Britain: Harry Done With Afghan Deployment

Military Decides To Get Prince Out After Media Reports Leak His Location

(CBS/AP)  Britain's defense chief decided Friday to immediately pull Prince Harry out of Afghanistan after news of his deployment was leaked, citing concerns that media coverage could put him and his comrades at increased risk.

Air Chief Marshal Jock Stirrup, chief of the Defense Staff, said he decided to withdraw the prince after senior commanders assessed the risks, the Defense Ministry said in a statement.

Prince Harry has been serving with his British army unit in Helmand, one of Afghanistan's most lawless and barren provinces. It had been kept a secret until Thursday.

---

Photos: Prince Harry In Afghanistan

---

Harry is the first royal to serve in a combat zone since his uncle Prince Andrew flew helicopters during Britain's war with Argentina over the Falkland Islands in 1982.

British officials had hoped to keep the 23-year-old's deployment secret until he had safely returned.

---

Photos: Princely Endeavors

---

CBS News correspondent Mark Phillips reports the Ministry of Defense reached a deal with the world's major media organizations to keep Harry's deployment quiet, due to fears he'd be a "bullet magnet" for the Taliban, endangering him and his troops.

But the ministry released video Thursday of Harry serving in Helmand Province after a leak appeared on the U.S. Web site the Drudge Report.

---

Photos: Wills Wings It

---

Britain's military chiefs were reportedly angered over the leak, but it had been planned for according to an army spokesman speaking to the British Broadcasting Corp. Tours to Afghanistan usually last six months, but Harry has served just 10 weeks.

The ministry asked the media not to speculate on Harry's location - or how and when he would return - until he was back in Britain.

2David Bowden, a correspondent for CBS partner network Sky News, told Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith that British troop morale on the ground in Helmand could take a hit thanks to the media leaking the prince's presence - but the Taliban were likely quite pleased by news of his withdrawal.

Bowden said militants would likely think, "all we had to do was sit here and wait for the media to do our job."

Queen Elizabeth II said her grandson had performed "a good job in a very difficult climate."

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the prince had demonstrated that he was an exemplary young officer and the country owned him a "debt of gratitude."

"Security considerations come first. That has been the deciding factor which was made by our defense staff and I think that everybody will respect that is the right decision," Brown said.

[sclaires]

I don''t know who leaked the story about Prince Harry being in Afghanistan but in my opinion, that individual should be "hanged, drawn, and quartered". Fortunately for the individual who did this should be glad he lives in this day and age when the penalty for treason is more humane. And, I think the leaker is a traitor to his country. As for the Drudge Report, from what I have read, most of the information on the web site is not true but when it is, it hurts innocent people such as Prince Harry.

[merlgrey]

stop it. stop being so gullible america. noone put anyones lives at risk by leaking this story. this was planned and planted from the top down, to think oherwise is foolish.

this story was leaked on purpose to get him out of there and for hyped up propaganda purposes. its a double win. he gets to be a hero. everyone can take pride in the prince. and they dont have to deal with the backlash of something actually accidentally happening to him. not that anyone ever actually let him ever even close to danger, that couldnt be risked. my mother is a brit... never quite understood the fascination and pedestal placement of these inbred royal families, when all thier riches are taken from the toilings of the regular people going back generations and centuries.

[sgtrds]

Endangering the lives of those persons trying to combat terrorism. That seems to be the Right Wing American Conservative mantra (i.e. Valerie Plame). Drudge should be held accountable but of course that is not a right wing conservative value.

Posted by trglazier at 04:01 PM : Feb 29, 2008

Absolutely. I mean talk about a double standard! Several right wing loonies were on this story screaming about the "liberal press" until some of them actually read the story and discovered it was a fellow right wing nut that did this nearly treasonable act. I guess it''s not treason to them for a right winger to commit treason.

[skmiddle]

When is the news media going to accept responsibility. A news scoop caused harm all because ratings mean more to you than the lives of troops serving overseas. Loose lips KILL troops. You put many lives in harms way. I am sick of the many overpaid and frustrated would be actors that call themselves the news media. If a new person is killed reporting on the news, that means some brave fighting man or woman was put in harms way to try to protect that news person. None of you can touch Ernie Pyle, but, you could, at least try

[toolmangler-2009]

Posted by taylpatr at 04:55 PM : Feb 29, 2008



I absolutely agree, Some things should not be told in print. If not stopped, the media will soon be posting pictures and videos of Celebs taking a cr@p. There is no better source of information about the western armies movements than the press. You don''t e this junk coming out of China, and Al Qaeda will not tell you when they are going to suicide bomb an orphanage. Keep it up paparazzi and soon the ones that wish the destruction of the western culture will know everything and the countries that you use to run amock in will be no more, (but then neither will you).

[taylpatr]

I am sick and tired of hearing about how the media has screwed up yet another celebritys life by your intrusion and lack of manners or tact. Yes we need a media to report pertenant things in a truthful manner but you people have sunk so low that the only other thing in this country that you can be compared to is the Bush administration. You both(the MAINSTREAM media and Cheney/Bush)lie, distort, harass and stick your nose where it doesn''t belong. Maybe it''s because most of you are owned by Bush cronies and sympythsizers. You should leave these kids alone to live their lives in peace. I hope Harry breaks your camera.

[scottyusa]

This just goes to show how idiotic the media really is. Just to get a story out the endanger the prince''s life. Now that they have ruined what he was happy doing I hope they are happy. Ignoramiouses!

[denn034]

Smart move.

[element51]

First I would like to apologize to our friends in Great Britain for this. Please know that there are a lot of us here in the U.S. that know Matt Drudge for what he is and we dispise him. He is a sad piece of ***** and should be brought up on charges for this stunt. Second, I want to thank Harry for his service. He is a brave young man and it is most impressive that he chose to serve. Finally, I find somewhat funny that this young man volunteered to serve in combat but the fearless leader we have in the US ran and hid rather than honor his committment to serve. I am ashamed that this has happened and again I sincerely apologize.

[ann3332]

i do agree about one this not entertainment they should have it in the news section not the entertainment. do they think war is entertainment? what is wrong with the press?