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Former Defense Chief: I Warned Government That Afghanistan War Was Doomed

From Berlingske · () Danish

Translated from Danish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Interview Named sources Context piece
  • Former Danish defense chief Jesper Helsø says he warned the Defense Ministry in autumn 2007 and spring 2008 that the Afghanistan war looked increasingly hopeless.
  • The warnings came years before Denmark acknowledged in 2021 that the war could not be won and withdrew its troops.

Denmark's former defense chief, General Jesper Helsø, says he warned the government that the war in Afghanistan was becoming increasingly hopeless as early as autumn 2007 and spring 2008.

Helsø, who led the Danish defense from 2002 to 2008, said the Defense Ministry received the warnings long before Denmark finally acknowledged in 2021 that the war was impossible to win. The account comes as attention turns to a forthcoming historical inquiry into two decades of war.

About this summary

Originally published by Berlingske in Danish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.