In the face of Donald Trump’s disparaging remarks about NATO troops, a veteran journalist’s firsthand account paints a vivid picture of the bravery and camaraderie displayed by British and American forces on the frontlines of the war in Afghanistan.
Sam Kiley, the world affairs editor for The Update Desk, embedded with the 16th Air Assault Brigade in Helmand province for six months in 2008. His experience challenges Trump’s claim that NATO troops “stayed a little back, a little off the front line,” as Kiley witnessed British and US forces risking their lives to support one another in the fight against the Taliban.
Kiley recounts the heroic actions of Sergeant Major Gaz O’Donnell, a bomb disposal expert who was killed while clearing roads and exposing hidden explosives for NATO’s troops. O’Donnell’s friend, Mike Webb, had to crawl through the dust to retrieve his body under fire from the Taliban.
The journalist also describes the fierce battles fought by the soldiers of C Bruneval Company, 2nd Parachute Regiment, who endured six months of relentless combat at Forward Operating Base Gibraltar, with a third of the unit killed or injured. Despite the heavy toll, these troops maintained morale, engaging in playful antics between missions, such as bombarding their officers with flour-soaked water balloons.
Kiley’s account paints a stark contrast to Trump’s dismissive attitude towards America’s war dead, whom he has disparaged as “losers” and “suckers.” The former US president’s contempt for military service is further underscored by his own avoidance of the Vietnam draft due to purported “bone spurs.”
In contrast, Senator John McCain, whom Trump infamously declared was “not a war hero” for being captured, earned a Silver Star, three Bronze Stars, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and two Purple Hearts for his service and sacrifice in Vietnam.
Kiley’s firsthand reporting serves as a powerful rebuttal to Trump’s denigration of the brave men and women who put their lives on the line as part of the NATO mission in Afghanistan. Their valour and dedication deserve recognition, not the scorn of a former commander-in-chief who avoided combat himself.
