丹尼尔总部位于威斯敏斯特，负责报道国家政策、议会事务以及英国政府的内部运作。下午3点08分（英国夏令时间），唐宁街方面对美国国防部长的言论作出了回应；该部长此前贬低了英国及其他北约盟国在阿富汗战争中的贡献。
Based in Westminster, Daniel leads coverage of national policy, parliamentary affairs, and the inner workings of the Government 3:08pm BST Downing Street has hit back at the US defence secretary after he belittled the efforts of Britain and other Nato allies during the war in Afghanistan.
佩特·赫格塞斯周六表示，除了美国之外，只有“大约五个”国家参与了这场战争，而真正参战的只有“一两个”国家。
Pete Hegseth said on Saturday that “maybe five” countries other than the US contributed to the mission, with just “one or two” actually fighting.
周一，安迪·伯纳姆的发言人指出，赫格塞斯贬低国际部队在阿富汗战争中所起的作用是错误的；这场战争导致457名英国士兵丧生。发言人强调：“他们的贡献与牺牲永远不会被遗忘，贬低他们的作用是不对的。”这一事件进一步表明了美英关系之间的紧张态势——这种紧张关系源于唐纳德·特朗普政府与北约盟国在乌克兰问题上的分歧。
On Monday, Andy Burnham’s spokesman said Mr Hegseth had been “wrong” to diminish the role played by international forces in a conflict that cost the lives of 457 British troops. The spokesman said: “Their service and sacrifice will never be forgotten, and it is wrong to diminish their role.”It is the latest sign of strained transatlantic relations after a split between Donald Trump’s administration and the US’s allies over the Ukraine war.
今年早些时候，特朗普曾声称北约部队在阿富汗“基本没有参与前线作战”，这一言论引发了前士兵们的强烈抗议。
Earlier this year, Mr Trump claimed Nato troops had “stayed a little off the front lines” in Afghanistan, prompting a furious backlash from former soldiers.
2008年，在喀布尔的一次换防仪式上，国际安全援助部队（ISAF）的士兵们举起了各国国旗。赫格塞斯回忆道：“我在阿富汗时是一名上尉，我们前往喀布尔的总部时，那里挂满了50面国旗——看到50个不同国家的国旗代表它们对北约联盟及ISAF任务的贡献，真是令人感动的场景。”
International Security Assistance Force soldiers raise flags during a change of command ceremony in Kabul in 2008 On Saturday, Mr Hegseth said: “I was a captain in Afghanistan and we would go to the headquarters in Kabul and there would be 50 flags at the headquarters.
“虽然可能有五个人参与了行动，但实际上最终只有那么一两个人真正参与了具体的战斗行动。”
“It was a beautiful thing to see, 50 different countries contributing to the Nato alliance and the ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) mission there.
他说，美国士兵曾开玩笑说，ISAF（国际安全援助部队）的名称其实意味着“我看到美国人正在战斗”（I Saw Americans Fighting）；不过这种玩笑其实很伤人，因为这让人觉得这种行动根本不是真正的合作，而更像是一种负担。
“Except there were maybe five that contributed, it was actually closer to one or two that by the end were actually involved in kinetic operations.”
伯纳姆先生的官方发言人回应道：“坦率地说，英国和北约对阿富汗的贡献有目共睹：成千上万的英军及盟军家属为这场战争付出了巨大牺牲，他们用自己的行动捍卫了我们的价值观。
He said American soldiers had joked that ISAF actually stood for “I Saw Americans Fighting”, adding: “Which is sort of a joke but it’s demoralising when you feel like it’s not burden sharing, it’s actually a burden.”
其中有450多名英军人员再也没有回来。他们的牺牲，以及其他北约成员国的军人的牺牲，都是为了维护集体安全、应对针对我们盟友的攻击而做出的。
‘British ... families made huge sacrifices’ Mr Burnham’s official spokesman responded: “Frankly, the facts speak for themselves when it comes to the UK’s and Nato’s contribution to Afghanistan, thousands of British and allied families made huge sacrifices to play their significant parts in that war and uphold our values.
我们为我们的武装部队感到无比自豪，他们的奉献精神永远不会被遗忘；任何试图贬低他们作用的行为都是错误的。”
“And more than 450 British personnel never returned. Their sacrifice and that of other Nato forces was made in the service of collective security and in response to an attack on our ally.
2001年，北约在“9·11”事件后首次启动了《公约》第5条规定的共同防御机制，英国随即向阿富汗派遣了军队。
“We are incredibly proud of our Armed Forces and their service and sacrifice will never be forgotten, and it is wrong to diminish their role.”The UK sent troops to Afghanistan in 2001, after Nato’s Article 5 mutual defence provision was triggered for the first time in the wake of the September 11 attacks.
上周，特朗普决定从俄罗斯进口柴油，并暗示应更换乌克兰领导人弗拉基米尔·泽连斯基，这再次凸显了华盛顿与欧洲盟国关系中的紧张态势。
Last week, Mr Trump’s decision to import diesel from Russia and his suggestion that Volodymyr Zelensky should be replaced as Ukraine’s leader marked another low point in relations between Washington and European allies.
与此同时，伯纳姆先生的发言人重申了英国对乌克兰的支持，表示：“俄罗斯应该清楚地认识到，英国政府坚决反对俄罗斯对乌克兰的侵略行为，也坚决反对任何针对英国及其盟友的威胁。
Meanwhile, Mr Burnham’s spokesman reiterated British support for Ukraine, saying: “Russia should be in no doubt about the resolve of this government to stand against Russian aggression in Ukraine and against the UK and our allies.
我们将与乌克兰站在一起，共同抵抗俄罗斯的侵略，捍卫国家的安全。”
“And we stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression and to defend itself against Russian attacks.”