Polish veterans were furious at Karol Nawrocki's lack of reaction. “Trump spat in our faces”

— We never needed them. We never really asked them for anything. They'll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan here or there. And so they did – they stayed a little behind, a little behind the front lines – Donald Trump's words in a January 23 Fox News interview sparked outrage among the United States' NATO allies.

This outrage is shared by the Polish veteran community. Nearly 75 thousand Polish soldiers participated in NATO missions in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and other countries.

Veteran: I'm crazy

On September 14, 2010, Marcin Chłopeniuk was 30 years old and had completed missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. That day, he was returning from a patrol in Iraq in a Rosomak armored personnel carrier, of which he was the driver. A fragment of the rocket that exploded in the courtyard flew through the wolverine's hatch, which was open only 15 centimeters, and hit the soldier in the head. He didn't get out of bed for almost two years. Doctors calculated that his health would be permanently impaired at 100 percent. To this day, he has not regained mobility and is struggling with very serious neurological problems.

“I was blown away,” he says, recalling the moment he heard Trump's words. — I was appalled, outraged.

The veteran also holds a grudge against President Nawrocki for not defending Polish soldiers. — He keeps his ears open and sits quietly. He doesn't care. They died, they died, he says, embittered.

In his reaction, the Polish president only referred to the attitude of Polish soldiers. “There is no doubt that Polish soldiers are heroes. They deserve respect and words of thanks for their service,” wrote Karol Nawrocki on the X website on the day of Trump's statement.

However, during Sunday's press conference, he defended the American president, claiming that he was convinced that he “wasn't thinking about Poland” when he said the words about the Americans' allies.

Marcin Chłopeniuk points out that the British behaved much better in this matter — The British Prime Minister reacted sharply and received an apology, says our veteran.

It is a fact that the British reacted decisively and on several levels. Prime Minister Keir Starmer called Trump's words “offensive and appalling.” In turn, Prince Harry recalled that he himself served in Afghanistan, where 457 soldiers from his country died.

In response, Trump did not apologize to the British so much as praised their soldiers on the X website: “The British military, with a huge heart and soul, has no equal (outside the USA!). We love you all and we will always love you!”

Poles received a lower rank and quite twisted reaction to Trump's words in the entry of the US ambassador to Poland, Tom Rose: “The fact that the United States did not need the support of so many of our allies in Afghanistan or Iraq makes their immediate support – primarily Poland – even more significant and all the more appreciated,” he wrote on the X website.

Such explanations did not ease the outrage of other Polish veterans.

General: He spat in our faces

Reserve Gen. Andrzej Tuz, an experienced Polish officer and trainer, commanded the 12th rotation of the Polish Military Contingent in Afghanistan. He lost three of his soldiers on the mission. In an interview with Onet, he does not hide his anger at both the American president and Polish officials.

— President Donald Trump spat in our faces, but as a veteran community we feel that our politicians also did the same. None of them said out loud that President Trump's advisers were misleading him. Their statements made no reference to the words of the President of the United States. Everyone only said that Polish soldiers died in Afghanistan. It's not enough, he says.

Gen. Andrzej TuzJerzy Undro / PAP

Gen. Tuz also refers in strong words directly to the attitude of the commander of the Polish Armed Forces, but not only that.

— However, in this situation, President Karol Nawrocki behaved exceptionally like a subordinate of Mr. Trump. I would expect the commander of the Armed Forces to clearly declare that he stands behind the soldiers. I expect the same from the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

General Tuz also draws attention to the different reaction of British politicians to President Trump's words than the Polish one.

— We would like it to be in theirs [polskich polityków] statements made it clear that President Trump insulted Polish soldiers. Yes, as British politicians said loudly. The British Prime Minister did not bow to Trump and stood behind his army. This is what I missed in the statements of our politicians. This situation showed that they do not care about the honor of the Polish soldier. When welcoming the army, presidents, prime ministers and ministers say: “hello soldiers”, but in the face of the test, none of them stood up for us, he says.

Veteran: We'll wear this for the rest of our lives

— When I heard this, I felt sad. Tears came to my eyes. These words are incomprehensible to me, they are a lie. If we stayed behind, it would be people like me who lost 100 percent. health and other injured people, we would not suffer any damage to our health – says Mariusz Mańczak.

Senior Private Mańczak was 29 years old when his Wolverine blew up with an improvised explosive device on July 25, 2009 in Afghanistan. The list of injuries to the miraculously saved soldier included, among others: fracture of the spine, open fractures of arms and legs in many places, damage to ligaments and tendons, extensive losses of thigh and calf muscles, head injury, thermal damage to the respiratory tract and burns to the face and eyelids. Doctors also estimated his health damage at 100 percent.

– But why is it any wonder that the President of the United States says such words when the Polish government also forgets about veterans, for example in the matter of our court cases, which drag on for years – adds Mariusz Mańczak bitterly.

Veteran refers to the years-long court battle between the most seriously injured Polish veterans and the Ministry of National Defense for fair compensation. The courts began to accept the veterans' arguments in this case only after Onet's first publication “Polish veterans of the war in Afghanistan. The story of these three soldiers is a story of shame for the Ministry of National Defence”. However, the Ministry of Defense has not stopped fighting veterans to this day. The first legal victory in this case was achieved by one of the Polish veterans only last year after 12 years of fighting in the courts.

— My heart goes out to the families of all the fallen soldiers, as well as to all the veterans who returned. We will carry the stigma of what we experienced there for the rest of our lives. Nobody really knows what we are struggling with and what is in our heads after these traumas and accidents, and this will always stay with us – added Mariusz Mańczak.

Veteran: injured Polish soldiers

Reserve Warrant Officer Przemysław Wójtowicz is a former soldier and veteran of the mission in Afghanistan, where he was seriously injured. He served in the Polish Army for over 20 years, was the commander of the sniper section and co-founder of the first sniper school in the country. For his courage, he was entered into the Book of Honor of the Polish Army and was decorated many times. After finishing his service, he devoted himself to helping wounded soldiers – he conducts rehabilitation through sports, organizes training, rallies and stays for veterans. He is the co-author of the books “The Sniper Goes First” and “Before You Pull the Trigger”.

— President Trump loves to stick a stick in an anthill. His words about European armies in Afghanistan standing behind have some basis. The US president didn't make this up himself. He was told this by the advisers and generals he surrounds himself with, he says.

Allies in Afghanistan behaved differently, he adds. — However, Poles were undoubtedly in one of the worst areas. Therefore, with his statement, Trump hurt primarily Polish soldiers who not only fought hard, but also suffered very heavy losses. These losses should not be counted only by the number of those killed and wounded, but also by the subsequent effects of this war. It's about the treatment and rehabilitation of the wounded, suicides, combat stress syndrome, and misfortunes in veterans' families, who were often left with nothing.

— I approach the matter rationally. It seems to me that this type of cold shower is needed for our decision-makers to understand that America is not the only guarantor of our security. The basis is our Polish soldier, who must be respected. It doesn't matter that Trump doesn't respect him. It is important that we respect the Polish soldier and invest in him, concludes Warrant Officer Wójtowicz.