Selfish Harry

Prince Harry is going to war. Some see that as a brave, honourable thing to do. I say it’s incredibly selfish.

Harrry, 22, said that when his unit was deployed to Iraq, he’d have to go, too. It wasn’t right, he said, for the people he trained with to be put in harm’s way while he stayed safe and secure. If he were any other Briton, that would be a noble and maybe even admirable sentiment.

But Harry’s not any ordinary Briton: He’s third in line to the British (and New Zealand and Australian and Canadian…) throne. When he arrives in Iraq, he’ll instantly become the highest value target in the entire country. He’ll be putting his unit—and the British forces generally—in much greater peril just by being there. And, of course, he will cost the British taxpayers a lot of money as the army tries to increase security around him.

Add it all up, and Harry may think he’s being noble or honourable, but he’s really just being selfish, and probably a bit arrogant. For the sake of the British forces in Iraq, and the lives of his own unit, he should do the right thing and stay home.