Prince Harry has responded to US President Donald Trump's comments about the role of NATO forces in Afghanistan, highlighting his personal service and the sacrifices of allied soldiers in the mission. The prince's reaction came after Trump said that NATO forces in Afghanistan had been "just behind the front lines", a comment that sparked criticism in Britain, from politicians as well as veterans and families of fallen soldiers.
"In 2001, NATO invoked Article 5 for the first and only time in history," Prince Harry said in a statement, recalling that this meant the obligation of every allied country to stand by the United States in Afghanistan. "Allies answered this call," he added.
Prince Harry highlighted his personal experience in Afghanistan: “I served there. I made lifelong friends and I lost friends there. The UK alone had 457 military deaths.” He underlined that thousands of lives were changed forever and that the sacrifices made deserve to be remembered “with honesty and respect.”
Donald Trump, in an interview with Fox News, said he was "not sure" whether the alliance would be on the US side in case of need, adding that allied countries "sent some troops to Afghanistan, but stayed behind the front lines."
The BBC has asked the White House for clarification on the president's statements. Deputy spokeswoman Anna Kelly said that US contributions to NATO are "extraordinary compared to other countries" and that Trump's promise to increase defense spending to 5% by allied countries is aimed at increasing Europe's responsibility for its security. She also added that the US is "the only NATO partner that can protect Greenland".
In total, 51 countries sent troops to Afghanistan, of which 24 suffered casualties. The US recorded 2,465 deaths, the UK 457 and Canada 158. In terms of population, the US had 7.9 deaths per million inhabitants, Denmark 7.7, Britain 7.2 and Estonia 6.7.
