Prince Harry needs to get out of Afghanistan. It's dangerous enough there without his presence adding more problems for the U.S. troops ("Taliban targets Harry, kills 2 Marines," Sept. 16).

My son, Wyatt, is at Camp Leatherneck. He's been there for five months. Let me share what this is like for me. At first I just broke down and cried at any time during the day. I cried while lying in bed at night. I prayed, which is not something I tend to do on a regular basis. But I was confused as to what to pray for.

Finally I decided to just pray that he make it back home alive and not in a box. I don't care if he's got all his parts or not. We can deal with that if that's what needs to be done. Then I decided that what I needed to do was detach or drive myself crazy. But detachment comes with a lot of guilt.

Now I just wait to hear from him and cry. When I see a story on the news about soldiers being killed in Afghanistan, I panic and cry. I have never cried so much in my life. I believe that having Prince Harry at the very camp my son and a lot of other sons and daughters are at is just plain cruel.

This war is hard enough on parents without the Brits painting a target on our children's backs. Get Harry out now. It might save a mom from a few more restless, sleepless nights.


LAURA BOYCE, COON RAPIDS