. All of the outlets of Malaysian vegetarian restaurant franchise Polam Kopitiam have been ordered to close pending an investigation after 11 people became ill due to suspected food poisoning, city officials told a news conference in Taipei. The first fatality, a 39-year-old man who ate at the restaurant on Friday last week, died of kidney failure two days later at the city’s Mackay Memorial Hospital. A 66-year-old man who dined
EYE ON STRAIT: The US spending bill ‘doubles security cooperation funding for Taiwan,’ while also seeking to counter the influence of China US President Joe Biden on Saturday signed into law a US$1.2 trillion spending package that includes US$300 million in foreign military financing to Taiwan, as well as funding for Taipei-Washington cooperative projects. The US Congress early on Saturday overwhelmingly passed the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act 2024 to avoid a partial shutdown and fund the government through September for a fiscal year that began six months ago. Under the package, the Defense Appropriations Act would provide a US$27 billion increase from the previous fiscal year to fund “critical national defense efforts, including countering the PRC [People’s Republic of China],” according to a summary
‘CARRIER KILLERS’: The Tuo Chiang-class corvettes’ stealth capability means they have a radar cross-section as small as the size of a fishing boat, an analyst said President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday presided over a ceremony at Yilan County’s Suao Harbor (蘇澳港), where the navy took delivery of two indigenous Tuo Chiang-class corvettes. The corvettes, An Chiang (安江) and Wan Chiang (萬江), along with the introduction of the coast guard’s third and fourth 4,000-tonne cutters earlier this month, are a testament to Taiwan’s shipbuilding capability and signify the nation’s resolve to defend democracy and freedom, Tsai said. The vessels are also the last two of six Tuo Chiang-class corvettes ordered from Lungteh Shipbuilding Co (龍德造船) by the navy, Tsai said. The first Tuo Chiang-class vessel delivered was Ta Chiang (塔江)