No Iraq for Prince Harry, army says

Prince Harry, the third in line to the British throne, will not be deployed to Iraq because of “a number of specific threats” to his safety, Britain’s army commander said Wednesday.

“These threats place not only him but also those around him to a degree of risk that I now deem unacceptable,” said the army’s chief of staff, Gen. Richard Dannatt, in a statement released by military authorities.

The decision follows months of mixed signals and reviews on the part of the army, which originally had planned to post Harry, the younger son of Prince Charles, as head of a 12-member tank group within his Blues and Royals regiment, which is deploying to Iraq this spring.

Several threats from Iraqi insurgents have emerged, including a pledge to cut off the ears of the “young, handsome, spoilt prince.” In addition, there were reports that photographs of the 22-year-old prince had been circulating among armed Iraqi groups.

Dannatt said he made the decision after traveling to Iraq and conducting extensive consultations about the potential threat. He said the public attention to the proposed deployment had been a “contributing factor” to the increasing risk to the prince and others.

Charles’ office, Clarence House, issued a statement saying that Harry was “very disappointed” that he would be unable to go to Iraq with his army mates.

“He fully understands and accepts Gen. Dannatt’s difficult decision, and remains committed to his army career,” the statement added.