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| Prince Harry not to serve in Iraq | Prince Harry not to serve in Iraq |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Prince Harry will not be sent to Iraq, the head of the British army has said. | Prince Harry will not be sent to Iraq, the head of the British army has said. |
| General Sir Richard Dannatt said the prince's deployment would pose an "unacceptable" threat to him and the men who served alongside him. | General Sir Richard Dannatt said the prince's deployment would pose an "unacceptable" threat to him and the men who served alongside him. |
| It had been reported that militant groups had planned to kill or kidnap the young royal. | It had been reported that militant groups had planned to kill or kidnap the young royal. |
| Clarence House said Prince Harry was "very disappointed" but would not be leaving the Army as a result. | |
| 'Extremely disappointed' | 'Extremely disappointed' |
| The move represents a U-turn by the MoD, which said as recently as last month that the prince would be heading to Iraq as an armed reconnaissance officer in the Blues and Royals regiment. | The move represents a U-turn by the MoD, which said as recently as last month that the prince would be heading to Iraq as an armed reconnaissance officer in the Blues and Royals regiment. |
| The general said he had reached his decision following a visit to the region at the end of last week. | The general said he had reached his decision following a visit to the region at the end of last week. |
| I know Prince Harry will be extremely disappointed General Sir Richard Dannatt Army statement in full | I know Prince Harry will be extremely disappointed General Sir Richard Dannatt Army statement in full |
| "There have been a number of specific threats, some reported some not reported, which relate directly to Prince Harry as an individual. | "There have been a number of specific threats, some reported some not reported, which relate directly to Prince Harry as an individual. |
| "These threats expose not only him but also those around him to a degree of risk that I now deem unacceptable." | "These threats expose not only him but also those around him to a degree of risk that I now deem unacceptable." |
| General Dannatt said he knew Prince Harry would be extremely disappointed and that his soldiers would miss his presence in Iraq. | General Dannatt said he knew Prince Harry would be extremely disappointed and that his soldiers would miss his presence in Iraq. |
| Harry would have been deployed with his regiment to Basra | Harry would have been deployed with his regiment to Basra |
| He said had proved himself as an officer of "determination and undoubted talent - and I do not say that lightly". | He said had proved himself as an officer of "determination and undoubted talent - and I do not say that lightly". |
| The army chief did not rule out deploying the 22-year-old prince to the region in the future and paid tribute to all British service personnel deployed around the world. | The army chief did not rule out deploying the 22-year-old prince to the region in the future and paid tribute to all British service personnel deployed around the world. |
| But Reg Keys - whose son Thomas was killed while on active service in Basra in 2003 - said he found the decision distasteful and questioned whether insurgents could have told the prince apart from other service personnel. | But Reg Keys - whose son Thomas was killed while on active service in Basra in 2003 - said he found the decision distasteful and questioned whether insurgents could have told the prince apart from other service personnel. |
| Mr Keys added: "It would appear that Harry's life is more valuable than my son or the other nearly 150 service personnel who've given their lives." | Mr Keys added: "It would appear that Harry's life is more valuable than my son or the other nearly 150 service personnel who've given their lives." |
| 'Extreme reluctance' | 'Extreme reluctance' |
| A Clarence House statement said: "Prince Harry is very disappointed that he will not be able to go to Iraq with his troop on this deployment as he had hoped. | A Clarence House statement said: "Prince Harry is very disappointed that he will not be able to go to Iraq with his troop on this deployment as he had hoped. |
| "He fully understands and accepts General Dannatt's difficult decision and remains committed to his Army career. | "He fully understands and accepts General Dannatt's difficult decision and remains committed to his Army career. |
| "Prince Harry's thoughts are with his troop and the rest of the battle group in Iraq." | "Prince Harry's thoughts are with his troop and the rest of the battle group in Iraq." |
| Asked if Harry would quit the Army as a result, a spokesman replied: "Absolutely not." | Asked if Harry would quit the Army as a result, a spokesman replied: "Absolutely not." |
| The former British army commander, Colonel Bob Stewart, told BBC News 24 the decision would have been taken very reluctantly. | The former British army commander, Colonel Bob Stewart, told BBC News 24 the decision would have been taken very reluctantly. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY Disappointing for him personally, but the right move by the MoD Bob, Chester Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAY Disappointing for him personally, but the right move by the MoD Bob, Chester Send us your comments |
| He said: "The Chief of the General Staff has actually made such a decision with extreme reluctance; I know that, he's a personal friend and I know exactly the way he's feeling." | He said: "The Chief of the General Staff has actually made such a decision with extreme reluctance; I know that, he's a personal friend and I know exactly the way he's feeling." |
| Harry would have been the first British royal to see action since his uncle, Prince Andrew, served as a helicopter pilot during the Falklands conflict in 1982. | Harry would have been the first British royal to see action since his uncle, Prince Andrew, served as a helicopter pilot during the Falklands conflict in 1982. |
| A Downing Street spokesman said: "It's an operational decision taken by the military which we of course respect." | A Downing Street spokesman said: "It's an operational decision taken by the military which we of course respect." |
| But former Conservative Defence Secretary Michael Portillo criticised the MoD for "terrible vacillation" over the issue, and Tory MP Desmond Swayne - a former Territorial Army officer in Iraq - said the decision was a victory for Iraqi insurgents. | But former Conservative Defence Secretary Michael Portillo criticised the MoD for "terrible vacillation" over the issue, and Tory MP Desmond Swayne - a former Territorial Army officer in Iraq - said the decision was a victory for Iraqi insurgents. |