'British and NATO troops did not hide from the fight': Shropshire war hero says President Trump's 'hurtful and wrong' comments 'dishonour their sacrifice'
A Shropshire war hero honoured for his service in Afghanistan says Donald Trump's comments "dishonour the sacrifice of British and allied troops."
The US President spoke on Thursday, saying NATO troops had "stayed a little back, a little off the front lines" in Afghanistan.
The comments have led to dismay from many NATO countries, particularly the UK, which suffered devastating losses in Afghanistan where 457 service personnel were killed.
The UK was one of several countries to join the US in Afghanistan after it invoked NATO's collective security clause following the 9/11 attacks.
It is the only time the clause has been activated, where an attack on one member is considered an attack on all members.
Andrew Radford, who is 44 and lives in The Wrekin, served for nearly 20 years in The Life Guards The Household Cavalry, in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In 2006 he was awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross for his actions in Afghanistan, an honour second only to the Victoria Cross for gallantry in the face of the enemy.
The medal recognised Mr Radford's heroic actions where he risked his own life to save a fellow soldier who had been severely injured in an explosion.
In an emotional response to Mr Trump's comments, Mr Radford said NATO forces had done their duty at the request of the US and their sacrifice deserved "gratitude and truth".
Mr Radford paid tribute to his own fellow soldiers and friends, who were injured, killed, or suffered mental scars that will never heal.
He said: "President Trump’s recent comments about NATO forces “staying back” in Afghanistan are profoundly hurtful and wrong, and they dishonour the sacrifice of British and allied troops who fought, bled, and died on the front line.
"As someone who served on the front line in Afghanistan, and who was part of the initial task force into Helmand Province, I cannot let those remarks go unchallenged.
"I fought beside some of the bravest men, in some of the most intense fighting our country has seen in modern times.
"I watched friends killed by the Taliban while we were conducting front line reconnaissance, actively engulfed in danger.
"Those memories do not fade, and they are not compatible with any suggestion that we somehow “stayed back". Our British troops, and our NATO partners, did not hide from the fight.
"They held ground in hostile territory, patrolled through IED‑strewn fields, and engaged an enemy at close quarters in brutal conditions.
"Many never came home. Many more came home with life‑changing injuries — lost limbs, shattered bodies, scars they will carry for the rest of their lives.
"And then there are those living with PTSD, and other invisible wounds, whose battles did not end when the tours finished, and who still wake at night if able to sleep in the first place with Afghanistan very much alive in their minds."
Mr Radford said the comments from President Trump questioned the character of British forces - and served as an injustice to the memory and service of those who stood "shoulder to shoulder" with US forces.
He said: "These comments cut deepest because they strike at the character of our forces.
"Whatever one thinks about the politics of the war, there is no questioning the courage, professionalism and sense of duty of the British soldier.
"Our troops fought with honour. They kept faith with their comrades. They upheld our country’s reputation in the hardest of circumstances.
"To imply that they did anything less than stand shoulder to shoulder with our American allies is an injustice to their memory and to their service.
"Out of respect for the fallen, the injured, and those still carrying the unseen burdens of war, it must be said clearly: NATO troops, and British forces in particular, were on the front line in Afghanistan.
"They did their duty at the request of the USA. Many paid the price. Their sacrifice deserves gratitude and truth, not careless words that diminish what they gave.
"President Trump may wish to look at the character in how Afghanistan was ended by the USA, and the disastrous withdrawal."
Comment Guidelines
Iconic Media encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.