來源：財經會議資訊（ID：fci0630）
翻譯：報告廳翻譯組
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針對目前的阿富汗局勢，美國總統拜登（Joe Biden）8月16日在白宮東廂發表了講話。
以下是拜登演講中英全文：
“美國軍隊不能也不應該在一場阿富汗軍隊不願意為自己而戰的戰爭中戰鬥和犧牲。”
“American troops cannot and should not befighting in a war and dying in a war that Afghan forces are not willing tofight for themselves."
拜登總統就阿富汗局勢發表講話
Remarks by President Biden on Afghanistan
美國東部時間下午4:02
East Room 4:02 P.M. EDT
總統：下午好。今天，我想談談阿富汗目前的局勢:上週發生的事態發展，以及我們為應對迅速演變的局勢而採取的步驟。
THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon. I want tospeak today to the unfolding situation in Afghanistan: the developments thathave taken place in the last week and the steps we’re taking to address therapidly evolving events.
我的國家安全團隊和我一直在密切監視阿富汗的當地局勢，並迅速採取行動，執行我們為應對每一個選區而制定的計劃，包括——以及應急——包括我們現在看到的迅速崩潰。
My national security team and I have beenclosely monitoring the situation on the ground in Afghanistan and movingquickly to execute the plans we had put in place to respond to everyconstituency, including — and contingency — including the rapid collapse we’reseeing now.
稍後，我將詳細介紹我們正在採取的具體步驟，但我想提醒大家，我們是如何走到這一步的，以及美國在阿富汗的利益是什麼。
I’ll speak more in a moment about thespecific steps we’re taking, but I want to remind everyone how we got here andwhat America’s interests are in Afghanistan.
大約20年前，我們帶著明確的目標前往阿富汗：抓住那些在2001年9月11日襲擊我們的人，確保基地組織不能利用阿富汗作為再次襲擊我們的基地。
We went to Afghanistan almost 20 years agowith clear goals: get those who attacked us on September 11th, 2001, and makesure al Qaeda could not use Afghanistan as a base from which to attack usagain.
我們做到了。我們在阿富汗嚴重打擊了基地組織。我們從未放棄追捕奧薩馬·本·拉登，我們抓住了他。那是十年前的事了。
We did that. We severely degraded al Qaedain Afghanistan. We never gave up the hunt for Osama bin Laden, and we got him.That was a decade ago.
我們在阿富汗的任務從來就不應該是國家建設。它從來就不應該創造一個統一的，集中的民主政治。
Our mission in Afghanistan was neversupposed to have been nation building. It was never supposed to be creating aunified, centralized democracy.
今天，我們在阿富汗唯一重要的國家利益仍然一如既往：防止恐怖分子對美國本土的襲擊。
Our only vital national interest inAfghanistan remains today what it has always been: preventing a terroristattack on American homeland.
多年來，我一直主張，我們的使命應該侷限於反恐，而不是反叛亂或國家建設。這就是為什麼我在2009年擔任副總統時反對增兵計劃的原因。
I’ve argued for many years that our missionshould be narrowly focused on counterterrorism — not counterinsurgency ornation building. That’s why I opposedthe surge when it was proposed in 2009 when I was Vice President.
這就是為什麼，作為總統，我堅定地認為，我們在2021年將重點放在我們今天面臨的威脅上，而不是昨天的威脅。
And that’s why, as President, I am adamantthat we focus on the threats we face today in 2021 — not yesterday’s threats.
如今，恐怖主義威脅已經擴散到阿富汗以外的地方:索馬利亞的青年黨、阿拉伯半島的基地組織、敘利亞的努斯拉陣線、試圖在敘利亞和伊拉克建立哈里發政權以及在非洲和亞洲多個國家建立分支的伊斯蘭國。這些威脅需要我們的關注和資源。
Today, the terrorist threat hasmetastasized well beyond Afghanistan: al Shabaab in Somalia, al Qaeda in theArabian Peninsula, al-Nusra in Syria, ISIS attempting to create a caliphate inSyria and Iraq and establishing affiliates in multiple countries in Africa andAsia. These threats warrant ourattention and our resources.
我們在多個國家針對恐怖組織進行有效的反恐行動，而這些國家並沒有我們的永久軍事存在。
We conduct effective counterterrorismmissions against terrorist groups in multiple countries where we don’t have apermanent military presence.
