Mild annoyance at Trump's remarks about allies in Afghanistan

[Chap]

Speaking on Fox, his favourite channel, Trump expressed himself yesterday:

Trump said that he wasn't sure NATO would be there to support the United States if and when requested, provoking outrage and distress across the United Kingdom on Friday, regardless of individuals' political persuasion.

"We've never needed them; we have never really asked anything of them," Trump said of his NATO allies in an interview with Fox News in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday.

"You know, they'll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan, or this or that, and they did, they stayed a little back, a little off the front lines."

After the 9/11 attacks, the US invoked Article 5 of the NATO treaty (the one that says that if any one member is attacked, all other members have to come to their aid). They are the only country ever to have done so.

NATO allies responded by fulfilling their obligations, and sent troops who fought and died alongside US forces. There were about 3,000 deaths in total, of which about 2,000 were US soldiers and the other 1,000 were NATO allied troops. Speaking for the UK, 457 UK personnel were killed and 2,000 wounded. Denmark, a much smaller country, had 44 soldiers killed, amongst the highest in terms of deaths per head of population.

As a British person, it is not worth my while to do more than raise an eyebrow at Trump's latest idiocy. As the old saying goes "from a pig, you get a grunt". But I am truly sorry for the many US veterans of the Afghan fighting who must feel very keenly a sense of shame at what their commander-draft dodger-in-chief said. Don't worry, we know Trump does not represent what you feel on this topic.

[Everybody Wang Chung]

I’m deeply embarrassed and ashamed. The UK is one of our last true allies left in the world, and went to war and shed its own blood to help defend the country currently insulting them. Good Lord! We are the laughing stock of the entire world.

[Chap]

The UK is one of our last true allies left in the world, and went to war and shed its own blood to help defend the country currently insulting them.

Nice of you to say that.

There are currently some in the UK who are suggesting that under these circumstances the planned visit of King Charles to the US to participate in events commemorating the Declaration of Independence later this year should be cancelled. I hope things won't reach that stage.

[Gunnar]

Speaking on Fox, his favourite channel, Trump expressed himself yesterday:

Trump said that he wasn't sure NATO would be there to support the United States if and when requested, provoking outrage and distress across the United Kingdom on Friday, regardless of individuals' political persuasion.

"We've never needed them; we have never really asked anything of them," Trump said of his NATO allies in an interview with Fox News in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday.

"You know, they'll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan, or this or that, and they did, they stayed a little back, a little off the front lines."

After the 9/11 attacks, the US invoked Article 5 of the NATO treaty (the one that says that if any one member is attacked, all other members have to come to their aid). They are the only country ever to have done so.

NATO allies responded by fulfilling their obligations, and sent troops who fought and died alongside US forces. There were about 3,000 deaths in total, of which about 2,000 were US soldiers and the other 1,000 were NATO allied troops. Speaking for the UK, 457 UK personnel were killed and 2,000 wounded. Denmark, a much smaller country, had 44 soldiers killed, amongst the highest in terms of deaths per head of population.

As a British person, it is not worth my while to do more than raise an eyebrow at Trump's latest idiocy. As the old saying goes "from a pig, you get a grunt". But I am truly sorry for the many US veterans of the Afghan fighting who must feel very keenly a sense of shame at what their commander-draft dodger-in-chief said. Don't worry, we know Trump does not represent what you feel on this topic.

I'm so glad you pointed that out! Mild annoyance you say? Thanks also for showing once again that "The Brits are masters of dry humour and understatement." I have long admired your excellent dry, sense of humor, as well as your always highly well-informed and well-stated comments!

The world's (especially our allies') justified anger and disgust over Trump's appallingly clueless and insulting remarks at DAVOS can hardly be overstated!

FURIOUS World Leaders BLAST Trump after FATAL INSULT!!!!

MeidasTouch host Ben Meiselas reports on world leaders discussing publicly how Trump’s attack on NATO soldiers in Afghanistan was the final straw in trying to keep any type of productive relationship with the United States and Meiselas interviews former United States Ambassador to Denmark Rufus Gifford about what he’s hearing in Denmark about Trump’s final betrayal.

Will our nation ever be able to recover whatever respect and credibility it once enjoyed in much of the world?

This comment from the comment section for this video is all too true:

Hitler got into power with 37.3% of the vote. Here in America that same percentage of voters follow him. The Democrats screwed up. Biden said he’d be a one term president due to his age. Then he went back on his word.

Other factors:

The rise of Fox News 40 years ago, and the proliferation other right wing media.

Gerrymandering

Citizens United Supreme Court decision giving corporations unlimited ability to fund political campaigns.

Changing economy that has eroded the middle class

Right wing politics combined with fundamentalist Christianity

The seeds for Trump’s rise the power were sewn[sic] over the last 45 years.

[Gunnar]

I’m deeply embarrassed and ashamed. The UK is one of our last true allies left in the world, and went to war and shed its own blood to help defend the country currently insulting them. Good Lord! We are the laughing stock of the entire world.

I agree! Trump is the very epitome of "the ugly American." He has brought deserved shame and ridicule on at least all Americans who were foolish or corrupt enough to vote for or support him!

[Gunnar]

The UK is one of our last true allies left in the world, and went to war and shed its own blood to help defend the country currently insulting them.

Nice of you to say that.

There are currently some in the UK who are suggesting that under these circumstances the planned visit of King Charles to the US to participate in events commemorating the Declaration of Independence later this year should be cancelled. I hope things won't reach that stage.

Yet, considering Trump's hateful ignorance and narcissism it is not hard to understand why the UK and its people would come to that conclusion. How can sane and fair-minded Americans who genuinely love their country and their fellow Americans not hate what Trump has done and is still trying to do to our country and its reputation in the world?

[Chap]

Here we are in TACO-land again!

Donald Trump walks back comments about UK soldiers in Afghanistan
After anger at claim that Nato troops ‘stayed off frontlines’, US president says UK forces were ‘great and very brave’

Donald Trump has said UK soldiers who fought in Afghanistan were “among the greatest of all warriors” after previously drawing criticism for his claims that Nato troops stayed away from the frontlines during the conflict.

In a post on social media on Saturday, the US president said: “The great and very brave soldiers of the United Kingdom will always be with the United States of America.

“In Afghanistan, 457 died, many were badly injured, and they were among the greatest of all warriors."

“It’s a bond too strong to ever be broken. The UK military, with tremendous heart and soul, is second to none (except for the USA). We love you all, and always will!”

Why? Well I hear that he had a phone conversation with the UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, today. My guess is that the PM may have informed Trump that in view of the remarks Trump had made about NATO troops in Afghanistan, King Charles was asking himself whether it would be prudent for him to refrain from visiting the US for the 4th July celebrations as planned.

If that happened, it might have a loose connection with the fact that the King's younger son, Prince Harry, served as a helicopter gunship pilot in Afghanistan.