British Afghanistan veterans say two-decade war left them with wasted sacrifice
Veterans of the UK’s Afghanistan campaign, speaking on the 25th anniversary of 9/11, say the war achieved nothing and left them scarred.
On the quarter-century mark of the 9/11 attacks, British veterans of the Afghanistan war voiced that the two-decade effort was a futile loss. Ex-Royal Marine Commando Ben McBean, who lost a leg and an arm in a 2008 IED blast, described the campaign as a “waste of time” with no lasting benefit. Former Adjutant General’s Corps sergeant Gemma Gardner recalled daily scenes of injured soldiers being rushed to medical tents and bodies being repatriated from Camp Bastion.
The war claimed 457 British lives and wounded about 2,000, while many survivors now cope with PTSD or homelessness. Veterans argue that the Taliban’s swift takeover in August 2021 undid any progress, reinstating oppressive policies that ban girls’ education and suppress free press. They also lament that the sacrifices made have been largely forgotten by the public and politicians.
Why it matters
The veterans' criticism highlights ongoing debates about the value and legacy of the Afghanistan war for the UK.
In this story
