Poland Condemns Hegseth’s Remarks on Allied Sacrifices in Afghanistan

DID Press: Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski has criticised US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth over his remarks about the role of allied forces in Afghanistan, calling for respect for the sacrifices made by troops from partner countries.

Speaking on Saturday at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Hegseth said that only a small number of US allies had genuinely contributed to the Afghanistan mission, suggesting the number was perhaps five countries, or in reality closer to one or two.

Hegseth also said that soldiers had jokingly reinterpreted the acronym ISAF — the International Security Assistance Force — as “I Saw Americans Fighting”.

In response, Sikorski wrote on the social media platform X: “Hegseth should say that to the families of the 44 Polish soldiers who died securing Ghazni province, a difficult area.”

Jan Grabiec, chief of staff to Poland’s prime minister, also stressed that allies should not mock the blood shed while serving alongside one another.

Hegseth’s comments have drawn criticism in Poland and renewed debate over how the contributions of NATO allies during the 2001–2021 Afghanistan mission are described. Poland maintained troops in Afghanistan for nearly two decades, with more than 33,000 Polish soldiers and defence ministry personnel serving there over the course of the deployment.