
AI-generated summary
Poland participated in the NATO mission in Afghanistan (ISAF and the later Resolute Support mission) from 2002 to 2021, suffering significant personnel losses, especially in Ghazni province, where it was responsible for security. A total of 44 Polish soldiers died in the mission and hundreds were injured.
Pete Hegseth, speaking Saturday at the University of Tennessee to participants in a military training program, talked about his service in Afghanistan. He mentioned that he saw flags of about 50 countries at the headquarters of allied forces in Kabul.
However, he assessed that in reality only a few countries had a real participation in combat operations. He also referred to the acronym ISAF (International Security Assistance Force - the name of the NATO mission in Afghanistan in 2001-2014), which - as he reported - was sometimes jokingly developed by soldiers as "I Saw Americans Fighting".
The Polish minister's reaction
The deputy prime minister and head of Polish diplomacy, Radosław Sikorski, commented on the secretary's speech on website X.
"Please tell this, Mr. Secretary, to the families of 44 Polish soldiers who died securing the difficult Ghazni province," wrote Sikorski.
The head of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister, Jan Grabiec, also spoke. In his opinion, Polish soldiers deserve an apology. He recalled that in addition to the 44 killed, hundreds of Poles were injured during the Afghan mission.
Polish soldiers participated in operations in Afghanistan for nearly two decades. Poland was responsible, among other things, for operations in Ghazni province, considered one of the most difficult regions of the country.
During the presence of NATO troops in Afghanistan in 2001–2021, approximately 3,500 people died. soldiers of allied countries. About 2.5 thousand of them were Americans, and the remaining over 1,100 were fatalities on the side of American allies.
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The Polish government may demand an official explanation or apology from the United States for the statement made by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
Likely · Within days
The topic may trigger further public debate in Poland on the assessment of the history of the Afghan mission and relations with the US.
Very likely · Within weeks

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