(Image source: The Telegraph )

BY BRIAN BONDUS

Four days after Britain's Prince Harry began a second tour in Afghanistan, the Taliban is claiming they’re after him --- again. Harry’s first tour in 2008 was cut short due to similar threats. MSNBC has the Taliban’s newest strategy.

“They say their priority it to abduct the prince, but if they can’t they say they will kill him. They also say that they will use their spies within the Afghan Security forces.”

Prince Harry will be flying apache helicopters while on tour.  The Taliban reportedly plan to use rocket-powered grenades to target the aircrafts. The Telegraph came up with some possible reasons as to why Prince Harry ever returned to duty.

One: he’s trying to make up for naked Vegas pictures that went viral last month.

Two: he was sent to boost troop morale...

Or Three: It’s just a complete PR stunt and Harry will never leave his base station.

Prince Harry is an accomplished flier. He was awarded the best co-pilot gunner in his peer group during training in Nevada. Even so, some people believe he should not be in Afghanistan because he’s putting other troops in jeopardy. A CNN analyst explains.

“People are saying he’s a target he shouldn’t be out there putting other soldiers at risk. What they are saying last time he was on the ground so when the news broke they pulled him out. This time he is going to be either in the base.”

But it appears Prince Harry understands those safety concerns.  Here’s an interview with an ITN reporter from his last Afghanistan tour in 2008, posted to YouTube.

“Now this film’s being made people will know I’m out here. No doubt I’ll be a top target.”

That’s referring to a documentary made during his first deployment. Of Harry’s first time in Afghanistan-- a writer for CBS News writes:

 “Harry became, not a soldier, but an issue. Should the third in line to the British throne, such a high profile target, be in an active war zone in the first place?”

 

But a writer for Royal Chef puts things into perspective.

“Princess Diana, had she been alive today would have been furious opening today’s papers and reading about her son Prince Harry being redeployed to Afghanistan. Not because he is heading back to one of the most dangerous places in the world right now, but angry that his deployment was all over the newspapers and why.”

The prince is scheduled to stay in Afghanistan for four months -- The British Ministry of Defense declined to comment about the latest taliban threats.