如有必要，我們將在阿富汗採取同樣的行動。我們已經發展了超視距反恐能力，這將使我們能夠牢牢盯著該地區對美國的任何直接威脅，並在必要時迅速果斷地採取行動。
If necessary, we will do the same inAfghanistan. We’ve developed counterterrorism over-the-horizon capability thatwill allow us to keep our eyes firmly fixed on any direct threats to the UnitedStates in the region and to act quickly and decisively if needed.
當我上任時，我接手了特朗普總統與塔利班談判達成的協議。根據特朗普達成的協議，美國軍隊將在2021年5月1日之前撤出阿富汗，也就是在我上任三個多月後。
When I came into office, I inherited a dealthat President Trump negotiated with the Taliban. Under his agreement, U.S. forces would be outof Afghanistan by May 1, 2021 — just a little over three months after I tookoffice.
在特朗普執政期間，駐紮在阿富汗的美軍已經從大約1.55萬人縮減到2500人，而塔利班的軍事力量處於2001年以來最強大的時期。
U.S. forces had already drawn down duringthe Trump administration from roughly 15,500 American forces to 2,500 troops incountry, and the Taliban was at its strongest militarily since 2001.
作為你們的總統，我必須做出的選擇是，要麼繼續執行這項協議，要麼準備在湧現的戰鬥季再次與塔利班作戰。
The choice I had to make, as yourPresident, was either to follow through on that agreement or be prepared to goback to fighting the Taliban in the middle of the spring fighting season.
5月1日之後就不會有停火了。5月1日之後，沒有達成保護我們軍隊的協議。5月1日之後，沒有美國人傷亡，就沒有穩定的現狀。
There would have been no ceasefire afterMay 1. There was no agreement protecting our forces after May 1. There was nostatus quo of stability without American casualties after May 1.
只有一個殘酷的現實：要麼按照協議撤出我們的軍隊，要麼將衝突升級，增派數千名美國士兵重返阿富汗戰場，讓這場戰爭進入第三個十年。
There was only the cold reality of eitherfollowing through on the agreement to withdraw our forces or escalating theconflict and sending thousands more American troops back into combat inAfghanistan, lurching into the third decade of conflict.
我堅定地支援我的決定。20年過去了，我經歷了慘痛的教訓，才認識到從來都沒有什麼撤軍的好時機。
I stand squarely behind my decision. After 20 years, I’ve learned the hard waythat there was never a good time to withdraw U.S. forces.
這就是為什麼我們還在那裡。我們對風險很清楚。我們計劃了每一種應急措施。
That’s why we were still there. We were clear-eyed about the risks. We planned for every contingency.
但我一直向美國人民保證，我會對你們坦誠相待。事實是:這比我們預期得要快得多。
But I always promised the American peoplethat I will be straight with you. Thetruth is: This did unfold more quickly than we had anticipated.
那麼，發生什麼事了？阿富汗的政治領導人放棄了，逃離了這個國家。阿富汗軍隊崩潰了，有時甚至沒有進行戰鬥。
So what’s happened? Afghanistan political leaders gave up andfled the country. The Afghan militarycollapsed, sometimes without trying to fight.
如果說有什麼不同的話，那就是過去一週的事態發展進一步表明，現在結束美國在阿富汗的軍事介入是一個正確的決定。
If anything, the developments of the pastweek reinforced that ending U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan now wasthe right decision.
美國軍隊不能也不應該在一場阿富汗軍隊不願意為自己而戰的戰爭中戰鬥和犧牲。我們花了超過一萬億美元。我們訓練並裝備了一支約30萬人的阿富汗軍隊——裝備精良得令人難以置信——這支軍隊的規模超過了我們許多北約盟國的軍隊。
American troops cannot and should not befighting in a war and dying in a war that Afghan forces are not willing tofight for themselves. We spent over atrillion dollars. We trained andequipped an Afghan military force of some 300,000 strong — incredibly wellequipped — a force larger in size than the militaries of many of our NATOallies.
我們給了他們所需要的一切工具。我們支付了他們的薪水，為他們的空軍提供了維護——這是塔利班所沒有的。塔利班沒有空軍。我們提供了近距離空中支援。
We gave them every tool they couldneed. We paid their salaries, providedfor the maintenance of their air force — something the Taliban doesn’thave. Taliban does not have an airforce. We provided close air support.
我們給了他們決定自己未來的機會。我們不能提供給他們的是為未來而戰的意願。
We gave them every chance to determinetheir own future. What we could notprovide them was the will to fight for that future.
