The mother of a British soldier who suffered horrendous injuries in Afghanistan has described Donald Trump’s comments about the role of Nato troops in the war as “the ultimate insult”.
The US president made his comments in an interview with Fox News in which he reiterated his suggestion that Nato would not support America if asked, before making false claims about the role of Nato troops in the conflict.
He said: “We’ve never needed them. They’ll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan … and they did, they stayed a little back, a little off the front lines.”
More than 1,100 non-US coalition fighters died in the conflict that began in 2001, according to veteran charity Help for Heroes, the overwhelming majority of them being Nato countries, while more than 2,300 members of the US armed forces were killed.
Diane Dernie, the mother of Ben Parkinson, who is regarded as the most severely injured British soldier to survive in Afghanistan, said: “I can assure you, the Taliban didn’t plant IEDs miles and miles back from the front line.
“To say that British troops, Nato forces, were not involved on the front lines – it’s just a childish man trying to deflect from his own actions, and it’s just beyond belief.
“I mean, it is so insulting, it’s so hard to hear. We’d be very interested to see what our own prime minister’s response is to this, because this is just disgraceful.”
About the president’s comments, Ian Sadler, whose son, Trooper Jack Sadler, 21, was killed in Afghanistan in 2007, while serving with the 4/73 Special Observation Battery, Brigade Reconnaissance Force, said: “Trump is just ill-advised by his military aides and the people around him.
“Some of the Nato troops were not on the front line in the same way the British and US troops were, that’s true.”
Mr Sadler, from Exeter, Devon, added: “The British certainly were in the hot spots, they were on the front line, 457 of them were lost and there was probably three times as many seriously injured as deaths.”
Ms Dernie added: “In 2008, General [David] Petraeus, who was head of the American forces, actually came and met with Ben and with several of the wounded. He gave them all a medal, and he commented what an incredible ally the British forces were and what an amazing job they’d done, and the incredibly high price they’d had to pay.”
She said: “For Trump then to come up with this statement is just, it’s insulting.”
Mr Parkinson suffered severe injuries when an Army Land Rover hit a landmine near Musa Qala in 2006. The blast left the former lance bombardier with both legs amputated, a twisted spine and brain damage.
Asked what Keir Starmer should do in response to Mr Trump’s comments, Ms Dernie said: “He’s got to refute what’s said. He’s got to come out.
“He’s got to stand up for his own armed forces, and he’s got to absolutely refute what Donald Trump said.
“Call him out. 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.
“To hear this man say, ‘Oh, well, you just fannied about behind the front lines’. It’s the ultimate insult.”
Sir Keir’s spokesperson hit back at the comments on Friday, saying: “Many hundreds suffered life-changing injuries from their service alongside the US and our allies in Afghanistan. Their sacrifice and that of other Nato forces was made in the service of collective security and in response to an attack on our ally. We are incredibly proud of our armed forces and their service and sacrifice will never be forgotten.”
Defence secretary John Healey said: “Nato’s Article 5 has only been triggered once. The UK and Nato allies answered the US call. And more than 450 British personnel lost their lives in Afghanistan.
“Those British troops should be remembered for who they were: heroes who gave their lives in service of our nation.”
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said Donald Trump’s comments were “nonsense”.
She said: “Trump saying Nato allies ‘weren’t on the front line’ in Afghanistan is flat-out nonsense.
“British, Canadian, and Nato troops fought and died alongside the US for 20 years. This is a fact, not opinion. Their sacrifice deserves respect, not denigration.”
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