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タイ在住11年目、妻はタイ人、娘が2人、養女が2人

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Leadership struggle between U.S., Russia over Syrian situation futile
対「イスラム国」　米露の主導権争いは不毛だ

A futile U.S.-Russian conflict over the Syrian situation can only benefit the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militant group, which carried out simultaneous terrorist attacks in Paris.
　シリアを巡る米国とロシアの不毛な対立は、パリ同時テロを実行した過激派組織「イスラム国」を利するだけである。

It is vital for the international community to help bring to an end both the civil war that has bogged down in Syria and the exodus of refugees from the country, and for it to take concerted action to fight ISIL.
　泥沼化するシリア内戦と難民流出を収拾し、「イスラム国」対策で国際社会の足並みを揃そろえることが急務だ。

At a meeting of countries concerned with the Syrian situation, the United States, European nations, Russia and Arab countries agreed on a political road map aimed at starting talks between the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad and opposition groups and holding democratic elections within 18 months.
　米欧露やアラブ諸国などによる関係国会合は、シリアのアサド政権と反体制派の交渉を年内に開始し、１８か月以内に民主選挙を実施するなどの行程表で合意した。

They probably reached the accord because it was widely recognized that the delay in the international community responding to the Syrian civil war allowed ISIL to increase its sphere of influence and led to the latest terrorist attacks in Paris.
　シリア内戦への対応が遅れたことで、「イスラム国」の伸長を許し、パリ同時テロを招いたとの認識が広がったためだろう。

U.S. President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, held unofficial talks on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Turkey and agreed on the need for a ceasefire and a transition to a new administration. The two leaders hailed the road map as “diplomatic progress” on a political transition in Syria.
　オバマ米大統領とプーチン露大統領も、主要２０か国・地域（Ｇ２０）首脳会議に合わせトルコで非公式に会談し、停戦や新政権への移行の必要性で一致した。行程表を「外交的進展」と評価した。

Washington’s acceptance of the road map worked out under the leadership of Russia, the Assad regime’s ally, can be considered a bitter concession because the United States had to give in prioritizing international solidarity over changing the Assad regime.
　米国が、アサド政権寄りのロシアが主導した行程表を受け入れたのは、関係国の結束を優先した、苦渋の譲歩と言えよう。

Yet the United States and Russia remain at odds over whether to allow the Assad regime to remain in power. Both countries must continue talks to steadily carry out the transition plan and move closer together.
　ただ、アサド政権の継続を容認するかどうかについて、米露はなお対立している。行程表の着実な履行に向けて対話を続け、歩み寄らねばならない。

Obama changes policy

In late October, the Obama administration changed its policy of not deploying ground troops to fight ISIL in Syria and decided to dispatch special forces. The shift in U.S. policy is believed to be taken in response to Russia launching a full-scale intervention with airstrikes in Syria.
　オバマ政権は１０月末、「イスラム国」との戦いでシリアに米地上軍を駐留させない方針を転換し、特殊部隊派遣を決めた。ロシアがシリア空爆で本格的な介入を始めたことへの対抗策とみられる。

The U.S. special forces would be fewer than 50 and train and assist rebels and Kurdish forces. They would neither be deployed on the front lines nor used in combat missions against ISIL.
　特殊部隊の規模は５０人未満で、反体制派やクルド人部隊の訓練、支援を行う。前線には配置せず、戦闘任務は担わないという。

Obama had earlier planned to have rebel fighters trained outside Syria and have them deployed in ground operations. As few Syrians volunteered for this training program and the U.S. plan virtually collapsed, the United States had no other option but to have its own forces prop up rebel groups.
　オバマ氏は、シリア国外で反体制派の戦闘員を訓練し、地上戦に送り込む意向だった。しかし、志願者が少なく、計画が事実上破綻したことから、米軍によるてこ入れを余儀なくされた。

However, there will be no tangible result if only piecemeal measures are taken every time the situation deteriorates.
　情勢悪化のたびに小出しの対応をするのでは効果は望めまい。

The United States has criticized that 80 to 90 percent of Russia’s airstrikes have targeted the moderate Syrian opposition. Washington may be wary of Russia building a solid foothold in the Middle East.
　米国はロシアの空爆について、「８～９割が反体制派を狙ったものだ」と批判する。ロシアが中東に強固な足場を築くのを警戒しているのだろう。

The elimination of ISIL should be the common goal of both the United States and Russia.
　「イスラム国」の掃討は、米露共通の目標のはずである。

The crash of a Russian passenger airliner in late October in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula has increasingly been seen as caused by a terrorist bomb. ISIL had much earlier declared that it would retaliate for Russian airstrikes in Syria, and an organization under the wing of ISIL later claimed responsibility for downing the Russian plane.
　１０月末にエジプト・シナイ半島で起きたロシアの旅客機墜落は、爆破テロとの見方が濃厚になっている。「イスラム国」は以前からロシアのシリア空爆に対する報復を宣言し、傘下組織が墜落後に犯行声明を出した。

If the crash is confirmed as a terrorist act taken in retaliation for Russia’s airstrikes, the necessity for the United States and Russia to cooperate in the exchange of information and other areas will grow further.
　報復テロと確認されれば、米露が情報交換などで協力する必要性が一段と高まろう。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 17, 2015)