有一些非常勇敢和能幹的阿富汗特種部隊和士兵，但如果阿富汗現在無法對塔利班發動任何真正的抵抗，那麼1年—— 1年、5年或再多20年，美軍在地面上的軍事行動將不會有任何改變。
There’s some very brave and capable Afghanspecial forces units and soldiers, but if Afghanistan is unable to mount anyreal resistance to the Taliban now, there is no chance that 1 year — 1 moreyear, 5 more years, or 20 more years of U.S. military boots on the groundwould’ve made any difference.
這是我的核心信念:當阿富汗自己的武裝部隊不願採取行動時，命令美國軍隊加緊行動是錯誤的。如果阿富汗的政治領導人都無法為了人民的利益走到一起,不能在關鍵時刻為國家的未來進行談判，他們就永遠不會這樣做，而美國軍隊仍然在阿富汗為他們首當其衝的戰鬥。
And here’s what I believe to my core: It iswrong to order American troops to step up when Afghanistan’s own armed forceswould not. If the political leaders ofAfghanistan were unable to come together for the good of their people, unableto negotiate for the future of their country when the chips were down, theywould never have done so while U.S. troops remained in Afghanistan bearing thebrunt of the fighting for them.
而我們真正的戰略競爭對手——中國和俄羅斯——會比美國更希望繼續投入數十億美元的資源和注意力來無限期地穩定阿富汗局勢。
And our true strategic competitors — Chinaand Russia — would love nothing more than the United States to continue tofunnel billions of dollars in resources and attention into stabilizingAfghanistan indefinitely.
當我6月份在白宮接見了加尼總統和阿卜杜拉主席時，7月份再次與加尼總統通電話時，我們進行了非常坦率的對話。我們討論了在美軍撤離後，阿富汗應該如何準備打他們的內戰，以清理政府中的腐敗，這樣政府才能為阿富汗人民服務。我們廣泛討論了阿富汗領導人在政治上團結的必要性。
When I hosted President Ghani and ChairmanAbdullah at the White House in June and again when I spoke by phone to Ghani inJuly, we had very frank conversations. We talked about how Afghanistan should prepare to fight their civil warsafter the U.S. military departed, to clean up the corruption in government sothe government could function for the Afghan people. We talked extensively about the need forAfghan leaders to unite politically.
他們沒有做到這一點。
They failed to do any of that.
我還敦促他們採取外交手段，尋求與塔利班的政治解決方案。這一建議遭到斷然拒絕。加尼總統堅稱阿富汗軍隊會戰鬥，但顯然他錯了。
I also urged them to engage in diplomacy,to seek a political settlement with the Taliban. This advice was flatly refused. Mr. Ghani insisted the Afghan forces wouldfight, but obviously he was wrong.
因此，我要再次問那些主張我們應該留在阿富汗的人：你們還想讓我派多少美國的兒女去和阿富汗人打一場阿富汗內戰，而阿富汗軍隊卻不願意作戰? 還有多少生命——美國人的生命——值得嗎? 阿靈頓國家公墓有多少排無窮無盡的墓碑?
So I’m left again to ask of those who arguethat we should stay: How many more generations of America’s daughters and sonswould you have me send to fight Afghans — Afghanistan’s civil war when Afghantroops will not? How many more lives —American lives — is it worth? How manyendless rows of headstones at Arlington National Cemetery?
我的回答很清楚：我不會重複我們過去所犯的錯誤——在一場不符合美國國家利益的衝突中無限期地堅持和戰鬥，在國外加倍發動內戰，試圖透過無休止的美軍部署重建一個國家。
I’m clear on my answer: I will not repeatthe mistakes we’ve made in the past — the mistake of staying and fightingindefinitely in a conflict that is not in the national interest of the UnitedStates, of doubling down on a civil war in a foreign country, of attempting toremake a country through the endless military deployments of U.S. forces.
這些都是我們不能繼續重複的錯誤，因為我們在世界上有著不容忽視的至關重要的利益。
Those are the mistakes we cannot continueto repeat, because we have significant vital interests in the world that wecannot afford to ignore.
我也想承認這對我們很多人來說是多麼痛苦。我們在阿富汗看到的場景令人心痛，尤其是對我們的退伍軍人、外交官、人道主義工作者，以及那些在阿富汗人民的支援下工作過的人來說。
I also want to acknowledge how painful thisis to so many of us. The scenes we’reseeing in Afghanistan, they’re gut-wrenching, particularly for our veterans,our diplomats, humanitarian workers, for anyone who has spent time on theground working to support the Afghan people.
