nice one why not tell everyone when and were he will be going so anyone can plan an attack against him

dave, mersyside,

Simply because information about his or her whereabouts could allegedly be "pieced together from the MOD website" is no excuse whatever for the Times or any other media to report the likely location or activities of ANY UK soldier. To now begin the whole circus again, doubtless justifying it with the usual hypocritical catch-all of "public interest", is beneath contempt.

How can any soldier be deployed "quietly" when the Times announces it on the front page?

During the World Wars, providing information about the deployment of British troops to the enemy was called treason, for which those responsible could be (and were) shot.

Eric Morgan, London,

I just don't understand the blind folly of an article like this. So thanks again for alerting the enemy to Harry's possible destination. No doubt you will provide more detailed location information and estimated time of deployment later on.
Oh, go on; of course you will. Then you will refer to his being protected from media intrusion as though this did not include your good selves.
In the public interest?

Nikki, Hull, East Yorkshire

What disturbs me is the last paragraph "were helping local people to widen and deepen irrigation ditches". So, a young grenadier dies for this? With so much waffle on 'citizenship' spouted by the marxist Ms Kelly of communities, cohesion and whatever.......may I suggest that the UK forms an Afghan foreign legion battalion, whereby those Afghans resident in the UK prove their commitment to HM Queen.
Thought so, they take our benefits but would never fight for our country.

John MacKinnon, Lincoln, England

It seems Michael Smith cannot handle criticism by refusing to publish my comment about the media being responsible for deaths of civilians and soldiers...I guess the truth hurts eh Micheal? You journalists and critics are all the same....cowards when it comes to getting back what you dish out!

Viv, London, England

WILL HARRY GO TO WAR?

Yes, he will!

No, he won't!

Yes, he will!

No, He won't

Yes, he will!

(Hmm..m..m: It must be a plan to confuse and confound the Taliban...and Harry!?!)

Garth Rex, Glendale Heights, USA

IT'S NOT A SECRET ANY MORE IS IT? what is wrong with the newspaper editors these days

G. Parr, London,

Can anybody really care if this loser does 'leave the army', lets be real, he never really joined the army, its all just another example of of another silly twit being stroked.

wpo, warsaw, n.y.

Its hardly a secret now is it??? At this rate he will end up in South Island New Zealand to keep him safe in the army....Give him a chance to be a soldier... and get off his case...

Tim McNulty, singapore, singapore

Is the Sunday Times determined to stop Prince Harry serving our country? Who's side are you on for heaven's sake?

Tim, UK,

If it's a secret plan why are you reporting it? By doing so you are putting his life in danger.

Carole, Gramat, France

Wouldn't it be a far better idea to say absolutely nothing about wherever prince Harry is liable to be posted? Now we've got the Taliban rubbing their hands together because it really would be too good to miss!
BG

Bill Glanvill, Horsham, W Sussex

Can I suggest that you withdraw this article immediately. This is, in my opinion treason.

imj, Abu Dhabi,

You can't be serious, Harry to fight the Taliban, now folks a joke is a joke, but this has gone far enough. I would suggest that Harry leaves the army and that way many lives will be saved. I think harry wants to be just slighted wounded, receive his medal, and then retire.

victor arram, westcliff on sea, uk

Secret plan to send Harry to fight Taliba

Not secret anymore is it!!!

Jon, Southampton,

The answer is obvious for Harry.Volunteer for Special Forces.A bit young in years and service but perhaps he could be given special dispensation and then no one(other than his C.O.could be certain where he was.Ouch!Sorry lads.

R.Hart, Sutton Coldfield, U.K.

Well they are not secret now thanks to Mick Smith and the Timesonline.com

P.Robinson, Nothants, UK

Well here we go again. The headline says it all doesn't it? Lets tell everyone the secret plan because it's in the public interest or so we're told and then be surprised that Lo and behold, he gets attacked. On Wednesday it was the 63 anniversary of D-Day. I am sure the papers didn't carry the headline ' Allies to invade Normandy in secret operation on 5th June' the days before. I know the landings were delayed by one day. Why O why do we tell everyone what we are doing for goodness sake! Is it our misguided sense of fairplay again that we don't want anyone to take us to the court of Human rights!!!

Paul Gosbee, Welwyn Garden City, Herts

The whinging, wining hypocrisy of the press is unfathomable. Does freedom of information mean pin-pointing someone so that he may be killed? Who will you blame if it happens?

James Stilwell-Stronge, Vigo, Spain

Wll it's no a secret noo! Is it?

I'm no royalist but just leave the laddie to get on with his career.

Gruthainn, Arbroath, Scotland

Another example of totally irresponsible media intrusion.
Maybe it is just such reporting which made the general refrain from sending Harry to Iraq.
Will you leave him safely alone in Afghanistan. I think not.
Yes I have every sympathy with those whose children are out there now fighting this pointless war.
BUT their children are not third in line to the throne, a major target for terrorists and with the media reporting their every move.
It never ceases to amaze me how many "secrets" our media give to the enemy.
Keep out and maybe things will end more quickly.

