Hegseth says only five NATO countries were actively involved in Afghanistan mission

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that in NATO’s mission in Afghanistan, about five member countries of the alliance actively took part in military operations, and among them only one or two played a major role in combat engagements.

According to Hegseth, being part of a military alliance does not simply mean raising a flag; countries must also have a strong army, advanced equipment and the ability to carry out effective military operations in order to make a real contribution to missions.

He added in a speech at the University of Tennessee that nearly 50 countries participating in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission had their flags displayed at NATO’s office in Kabul, but in practice only five countries made a significant contribution to military operations.