Starmer condemns Trump's remarks on Afghanistan: an insult to the sacrifices
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer Donald Trump on Friday , describing his recent comments about the role of NATO allies in the war in Afghanistan as "insulting" and lacking respect for the sacrifices of soldiers.
Starmer's strong reaction came after comments by Trump in which he claimed that NATO allied forces avoided the front lines of the war in Afghanistan, leaving the brunt of the fighting on American troops. The British Prime Minister described the claims as "frankly shocking" and demanding an immediate apology, noting the pain they had caused the families of soldiers killed or wounded.
Historical facts that refute the claims: The British role in Afghanistan
Starmer's remarks are backed by well-documented historical facts about the pivotal role played by British and coalition forces in Afghanistan over two decades. Since the military intervention in 2001 following the September 11 attacks, and the invocation of Article 5 of the NATO treaty for the first time in history, British forces have been at the heart of fierce fighting.
Official records indicate that the UK deployed thousands of troops, particularly in the southern province of Helmand , which was one of the Taliban's most dangerous and bloody strongholds. British forces there engaged in fierce, face-to-face combat with the militants, not in rear areas as Trump suggested.
The British military suffered 457 , in addition to thousands wounded and permanently disabled—a figure that reflects the scale of their direct involvement in dangerous combat operations. Other countries, such as Canada, Denmark, and Estonia, also contributed troops and suffered high casualty rates relative to their populations, underscoring that the burden was shared in blood, not just money.
Political and diplomatic dimensions
This verbal clash takes on particular significance in the current political context, highlighting the stark differences in vision between the current Labour leadership in Britain and the approach represented by Donald Trump in the United States. Observers fear that such statements could affect the historic "special relationship" between London and Washington, especially concerning future military cooperation within NATO.
Starmer concluded by emphasizing that if he had made a similar mistake against his country’s allies, he would have apologized immediately, stressing the need to respect the blood of soldiers and not turn their sacrifices into fodder for political and electoral debate.
