What now for Harry and Afghanistan?

Last Modified: 29 Feb 2008
By: Alex Thomson

The war is over for Harry, his Afghan deployment revealed, but what lies ahead for the country?

Prince Harry is coming home after the secrecy surrounding his service in Helmand was blown.

The ministry of defence says now the news blackout had ended his presence could put the safety of his fellow soldiers at heightened risk.

The Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Prince Harry had served with "great distinction" - but security considerations had to come first.

The 23-year-old prince spent 10 weeks in Helmand province with his regiment - and was due to stay another month.

In Helmand the commander of British forces said there was no reason he couldn't return and serve again.

Harry knew very well that once the secret was out his own security would be all the more threatened. In a world where millions perceive the west to be in a war against Islam here's a British royal enthusiastically joining in the mission to kill radical Islamists. When that story breaks, he had said, people would want to kill him.

Because of that the ministry of defence had to get him out fast. If he was allowed to stay the entire secrecy deal with the media would have been pointless.

On 7 January the Australian website New Idea broke the story. And what happened? Absolutely nothing - so much for the global village.

But Harry's not the only issue. At least four places in Helmand are now associated with him. If you accept MoD logic - they're all now bigger targets. So the ministry needs to try and reach the Taliban if they are listening and give them the message that their target's gone.

And listening they are - when Channel 4 News was in Sangin with the marines recently the Taliban called up the army interpreter most days to goad them about the war.

But what now when the Prince gets home? Publicly part of a war against Islamic radicals, can he now carry on like before? Scuffling with the paparazzi outside night clubs?

Indeed all his public appearances will now go into an altogether new risk assessment, coloured by Afghanistan.

But today's been as much about propaganda as long-term security concerns. Harry's main job in Helmand was to call in air strikes on what were believed to be Taliban positions.

As those on the frontline in Helmand know - that is not truly a frontline job.

The Queen however, proved to be rather above all this, preferring to talk about the weather in Afghanistan.

Al Jazeera TV was also playing it cool. We tuned in for nearly one hour. They didn't even mention Harry. Unlike many radical Islamic websites, where the talk is about targeting the Prince.

The really difficult climate continues tonight in Afghanistan.