Trump has mocked our allies as freeloaders. The blood their soldiers have shed for us in Afghanistan and elsewhere tells a different story.
The former President tells us that NATO is a burden, that our East Asian allies should be paying us, and that we should spurn the interests of others and seek an “America First” strategy. Those claims dishonor the sacrifice our allies have made - measured in blood - to support us. The also leave the United States fundamentally weakened in an age when threats from major powers, rogue states, and terrorist groups are on the rise - and in the midst of challenges and wars during which we need friends more than ever.
Our allies have fought and died side-by-side with us. 1,007 NATO and allied soldiers have given their “last full measure of devotion” in Afghanistan. 157 Canadian soldiers have given their lives fighting in Kandahar province, the seat of Taliban power. 456 British troops died patrolling Helmand province and fighting the opium trade that fuels the insurgency and costs untold lives in heroin overdoses around the world. Many of us probably couldn’t even find Georgia (yes, the country, not the state!) on the map, but they have lost 32 sons and daughters fighting side-by-side with us in the War on Terror - and they’re not even a NATO member. In fact, what is striking is not only how many allied soldiers have given their lives defending the U.S., but just how many countries have willingly sacrificed their citizens in our defense:
NATO does not centrally report casualty numbers for Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), but you can find more information on each here.
The NATO alliance is only activated through the invocation of Article V of its founding treaty. The only time that Article has ever been invoked has been on September 12th, 2001 - to defend the United States against terrorism - sending those troops listed above to fight with us in Afghanistan and elsewhere.
And it is not just in Afghanistan - NATO and other allied troops are supporting U.S. efforts in Iraq and Syria, patrolling the Mediterranean, and constantly on guard against Russian aggression.
Does that sacrifice and commitment deserve to be mocked and derided as it has so often been by the President? It clearly does not.
Remember:
Our allies give us crucial strategic capabilities.
Our allies do NOT owe us any money.
Our allies help us counter the rise of China and other strategic rivals.
Our allies share our values and help spread them.
Since WWII, Republican and Democratic administrations have all patiently and painstakingly built up powerful and loyal alliances that have made the United States safer.
How can we accept that the former Administration has done so much damage to these partnerships?