Former Royal Marine Commando Ben McBean has delivered a powerful rebuke to Donald Trump's recent comments about NATO forces in Afghanistan, describing the US President's remarks as "insulting" and factually incorrect. The 38-year-old veteran from Plymouth, who suffered life-changing injuries from an IED explosion while serving on the front line in 2008, has spoken out against Trump's false claims that British troops stayed away from combat zones during the conflict.
Life-Changing Injuries From Front Line Service
Mr McBean, who served with 40 Commando and was stationed at Camp Bastion while deployed around the village of Kajaki in southern Afghanistan, lost his left arm and had his right leg amputated above the knee following the blast. He emphasises that his injuries provide undeniable proof that British soldiers faced the consequences of being on the front line, directly contradicting Trump's assertions.
"I'm only like this because I was on the front line," Mr McBean told The Independent. "I've got two kids now, I can't do sports day with them, I can't do certain things that I'd like to do with them. I can't be the man that I want to be because of my injuries. I've got to keep my mental health in check."
Detailed Account of Front Line Experience
The veteran provided a detailed account of his deployment, describing the constant combat conditions that characterised his service. "When I got to Kajaki, you were on the front line, you slept with your weapons, you had sentries 24 hours a day, seven days a week," he explained. "There is no back line, or off the front line. Every day we rotated, just fighting. That's all I did - I'd fight, I'd get back, clean my weapon, eat some food, sleep and then you would go again. I did that for four and a half months before I got blown up."
Mr McBean was just 20 years old when he suffered his devastating injuries while working with colleagues from 40 Commando to clear a compound in Kajaki. He recalled the moment of the explosion: "We were about to go and do that, and then on the way over, a bomb went off. I didn't pass out, so I just hit the deck and looked down – my right leg was gone. My left leg was ripped up, my kneecap was hanging off, I had pieces of metal sticking out of my body, my right arm had a hole in it, my left arm was hanging off. I was crawling around a crater, and then eventually I got rescued."
Political Condemnation Across the Spectrum
Trump's comments, made during an interview with Fox News, have sparked widespread condemnation across the British political spectrum. The US President claimed: "We've never needed them [NATO]. They'll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan … and they did, they stayed a little back, a little off the front lines."
Sir Keir Starmer's spokesman responded forcefully, stating: "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's Tribute to Fallen Heroes
Defence Secretary John Healey highlighted the collective NATO response to the 9/11 attacks, noting: "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 described Trump's comments as "nonsense," stating: "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."
Veteran's Personal Sacrifice and Ongoing Struggle
Mr McBean's personal story underscores the human cost of the conflict that began in 2001. He revealed the broader impact of his injuries, noting that two of his friends were also hurt in the same incident, with one eventually taking their own life. "That was it, two of my friends also got hurt. One of them ended up taking their own life. So, yes, we were on the front line," he said.
The veteran expressed particular frustration about the reach of Trump's platform, saying: "Everyone knows that he's wrong, but it's annoying to hear him say it. He's got such a big platform that there will be people out there who think he's right. Millions see it, that is what's frustrating."
The Human Cost of the Afghanistan Conflict
According to veteran charity Help for Heroes, more than 1,100 non-US coalition fighters died in the Afghanistan conflict, with the overwhelming majority coming from NATO countries. This figure stands alongside more than 2,300 members of the US armed forces who were killed during the same period.
Mr McBean concluded his powerful testimony by directly addressing the false nature of Trump's claims: "What he said is not true, and it's out of order, when I know exactly what we were doing out there. It's really insulting." His words serve as a poignant reminder of the reality faced by British and NATO troops who served in Afghanistan, challenging historical revisionism with personal experience and undeniable evidence of sacrifice.
