I am proud to be a veteran and never make any secret of having served in our British Army for nearly four decades.

While afterwards, ultimately, I ended up in politics, I look back on my time being part of the Territorial Army, The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, The Black Watch and The Royal Regiment of Scotland with immense pride.

Indeed, I have sought to always stand up for the interests of our forces during my time in politics and I remain the chairman of the cross-party group for the Armed Forces and the Veterans Community in the Scottish Parliament.

That is why I was absolutely disgusted and appalled by the recent remarks by President Trump regarding our brave soldiers who lost their lives while serving on the frontline during the war in Afghanistan.

To even suggest that NATO troops, including from the United Kingdom, stayed back from the frontline was a gross insult to all those families who lost loved ones during that war.

Frankly, I do not even care that the President eventually backtracked on his initial remarks.

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The damage was done. His mask slipped and he gave us an insight into what he truly thinks of fellow NATO allies and the sacrifices they made to support the efforts of his country following the action they took after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

They were ignorant, demeaning and displayed a total lack of ignorance in what actually happened in Afghanistan.

I have had veterans and their families contact me since the President’s remarks to tell me how upset they were when they heard them and how it brought back a lot of painful memories for them.

We should be proud of all those who stepped up and played a critical role on the frontline during that war, just as I am proud of our armed forces community every single day for the work they are doing at home and abroad.

They are important to our community here in Helensburgh and the surrounding area and that should never be forgotten. Many here have family in our forces and are immensely proud of them.

We have grown accustomed to President Trump creating headlines through many of the things he says, but this was something that undoubtedly he should never even have thought about saying.

Politicians have a duty to be respectful when it comes to our brave forces and President Trump, as leader of the free world, fell miles short of the standards expected.

I hope I never have to write on such a topic again and that everyone recognises the enormous sacrifices made by UK soldiers as part of NATO efforts in Afghanistan during that time.

I will never shy from standing up for our armed forces and President Trump’s comments have only made me more determined to do so.