Donald Trump’s claim that Nato troops stayed “a little off the front lines” during the war in Afghanistan has been condemned by veterans who described it as “complete rubbish” and “ridiculous”.
Former British Army Colonel, Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, who served in Afghanistan, told The i Paper the US President’s remarks revealed “ignorance beyond compare”.
Armed Forces minister Al Carns, a former Royal Marines Colonel, said the claim was “utterly ridiculous”, while Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, dismissed it as “nonsense”.
In an interview with Fox News in Davos, Trump said he was not “sure” if Nato would be there for the US “if we ever needed them”.
“We’ve never needed them,” he argued, adding: “We have never really asked anything of them.”
“They’ll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan, and they did, they stayed a little back, a little off the front lines,” he claimed further.
The UK was among several allies to join the US in Afghanistan after Nato’s collective security clause – which states that an attack on one member is considered an attack against all – was invoked following the 9/11 attacks.
The conflict led to the deaths of 457 British service personnel.
De Bretton-Gordon said Britain was doing the “heavy lifting” in the early days of the war, having volunteered to deploy in the southern Helmand province, which was “the most difficult and dangerous” part of the country.
It was several years before the Americans “came to support us” there, he added.
He said the Americans “would have struggled” without their Nato allies, particularly the UK.
“We made a huge contribution,” he said. “I’m sure all those senior American military and all those who served in Afghanistan will realise that and will be holding their heads in shame that their leader is talking such rubbish.”
Trump made the comments at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he officially inaugurated his new ‘Board of Peace’ (Photo: Getty)He said families who have lost loved ones in Afghanistan will be “devastated” by the comments but will recognise the President “sometimes hasn’t got a clue what he’s talking about”.
“I’m sure if he reflects and speaks to some of his senior American people, he will realise quite what a ridiculous statement he’s made there,” he added.
“Not surprisingly, those of us who spent many years in Afghanistan are just completely astounded that the most powerful man in the world seems to be so poorly briefed and actually doesn’t understand quite what a vital role some of his Nato allies have played, not least in Afghanistan.”
Diane Dernie, whose son, Ben Parkinson, suffered horrific injuries when an Army Land Rover hit a mine near Musa Qala in 2006, said the US President’s comments were “the ultimate insult” and called on the British Prime Minister to stand up to Trump over them.
Mr Parkinson, a paratrooper, was left with both legs amputated, a twisted spine and brain damage, and is widely viewed as the most severely injured British soldier to have survived the war.
His mother said: “I can assure you, the Taliban didn’t plant IEDs [improvised explosive devices] miles and miles back from the front line.”
Trooper Jack Sadler, 21, was killed in Afghanistan in 2007, while serving with the 4/73 Special Observation Battery, Brigade Reconnaissance Force (Photo: Cpl Russ Nolan RLC/MoD/Crown Copyright/PA)She said Sir Keir Starmer has “got to absolutely refute what Donald Trump said”.
“Call him out,” she said. “Make a stand for those who fought for this country and for our flag, because it’s just beyond belief.
“Come and look at us, the life that Ben leads – 19-and-a-half years on, still fighting for his care, still fighting for him to have a decent life, recovering from a recent operation.”
Carns, the Armed Forces minister who served five tours in Afghanistan, said: “This is utterly ridiculous. Many courageous and honourable service personnel from many nations fought on the front line. Many fought way beyond it.”
He said Britons and Americans “shed blood, sweat and tears together”.
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Robert Dicketts, whose son Oliver Dicketts, 27, was killed while serving with the Parachute Regiment in Afghanistan in 2006, said: “When I read it, I thought, ‘What a bloody cheek!’
“I think my thoughts about Donald Trump are probably unprintable.”
Ian Sadler, whose son, Trooper Jack Sadler, 21, was killed in Afghanistan in 2007, said Trump is “just ill advised by his military aides and the people around him”.
The row comes amid tensions between Trump and European allies over his ambition to annex Greenland.
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