The best comment re the Prince Harry news blackout

[malaise]

was read on BBC international this morning. It was sent by email. "What else have the media been blacking out"?

Other comments simply say collusion with the government. I agree.

Harry is no more special than all the working class boys and girls who have been killed for Bush and Blair's mad adventure.

[MonkeyFunk]

1. Well, he IS more special

as a target. If the Taliban captured him, it would be an enormous coup for them.

[baby_mouse]

3. I don't think it would. Actually, I think it would be a very very bad idea. NT

[MonkeyFunk]

4. You think they're worried about bad PR

in the West? I think they've moved past that.

[baby_mouse]

8. It's not really them I'm thinking about.

I'm more worried about what the British reaction would be.

[malaise]

5. So what else have the media been

blacking out? That's way more important to me.

[baby_mouse]

9. Well, we're never going to know, are we?

Unless you plan on joining the media or becoming one of the disappeared. We can wave bits of paper around saying "you're not allowed to black things out" as much as we like, the fact is there is no way of bringing sanction against someone doing something you don't know about.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

11. Same here, but in reality, does that really surprise you? How many eventually big stories

were brought to the attention to us on DU well before it hit MSM? Valerie Plame's outing, the Downing Street Memos, the 16 words in Shrub's SOTU? I woke up recently and I know there are plenty more that I'm leaving out.

[malaise]

12. That is way more important than the stupid British decision to endanger

other troops so that Harry's dream would be achieved.

[mondo joe]

14. Other troops weren't endangered, until the news broke. That's rather the point of the blackout.

[Catch22Dem]

2. He is more special

Not to be read as his life is more valuable, but he's more special to Taliban forces, that's for sure. They do need to pull him out of there as his presence puts his entire unit at greater risk because they'd LOVE to be able to claim the capture of a prince. So, he's no more special as a human being, but his situation is certainly more special than the working class boys and girls.

[yellowdogintexas]

6. every official statement re: his deployment has emphasized the increased risk to his UNIT

if his wherabouts are made public. Public knowledge of his location is like putting a big target on the back of every single person in his unit, and other units serving with them.

Sure the British military don't want the Taliban to capture him or make him a special target but they and he also don't want the other soldiers' placed at greater risk.

so is isn't just about Harry being "special" at all, or more valuable than the others..it is to protect the others as well

[malaise]

7. Then he should have stayed home

What else has the media been blacking out?

[bigscott]

10. perhaps

Barb and Jenna are in iraq and we just dont know about it??

oh yeah.......:sarcasm:

[muriel_volestrangler]

13. And the media don't report each other individual that gets posted there

Clearly, there is special interest in Harry. If you want to know what else they black out, you can read what a BBC editor has to say: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/2008/02/news_blackout.html

[Mika]

15. And if the media don't go along with MoD agreements.. well.. watch out..

.. might end up with a bullet in the head.