アフガン情勢 米軍駐留延長で治安取り戻せ

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Afghanistan’s security must be regained with extension of U.S. troop presence
アフガン情勢　米軍駐留延長で治安取り戻せ

The international community has sacrificed a lot and spent a vast amount of money and time to bring stability to Afghanistan. We must not let the country slide back into a hotbed of terrorism.
　アフガニスタンの安定へ、国際社会は多くの犠牲を払い、膨大な費用と時間を費やしてきた。この国をテロの温床に逆戻りさせてはなるまい。

U.S. President Barack Obama has dropped the goal of completing the withdrawal of about 9,800 U.S. troops from Afghanistan by the end of next year. Instead, he will keep about 5,500 American troops in that country in 2017 and later. This is an appropriate decision.
　オバマ米大統領が、約９８００人のアフガン駐留米軍の撤収を２０１６年末に完了させる目標を撤回した。１７年以降も約５５００人を残留させる。妥当な判断だ。

Following the simultaneous terrorist attacks on the United States in September 2001, the U.S. forces toppled the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, and established its presence in the country. At its peak, as many as 100,000 U.S. troops were sent to the country, mainly engaged in maintaining security, in cooperation with forces from other members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
　米軍は、０１年９月の同時テロ後に、タリバン政権を倒し、駐留を開始した。ピーク時には約１０万人を派遣し、北大西洋条約機構（ＮＡＴＯ）軍などと治安維持任務に従事した。

In recent years, however, U.S. troops have mainly focused on training Afghanistan’s security forces.
近年はアフガン治安部隊の訓練に重点を置いている。

U.S. troops have fought in Afghanistan for 14 years — it is the United States’ longest war — because the importance Washington places on its antiterrorism strategy remains.
　米国にとって最長の１４年間も戦いを続けているのは、対テロ戦略の重要性が変わらないためだ。

Since the U.S. presidential election in 2008, Obama has consistently advocated, in campaign pledges, that he would end the wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan and withdraw troops from both countries. The war-weariness of Americans was seen behind these pledges.
　オバマ氏は、０８年の大統領選以来、イラクとアフガンでの戦争終結と米軍撤収を一貫して公約に掲げてきた。国内の厭戦えんせんムードが背景にあった。

Since the U.S. and other troops ended combat missions in 2014, however, Afghanistan’s security situation has deteriorated.
だが、米軍などが戦闘任務を終えた１４年以降、アフガンの治安は再び悪化した。

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani had strongly called for an extended presence of U.S. troops, while U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said, “The narrative that we’re leaving Afghanistan is self-defeating.”
　ガニ大統領が米軍の駐留延長を強く求め、カーター米国防長官も「完全撤収は自滅的だ」と認めた。

Obama was forced to go back on his official pledges, apparently because his reading of the Afghan situation was too optimistic.
オバマ氏が公約撤回に追い込まれたのは、アフガン情勢に関する見通しが甘かったためだろう。

Some lawmakers in the U.S. Republican Party say the presence of 5,500 U.S. troops is insufficient.
　米共和党には、５５００人規模の残留では不十分との声もある。

Avoid same mistakes

Following the withdrawal of U.S. troops in Iraq, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant extremist group gained power. To avoid making the same mistake, the United States has to expedite efforts to rebuild its strategy.
イラクでは、米軍撤収後に過激派組織「イスラム国」が台頭した。イラクの轍てつを踏まないよう、戦略の再構築を急ぐべきだ。

For the first time in Afghanistan’s history, power was transferred in September last year through an election with the support of the international community. In July, the first official peace talks were held between the Ghani administration and the Taliban leadership.
　アフガンでは昨年９月、国際社会の支援によって、初めての選挙を通じた政権交代が実現した。今年７月には、ガニ政権とタリバンが初の和平協議も行った。

However, the Taliban’s leadership later fell into disarray following the government’s disclosure that Mullah Omar, the supreme leader of the Taliban movement, had died, leaving no prospect for peace talks to resume anytime soon.
　しかし、タリバンは最高指導者オマル師の死亡発覚で混乱し、協議の再開は見通せない。

Also worrisome is Taliban’s recent increase in its attacks. Late last month, Taliban rebels briefly captured most of the northern town of Kunduz. Terrorist attacks by the ISIL, which is hostile to the Taliban, are becoming more serious.
　心配なのは、タリバンによる攻勢の激化だ。先月末には、北部クンドゥズの大半を一時制圧した。タリバンと敵対する「イスラム国」によるテロも深刻化している。

Self-help efforts by Afghanistan are essential. The present state of affairs, where governing functions are declining due to rivalry between Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, should not be left to fester. The solidarity of the country’s leadership will serve as the first step toward stability.
　アフガンの自助努力が欠かせない。大統領と行政長官が力を競い合い、統治機能が低下している現状は放置できない。指導部の結束が安定への第一歩となろう。

Reinforcement of security forces is an urgent task. It is important that U.S. and other NATO forces, in cooperation with the Afghan government, secure sufficient military strength and equipment, and at the same time continue to train Afghan forces systematically.
　治安部隊の強化も、喫緊の課題だ。米軍やＮＡＴＯ軍はアフガン政府と連携し、必要な兵力と装備を確保するとともに、組織的な訓練を継続することが重要だ。

Since 2001, Japan has extended assistance worth about ¥700 billion in such areas as disarmament, infrastructure development, police training, education and medicine. Japan should continue doing all it can to make nonmilitary contributions to the country in the days ahead.
　日本は０１年以来、武装解除や社会資本整備、警官育成、教育、医療などに約７０００億円もの支援を実施してきた。今後も、非軍事分野の貢献に力を入れたい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 20, 2015)