Hurry Up for Harry

Drudge claims that this report hints at a reason for the UK Iraq pullout: a plot to save Prince Harry's royal, freckled ass.

Prince Harry's regiment will learn on Thursday whether it is to be sent to Iraq in the latest round of troop deployments… It follows the announcement by Prime Minister Tony Blair that Britain's commitment in Iraq is to be reduced from 7,100 to 5,500 within the next few months as security responsibilities are handed over to homegrown forces.

Unconfirmed reports earlier this month suggested that the Prince's unit, 'A' Squadron of the Blues and Royals, had been warned unofficially to expect a six-month tour of duty in southern Iraq starting in April.

This doesn't actually suggest that Harry will get a reprieve; it sounds like he'll be part of the last wave, turning out the lights in Saddam's dream palaces as he goes. But if this happens, it'd be a huge win for the "chickenhawk" argument. A corallary of the argument is that if leaders had some "skin in the game," they'd be bringing the troops home sooner. In reality, this cuts both ways - both uber-hawk John McCain and dove-of-doves Jim Webb have sons in or headed to Iraq.