From claiming that troops from the UK and different NATO allies “stayed just a little again” from the frontlines in the course of the “warfare on terror” in Afghanistan after 9/11, US President Donald Trump on Saturday went straight for an olive department as UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer had termed his comment “appalling”.
Now hailing the position of British troopers in Afghanistan, Trump referred to as them “among the many biggest of all warriors” in a publish on Fact Social.
It was throughout an interview with Fox Information earlier this week that Trump stated troops from NATO allies “averted” the frontline in Afghanistan, though 457 British troopers had been killed within the post-9/11 battle.
In his publish now, Trump wrote: “The GREAT and really BRAVE troopers of the UK will all the time be with america of America!”
“In Afghanistan, 457 died, many had been badly injured, and so they had been among the many biggest of all warriors. It is a bond too robust to ever be damaged,” he added.
He referred to as the UK army “second to none (apart from the united statesA.!)”, ending with: “We love you all, and all the time will!”
What Trump stated earlier than u-turn
His declare about troops “staying just a little again” was solely his newest barb at European allies. “They’re going to say they despatched some troops to Afghanistan,” Trump had stated, referring to NATO allies, “They usually did; they stayed just a little again, just a little off the frontlines.”
Following the 9/11 assaults, the UK and different allies joined the US from 2001 in Afghanistan after it invoked NATO’s collective safety clause.
Trump had questioned whether or not NATO can be there if the US ever wanted them. “We’ve by no means actually requested something of them.” he’d stated.
This sparked outrage in Britain, with a number of ministers criticising Trump.
“The President was mistaken to decrease the position of NATO troops, together with British forces, in Afghanistan following the 9/11 assaults on the US,” PM Starmer’s spokesperson stated. “We’re extremely pleased with our armed forces and their service and sacrifice won’t ever be forgotten,” he reportedly stated.
Defence Minister John Healey highlighted that NATO’s Article 5 has solely been triggered as soon as — on the name of the US. The troops who died had been “heroes who gave their lives in service of our nation”, he added.
NATO’s Article 5 states that an armed assault in opposition to one NATO member shall be thought of an assault in opposition to all of them.
Trump had additionally threatened to slap tariffs on European nations till a deal is reached for the US to “buy” Greenland, which additionally raised questions over the way forward for NATO. Although Trump backed down after a gathering with NATO secretary-general Mark Rutte during which he stated they fashioned the “framework” for a deal over Arctic safety, US-Europe relations have taken a success.
(inputs from AFP)









