イラクの米軍―「出口」の道筋は見えたが

--The Asahi Shimbun, Dec. 1(IHT/Asahi: December 2,2008)

EDITORIAL: U.S. pullout from Iraq

イラクの米軍―「出口」の道筋は見えたが

The Iraqi parliament last week ratified a security agreement with the United States stipulating that all 150,000 U.S. troops will leave the country by the end of 2011.

　イラクに駐留する１５万人の米軍が、３年後の２０１１年末までに完全撤退する。そんな米国とイラクの協定案がイラク議会で承認された。 

The pact for the first time sets a clear and official timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops in Iraq. It also sets the course for an end to the U.S. role in the war in Iraq, which remains mired in turmoil.

　米軍の撤退期限が明示されたのは初めてである。米国にとって、混迷が続くイラクから足を抜く段取りがやっと決まったことになる。 

For Iraq, the accord will test whether the country can overcome its religious and ethnic conflicts and become a peaceful, independent nation.

　イラクにとっては、宗教や民族の対立を克服し、平和な国として独り立ちできるかどうかが問われる。 

The agreement also gives Iraq jurisdiction over off-duty American soldiers who commit crimes outside U.S. bases, requires U.S. troops to obtain Iraqi approval for military action, and prohibits U.S. forces from launching attacks from Iraq against other countries.

　協定は、基地の外で任務外に罪を犯した米兵への裁判権はイラク側が持つ▽米軍の軍事行動にはイラク側の承認が必要▽米軍はイラクから他国を攻撃できない――なども規定している。 

What is particularly notable about the Iraqi parliament's vote is that the agreement was supported by the Sunnis, who have bitterly opposed the U.S. military presence in Iraq and have been reluctant to support the government of Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

　今回の議会採決で注目したいのは、米軍の駐留に強く反発、抵抗し、マリキ政権にもあまり参加していなかったスンニ派勢力が賛成したことだ。 

According to the conditions set by the Sunni group supporting the deal, Iraq will hold a referendum on the security pact in July 2009 and implement a set of political reforms, including allowing former members of the Baath party, which supported the Saddam Hussein regime, to hold public offices.

　スンニ派は採決で、来年７月に協定の是非を問う国民投票を実施することや、フセイン政権を支えた旧バース党員の公職参加などの条件を付けた。 

The Shiite and Kurdish lawmakers, who together control a majority in parliament, made concessions to Sunni demands, paving the way for an agreement among the three main blocs in Iraq. We hope the country will build on this important step and move further toward national reconciliation.

　議会の過半数を占めるシーア派とクルド人がスンニ派の要求に譲歩し、主要３勢力による合意が実現した。この一歩を大事にして、今後の国民和解につなげていってもらいたい。 

There are concerns within the international community that the withdrawal of U.S. troops may throw the nation into greater chaos. All groups in Iraq must work together to seek peaceful solutions to many intractable issues concerning the country's reconstruction, public security and the distribution of oil revenues.

　国際社会には米軍の撤退でまた混乱が広がるのではとの懸念もある。イラクの全勢力が協力して復興や治安維持、石油収入の分配などの課題を平和的に解決していかねばならない。 

The U.S. administration of President George W. Bush has been adopting hostile policies toward Iran and Syria. But the new agreement bans U.S. forces from attacking these or any other countries from Iraq. U.S. President-elect Barack Obama has been showing a willingness to hold talks with Iran. Washington should take this opportunity to step up its diplomatic efforts to restore stability in the Middle East.

　ブッシュ政権はイランやシリアを敵視してきたが、この協定により米軍がイラクからこれらの国を攻撃することはできなくなる。オバマ次期大統領はイランとの対話に意欲を見せている。これを機に、中東情勢を落ち着かせる外交努力を強めるべきだ。 

There is no denying, however, that the pact faces various obstacles.

　ただし、協定の前途には様々な不安があることも否定できない。 

First of all, the Iraqi people in the referendum next summer could reject the agreement. This is a legitimate concern, given the strong opposition to the pact from anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who holds a significant influence over the Shiites.

　まず、来夏の国民投票で協定が否定されれば、元（もと）の木阿弥（もくあみ）である。特にシーア派住民に影響力を持つサドル師派が協定に強く反対している。 

The accord, which emphasizes Iraq's sovereignty, allows the Iraqi government and people to impose considerable restrictions on the behavior of the United States, which has been acting as an occupying country of Iraq.

　協定はイラクの主権を強調しており、占領国として振る舞ってきた米国はイラク政府や国民の意思によって行動を規制される立場になる。

If U.S. forces take aggressive military action that is not consistent with the pact, the budding trust of the Iraqi people in the U.S. government would be destroyed.

米軍に強引な軍事行動が見えれば、せっかく芽生えた信頼は崩壊してしまう。 

The pact nevertheless offers a precious opportunity for Washington to mitigate anti-American feelings widespread in Iraq and the Middle East as a whole. To take advantage of this opportunity, the United States needs to pull its troops out of Iraq smoothly while supporting national reconstruction projects and efforts for national reconciliation.

　しかし、協定ができたことは、イラクや中東に広がった反米感情を米国が修復していく好機と考えることもできる。それは、復興事業や国民和解を後押ししつつ、スムーズに撤退を実現できるかどうかにかかっている。 

Obama reportedly intends to keep Defense Secretary Robert Gates at his post under the new administration. Obama's decision is not just a recognition of Gates' good track record in improving the security situation in Iraq. It is also aimed at stressing the president-elect's desire to maintain cooperative relations that have emerged between the United States and Iraq.

　オバマ氏は新政権でもゲーツ国防長官を留任させる方針だといわれる。治安を好転させた実績とともに、イラク側との協力関係の継続を強調する狙いもある。

The diplomatic challenge for the United States now is how to restore the prestige and dignity it has lost because of the war in Iraq. The U.S. government will no doubt find its exit from Iraq to be very treacherous.

米国がイラク戦争で失墜した威信をどう取り戻すか。「出口」への道筋は薄氷を踏む展開になろう。