Trump’s jibe at UK troopers in Afghanistan ‘deeply disappointing’, says UK minister | EUROtoday

Donald Trump’s declare that Nato troops stayed away from the entrance line in Afghanistan is “deeply disappointing” and “doesn’t add up”, a UK minister has mentioned amid outrage from veteran fighters over the US president’s feedback.

Mr Trump has provoked condemnation from throughout the political spectrum after he made the remarks on Thursday, during which he mentioned he was unsure the alliance would “be there if we ever needed them”.

Around 1,186 non-American Nato troops died within the battle that started in 2001, in line with Help for Heroes. More than 2,300 members of the US armed pressured had been killed.

But Mr Trump advised Fox News: “They’ll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan … and they did, they stayed a little back, a little off the front lines.”

Politicians and British veterans alike have rejected the US president’s feedback, with a authorities minister saying the claims are “plainly wrong.”

“It just doesn’t really add up what he said, because the fact of the matter is the only time that article 5 has been invoked was to go to the aid of the United States after 9/11,” care minister Stephen Kinnock advised Sky News on Friday morning.

“And many, many British soldiers and many soldiers from other European Nato allies gave their lives in support of American missions, American-led missions in places like Afghanistan and Iraq.”

“I am incredibly proud of our armed forces. They have put their lives on the line for our country. They are the definition of honour and valour and patriotism.

Describing British forces as “the definition of honour and valour and patriotism”, Mr Kinnock mentioned: “I think anybody who seeks to criticise what they have done and the sacrifices that they make is plainly wrong, and I think the reaction to president Trump’s comments are very clear from right across the political spectrum, and I think the British public feels very strongly about the need to defend our armed forces and to support them in the incredibly important work that they do in the dangerous and turbulent world in which we live.”

He added: “President Trump’s comments are deeply disappointing, there is no other way to say that.

“I don’t know really why he said them. I don’t think there’s any basis for him to make those comments.”

Sir Keir Starmer is but to reply to the feedback, however Mr Kinnock advised BBC Breakfast he has “absolutely no doubt” the prime minister “will make his views very plain and clear” to Mr Trump on the problem.

America stays the one nation to have invoked the collective safety provisions of Nato’s Article 5, with the alliance to supply assist to the US after the terrorist assaults of September 11 2001.

The UK suffered the second highest variety of army deaths within the Afghanistan battle, behind the US, which noticed 2,461 deaths.

In whole, America’s allies suffered 1,160 deaths within the battle, round a 3rd of the entire coalition deaths.

The mom of a younger British rifleman killed in Afghanistan mentioned Mr Trump had “no compassion whatsoever for anyone who doesn’t serve him”.

Lucy Aldridge, whose son William died aged 18, advised the Mirror the US president’s remarks had been “extremely upsetting”.

Mr Kinnock advised BBC Breakfast: “I think that we should honour and pay tribute to to William and to his mother for those strong words that she has expressed.

“I think we have to be really clear that our armed forces have always played a central role in what it means to be British and what our country is and what we stand for.

He added: “I think it’s best at this time not to be distracted by comments that simply don’t really bear any resemblance to the reality of what I’ve just said, and instead focus on the sacrifice and the courage and the valour and dedication and professionalism of our armed forces.”

Liberal Democrat chief Sir Ed Davey mentioned: “Trump avoided military service five times. How dare he question their sacrifice.”

Mr Trump has beforehand been criticised for avoiding being conscripted to combat in Vietnam because of being recognized with bone spurs in his heels – a declare that has been topic to important doubt.

Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty, who served in Afghanistan as a captain within the Royal Yorkshire Regiment, mentioned it was “sad to see our nation’s sacrifice, and that of our Nato partners, held so cheaply by the president of the United States”.

He mentioned: “I saw first hand the sacrifices made by British soldiers I served alongside in Sangin where we suffered horrific casualties, as did the US Marines the following year.

“I don’t believe US military personnel share the view of President Trump; his words do them a disservice as our closest military allies.”

Calvin Bailey, a Labour MP and former RAF officer who served alongside US particular operations models in Afghanistan, advised the Press Association Mr Trump’s declare “bears no resemblance to the reality experienced by those of us who served there”.