Article

2008-03-01 Afghanistan

Al-Qaida sympathizers call on Taliban to hunt down Prince Harry

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Fred 2008-03-01 00:00|| || Front Page|| [4 views ] Top
File under: Taliban

#1 Saw Drudge's brag link that he's the "most powerful journalist" around as a result of this story. The rise of HufPo must really have got his ego where it hurts.

Decided then and there that Drudge will never get another click from me. It's the only way to give him effective feedback.

Posted by lotp 2008-03-01 09:56|| 2008-03-01 09:56|| Front Page Top

#2 The funny thing is, he didn't even break the story, he just pretended to.

There ain't been any real news at drudge for a while, so I haven't been clicking anyway.

Posted by Abdominal Snowman 2008-03-01 13:22|| 2008-03-01 13:22|| Front Page Top

#3 Too late Harry is already gone.

Although, I would bet he is safer with the Blues than at home. The Blues don't take kindly to hostiles.

Posted by DarthVader">DarthVader 2008-03-01 14:19|| 2008-03-01 14:19|| Front Page Top

#4 I suspect that Drudge, probably without knowing, was forwarded the leak by MI6, to get the word out in a hurry. All sorts of reasons for doing so.

To start with, the Queen has absolute control over the royal family in British law. She, on a whim, could order Harry home, and there is nothing he could do about it.

Second, Harry's station and location might have turned up in an enemy or third party intercept, meaning he had been compromised already, possibly by an unfriendly government. To protect his small unit, they would want everybody to know he had left. Not from the typical rank and file, but from professional assassins who know what they are doing (think Iran or even Russia).

Third, they let slip that even though Harry is coming home, William is soon to be taking his place. The only reason to mention this is to hope that Taliban and al-Qaeda dumbasses would try a major attack to capture or kill him, being told his supposed location through back channels. No serious assassin would fall for that.

So don't be too angry at Matt Drudge. Remember also that "the British media had been told, but had refrained from telling anyone", which is total bull itself. Nobody but an idiot is going to trust any reporter with important information, unless they wanted it spilled.

N.B.: It is also useful that an American spilled, because now they don't have to futz around with prosecuting any Brit with the Official Secrets Act. This is all just too easy.

Posted by Anonymoose 2008-03-01 15:27|| 2008-03-01 15:27|| Front Page Top

#5 Interesting take, 'moose.

Posted by Barbara Skolaut">Barbara Skolaut 2008-03-01 18:11|| http://ariellestjohndesigns.com/]">[http://ariellestjohndesigns.com/] 2008-03-01 18:11|| Front Page Top

#6 I suspect that Drudge, probably without knowing, was forwarded the leak by MI6, to get the word out in a hurry. All sorts of reasons for doing so.

Perfesser, ever occur to you that somebody on Fleet Street released it to Drudge?

Posted by Pappy 2008-03-01 21:20|| 2008-03-01 21:20|| Front Page Top

22:19 RD
22:15 Redneck Jim
22:15 Anonymoose
22:15 CrazyFool
22:11 Titus Unans4264
21:44 trailing wife
21:26 Executive VP Sock Puppet of Doom
21:23 Executive VP Sock Puppet of Doom
21:21 ed
21:20 Pappy
21:14 ed
21:04 ed
20:50 Uncle Phester
20:47 mhw
19:13 Redneck Jim
18:55 Frank G
18:46 tu3031
18:45 Bright Pebbles
18:43 Frank G
18:36 Frank G
18:32 Frank G
18:32 Sherry
18:31 PBMcL
18:29 anymouse