[Anonymouse]

Originally Posted by Xaccers

If he was captured it would be unacceptable to the goverment for him to be abandoned.

Too bloody right!

Originally Posted by Xaccers

If he was beheaded, there would most likely be an escalation on our sides

Which would suit these nutters just fine. That's what they want. And make no mistake about this: almost certainly they will find out, one way or another, which unit he's serving in, the MOD and confidentiality be damned - and then they will stop at nothing to capture him. The propaganda value would be immense, and they'd milk it for all it's worth...which would be a hell of a lot. They could virtually hold the UK to ransom. Remember that the Armed Forces are ultimately under the command of Her Majesty, not Bliar - if she orders them to go in and get him back, they bloody well will, and damn the cost.
The situation is different from Andrew in the Falklands; at least the Argentinian army wasn't made up of raving loonies who seem to hate the West just because it includes the USA. Plus media coverage back then wasn't what it is now - back then we might not have heard anything for a few days had anything happened to Andrew; now, if Harry is captured it'll be all over the planet in less than an hour.
It's playing into their hands. He'd be a liability. That place is dangerous enough for our troops; why make it worse?
And if I may borrow an observation from Heinlein's Starship Troopers, no way should he be sent into combat with a commissioned rank (though anything else would be unthinkable for a royal, wouldn't it?) when he has never commanded troops under fire. Sandhurst's all very well, but all that's just theory. I for one wouldn't want my CO to be someone who's never been shot at. I'd rather he be someone who's been shot at a lot...because the existential evidence - i.e. his continued existence - implies he knows what he's doing.