The Kabul Tribune (KT) — U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said only about five NATO member countries actively participated in military operations in Afghanistan, with just one or two taking significant combat roles toward the end of the mission.
Speaking at the University of Tennessee, Hegseth said membership in a military alliance should mean more than displaying a national flag. Countries must have strong militaries, advanced equipment and the ability to conduct military operations, he said.
Hegseth said the flags of about 50 countries participating in the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission were displayed at NATO headquarters in Kabul, but only about five made significant contributions to operations.
His remarks highlighted differences in the level of military involvement among NATO allies during the Afghanistan mission.
NATO launched the ISAF mission in Afghanistan in 2001 to support security and stability following the ouster of the Taliban government. The mission ended in December 2014, after which NATO continued its presence through a separate mission focused on training, advising and assisting Afghan security forces. NATO's military presence in Afghanistan ended in 2021, when international forces withdrew and the Taliban returned to power.