John Morrish, Derby, UK

Does the editor consider this to be responsible reporting. How can this be argued to be in the public interest? Deployments of individual personnel are a secret, no matter who.
Even if Harry does not go to Iraq, the enemy is being primed to expect him to go covertly which places the lifes of the other British servicemen in more danger.
This should be referred to the PCC.

imj, Abu Dhabi,

Harry is no different to any other serving soldier and regardless of his privilidged position he should be treated the same. The risk to his life come not from the job in hand but the media attention - it is unthinkable that the media should be detailing his movements , pending departure and even the equipment that he will use - I say let him get on with the task in hand and without attention.

Richard, Pewsey, Wiltshire

Sir,
Considering the whole debacle over Harry going to Iraq and the very title of this article, do you feel it is wise, necessary and a public service to release this information to us?
I must say I am particularly dissapointed to see this story in my favourite broadsheet, which I hoped had more integrity than other publications.
Has the art of discretion and silence for the greater good been completely lost in the British media in favour of profits and the mantle of first to break a story?

V, London,

Not exactly "secret" now, is it?

Steve, Lincoln,

Why does the media (the Times included) persistently try and derail Harry's ambitions by publicising where he will be going and what he will be doing?

Just because some of this information can be pieced together from the MoD website should not be a reason to encourage hype and put him or other troops in further danger.

Alastair, London,

If the army thinks secrecy is the way to go, then for God's sake (for want of a stronger word), why are you blabbing to the world about it?! This reminds me of your front page splash about the 2,000 "unsuspecting" terror suspects who were being tailed by MI5 agents.
Do you not think sometimes it is better to keep schtum rather than put lives at risk for the sake of headlines?

frank mccallister, Edinburgh,

its hardly going to be a secret anymore now you hacks have got hold of this and informed the whole of Afganistan. Are you trying to get to boy killed? Let him do his job as a soldier just as he wants to, surely you can find something else to report about for the next couple of years.

jase, peterborough,

How is this in anyway a secret plan if it is flashed all over the Sunday papers. Give the guy a chance to have the career he wants and stop telling the enemy where he is going to be sent this week.

Ruth, London,

If this plan is "secret" how is it that it's being published in the media?

Sue Shaw, Morpeth, UK

if there is less publicity no one will know and he can seve his term without any problem.

david pandit, Dornbirn, Austria

One thing is for sure the Taliban will be waiting for him once they read this article.

Wayne Morris, Port Talbot, Great Britain

If a teenager from a council estate can be sent to Iraq or Afghanistan to fight (and possibly die) for Queen and country then Prince Harry can and should be sent to Iraq or Afghanistan to fight (and possibly die) for gran and country.

Harry, London,

Planning to deploy him quietly? I think not. If accurate, the only way the media could be receiving this information is from someone with some authority in the military, or from the Ministry of Defence. Harry has threatened to leave the Army if he is not gainfully employed. Is it not possible that this result could be exactly the aim of the military. It makes some kind of mad sense. A gung ho mobile target is hardly a good idea in peace time, let alone a time of conflict. The lad is definitely a liability, hell bent on appearing to be "just a soldier". If the Army are serious about letting him serve as such, the first we'd hear of it would be after he returned.

Sceptic, Essex,

Brilliant. Where is Harry supposed to go on operations now that you have published this article? Afghanistan seemed a fairly obvious choice for a young officers career, if Iraq was out of the question. All Harry wants is a career in the Army, a young officer must go on operations to gain valuable experience, if he was allowed to get on with what he is trained to do without constant media reporting and speculation, he would be serving his country without any extra risk to either himself of his fellows. Just let him get on with it and then if you must, report what he did after the fact.

Al, Newcastle, UK

The media should STOP reporting movements of individuals in the armed forces. Even this article in one of the more sensible newspapers reflects the irresponsible attitude taken by media organisations on this issue. On one hand when Harry was misbehaving the papers were happy to give him a kicking but now he wants to do something useful irresponsible reporting is stopping him from doing so. News editors who allow the publication of stories that provide the UK's enemies with information liable to cause harm to our armed forces should be prosecuted.

John, London,

I really don't think Prince Harry's military deployments should ever be the subject of media speculation or discussion.

GMF, Aberdeen, UK

Not such a secret anymore huh? hahaha...

Geraint Morgan, Brecon, Wales

To enable a soldier such as Harry to do his job he should be transferred / attached to other units on a rolling basis. But first having done the all arms commando course and perhaps other special forces training. Then carrying out ops any where any time, enabling him have the best chance and strike hard with the most effect.

Colin, Ncle, England

Not secret anymore???

Mr. Alan Derbyshire, Derby, Derbyshire

This is an ungoing nonsense. One thing for sure if he is captured he would be a good bargining tool. Lats say he was captured and the captives demand the release all prisoners in the UK and America or he dies on TV.

Lets see the government position on not negotiating with terrorist

Christopher , London,

This is ridiculous. If he is to be quietly flown into Afghanistan from Canada in order to stop the Taliban from noticing then surely anybody with a single ounce of common sense would see that telling the media of this plan is a terrible idea. We are always being told about sleeper cells in the UK possibly having plans to attack so why tell them of this plan? Sheer stupidity in my opinion.

Kishn Thandi, Gravesend, Kent

And this irresponsible paper annouces this.

roger, epping,

it what he sign up to do, its either that or home.. : )

Bo-9, flag, az