Britain denounces Trump’s remarks on NATO allies’ role in Afghanistan

The White House on Friday rejected British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s criticism of President Donald Trump for saying that NATO forces avoided the front lines in Afghanistan.

In a statement, White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said: “President Trump is absolutely right, the United States has given NATO more than all the other countries in the alliance combined”.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday denounced Donald Trump’s “insulting” remarks about NATO forces in Afghanistan avoiding the front lines, saying the US president’s remarks warranted an apology.

In an interview with Fox News on Thursday, Trump criticized the role of other NATO members during the 20-year conflict, saying the United States “never needed them”.

Trump said other NATO forces “stayed at a distance from the front lines” in Afghanistan during the US-led intervention in Afghanistan under the pretext of rooting out al Qaeda after 9/11 attacks.

Starmer told British channels: “I consider President Trump’s comments to be insulting and frankly shocking, and I wasn’t surprised that they caused so much harm to the loved ones of those who were killed or injured”.

He added that if he had made a mistake in speaking like that, he would’ve “certainly apologized”.

The British Prime Minister paid tribute to the 457 British soldiers killed in Afghanistan and their wounded comrades.

“I will never forget their courage, valor and sacrifices for their country,” he said.

Britain suffered the second-highest toll of casualties in Afghanistan after the United States, which lost more than 2,400 troops.

More than 150,000 British armed forces were deployed to Afghanistan between September 2001 and August 2021.

Among them is Prince Harry, the youngest son of King Charles III, who served twice, in 2007-2008 for ten weeks, and then from September 2012 to January 2013.

“The lives of thousands have been changed forever… They lost the mothers and fathers of their sons and daughters,” British Prime Minister said, stressing that these sacrifices deserve to be remembered with sincerity and respect.

Conservative opposition leader Kimmy Badenoch also denounced the US president’s “shameful remarks” on X, adding that they were untrue… It weakens NATO, and it dishonors the memory of the brave soldiers who served in this country.

Nigel Farage, leader of Britain’s anti-immigration reform party and a staunch supporter of Trump, said the Republican president had “made a mistake… For 20 years, our armed forces have fought bravely alongside US forces”.

Other NATO countries involved in the war in Afghanistan included Canada, which lost 158 soldiers, according to data from a government website.

Forty-four Danish soldiers have died in Afghanistan, including 37 in combat.

France, which had a military presence in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2014, at its peak of 4,000 troops, lost 89 soldiers.