US President's Remarks on NATO Troops in Afghanistan Leave Allies 'Dumbfounded' and 'Disgusted'
President Trump's comments on the US role in the war in Afghanistan have left European allies "dumbfounded" and "disgusted", with many questioning his understanding of the sacrifices made by NATO troops.
In a video posted on social media, UK Defence Minister Alistair Carmichael, a veteran who served five tours in Afghanistan alongside American troops, fired back at Trump's remarks. "The only time NATO has ever enacted Article 5 was after the 9-11 terrorist attacks on the US," Carmichael said. "We shed blood, sweat and tears together, and not everybody came home. These are bonds forged in fire, protecting shared interests, but actually protecting democracy overall."
Carmichael's comments echoed those of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who described Trump's remarks as "insulting and frankly appalling". Roman Polko, a retired Polish general and former special forces commander who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, called on Trump to apologize for his statement. "We paid with blood for this alliance," he said. "We truly sacrificed our own lives."
The comments have also sparked outrage from families of the fallen. Lucy Aldridge, mother of 18-year-old British soldier William Aldridge, who was killed in a bomb blast while trying to save fellow troops, described herself as "deeply disgusted" by Trump's remarks. Her son died on his first day of training in Afghanistan in 2009.
The former head of the British Army, Lord Richard Dannatt, called Trump's comments "outrageous". "Well frankly, one was dumbfounded, because they're factually incorrect," he said. "Absolutely disrespectful to our nation, to our armed forces and to the families of the 457 British service men and women who lost their lives in Afghanistan."
Trump's remarks have also sparked debate about the future of NATO. European governments must do more to increase military capability, not because they want to fight a war, but to deter further aggression.
The White House has defended Trump's comments, stating that his success in delivering a five percent spending pledge from NATO allies is helping Europe take greater responsibility for its own defense. However, the criticism directed at Trump remains intense, with many questioning his understanding of the sacrifices made by NATO troops and the future of the alliance.
President Trump's comments on the US role in the war in Afghanistan have left European allies "dumbfounded" and "disgusted", with many questioning his understanding of the sacrifices made by NATO troops.
In a video posted on social media, UK Defence Minister Alistair Carmichael, a veteran who served five tours in Afghanistan alongside American troops, fired back at Trump's remarks. "The only time NATO has ever enacted Article 5 was after the 9-11 terrorist attacks on the US," Carmichael said. "We shed blood, sweat and tears together, and not everybody came home. These are bonds forged in fire, protecting shared interests, but actually protecting democracy overall."
Carmichael's comments echoed those of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who described Trump's remarks as "insulting and frankly appalling". Roman Polko, a retired Polish general and former special forces commander who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, called on Trump to apologize for his statement. "We paid with blood for this alliance," he said. "We truly sacrificed our own lives."
The comments have also sparked outrage from families of the fallen. Lucy Aldridge, mother of 18-year-old British soldier William Aldridge, who was killed in a bomb blast while trying to save fellow troops, described herself as "deeply disgusted" by Trump's remarks. Her son died on his first day of training in Afghanistan in 2009.
The former head of the British Army, Lord Richard Dannatt, called Trump's comments "outrageous". "Well frankly, one was dumbfounded, because they're factually incorrect," he said. "Absolutely disrespectful to our nation, to our armed forces and to the families of the 457 British service men and women who lost their lives in Afghanistan."
Trump's remarks have also sparked debate about the future of NATO. European governments must do more to increase military capability, not because they want to fight a war, but to deter further aggression.
The White House has defended Trump's comments, stating that his success in delivering a five percent spending pledge from NATO allies is helping Europe take greater responsibility for its own defense. However, the criticism directed at Trump remains intense, with many questioning his understanding of the sacrifices made by NATO troops and the future of the alliance.
. It's one thing to have a differing opinion on foreign policy, but it feels like he's completely disregarding the sacrifices made by our allies who put their lives on the line for us. I mean, come on, five tours of duty is not something you can just "get over" 
. It's heartbreaking to see families of fallen soldiers being left feeling "deeply disgusted" by his remarks 
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. But let's not forget, NATO was formed in the first place because of the threat of terrorism and aggression from countries like Iran and North Korea 
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. I'm not sure what Trump was thinking with those remarks, but one thing's for sure – they're not going to win any friends in Europe 
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. it's not about being "dumbfounded" or "disgusted", it's about showing some respect for the people who risked their lives to protect us 
. european governments need to step up and take responsibility for their own defense, but trump's comments aren't exactly inspiring that sense of urgency 
hearing about this is really sad... president trump's comments are so hurtful to our brave nato troops 
... i mean, they're fighting for our safety and freedom, and this is how some leaders show their appreciation? 
not okay! 
it's time for european governments to increase their military capability, not because they want to fight a war, but to deter further aggression 
... this is exactly what roman polko said, and i think we should listen 
newsflash: your ego doesn't equal military knowledge 
European leaders are right to be disgusted by his comments, I mean come on, he's basically saying they're not doing enough without acknowledging the actual sacrifices made by troops like William Aldridge's mom described herself as "deeply disgusted" 
. And I have to say, I'm also a bit worried about the future of NATO... all this talk about European governments needing to do more is making me think about how we can support each other instead of just blaming others 
. We all deserve better from our leaders, and it's okay to express those feelings 
. Keep taking care of yourself, and try not to worry too much about what's happening in the world - there are still so many good people out there making a positive impact 
The fact that Trump's comments have sparked outrage from families of the fallen and even some of our own military leaders is telling. It's clear he's more interested in scoring points than actually supporting our troops or their sacrifices. 
And let's be real, if we want to talk about increasing military capability, it's not just about Europe doing more – it's about the US stepping up its own game and showing some backbone on the world stage! 
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... President Trump's comments on the US role in Afghanistan are beyond ridiculous 
... Trump needs to apologize ASAP for his thoughtless remarks 
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... I mean, what's up with President Trump's comments on NATO? It's like he has no idea how it all works or who got hurt in that mess in Afghanistan 
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I mean what even is he thinking? like NATO has been fighting for years and what does he say? "Hey guys, don't worry, we got your backs"? No respect, fam 
. And the families of the fallen soldiers are just shaking their heads, it's like they're saying "dude, we lost our sons/daughters/brothers/sisters to you" and then he just dismisses it with a comment 
, and yeah, European governments need to step up their game if they wanna keep up with the US on defense. It's all about deterrence, fam 
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