對於那些在阿富汗失去親人的人，對於那些在阿富汗戰鬥和服役的美國人——在阿富汗為我們的國家服役——這是非常非常個人化的。
For those who have lost loved ones inAfghanistan and for Americans who have fought and served in the country — serveour country in Afghanistan — this is deeply, deeply personal.
對我來說也是如此。我和其他人一樣長期從事這些問題的工作。在這場戰爭期間，當戰爭正在進行時，我一直在阿富汗各地-從喀布林到坎大哈到庫納爾河谷。
It is for me as well. I’ve worked on these issues as long asanyone. I’ve been throughout Afghanistanduring this war — while the war was going on — from Kabul to Kandahar to theKunar Valley.
我曾在四個不同的場合去過那裡。我與人民見面。我與領導人交談過。我與我們的部隊相處了一段時間。我親身瞭解到在阿富汗什麼是可能的，什麼是不可能的。
I’ve traveled there on four differentoccasions. I met with the people. I’ve spoken to the leaders. I spent time with our troops. And I came to understand firsthand what wasand was not possible in Afghanistan.
因此，現在我們正在努力[原文如此]-專注於可能的事情。
So, now we’re fercus [sic] — focused onwhat is possible.
我們將繼續支援阿富汗人民。我們將以我們的外交、我們的國際影響力和我們的人道主義援助來進行領導。
We will continue to support the Afghanpeople. We will lead with our diplomacy,our international influence, and our humanitarian aid.
我們將繼續推動區域外交和參與，以防止暴力和不穩定。
We’ll continue to push for regionaldiplomacy and engagement to prevent violence and instability.
我們將繼續為阿富汗人民-婦女和女孩-的基本權利大聲疾呼，正如我們在世界各地大聲疾呼一樣。
We’ll continue to speak out for the basicrights of the Afghan people — of women and girls — just as we speak out allover the world.
我一直很清楚，人權必須是我們外交政策的中心，而不是邊緣。但是，做到這一點的方法不是透過無休止的軍事部署；而是透過我們的外交、我們的經濟工具，以及號召世界加入我們。
I have been clear that human rights must bethe center of our foreign policy, not the periphery. But the way to do it is not through endlessmilitary deployments; it’s with our diplomacy, our economic tools, and rallyingthe world to join us.
現在，讓我介紹一下目前在阿富汗的任務。我被要求授權-我也確實授權了-6000名美國士兵部署到阿富汗，目的是協助美國和盟國的文職人員離開阿富汗，並將我們的阿富汗盟友和脆弱的阿富汗人疏散到阿富汗境外的安全地帶。
Now, let me lay out the current mission inAfghanistan. I was asked to authorize —and I did — 6,000 U.S. troops to deploy to Afghanistan for the purpose ofassisting in the departure of U.S. and Allied civilian personnel fromAfghanistan, and to evacuate our Afghan allies and vulnerable Afghans to safetyoutside of Afghanistan.
我們計程車兵正在努力確保機場的安全，並確保民用和軍用航班的持續執行。我們正在接管空中交通管制。
Our troops are working to secure theairfield and to ensure continued operation of both the civilian and militaryflights. We’re taking over air trafficcontrol.
我們已經安全地關閉了我們的大使館並轉移了我們的外交官。我們的外交影響現在也在機場得到了鞏固。
We have safely shut down our embassy andtransferred our diplomats. Our dip- —our diplomatic presence is now consolidated at the airport as well.
在未來幾天，我們打算把在阿富汗生活和工作的數千名美國公民運送出去。
Over the coming days, we intend totransport out thousands of American citizens who have been living and workingin Afghanistan.
我們還將繼續支援文職人員-仍然在阿富汗服務的我們盟國的文職人員的安全撤離。
We’ll also continue to support the safedeparture of civilian personnel — the civilian personnel of our Allies who arestill serving in Afghanistan.
我在7月宣佈的“盟友避難[庇護]行動”，已經將2000名有資格獲得特別移民簽證的阿富汗人和他們的家人轉移到美國。
Operation Allies Refugee [Refuge], which Iannounced back in July, has already moved 2,000 Afghans who are eligible forSpecial Immigration Visas and their families to the United States.
在未來幾天，美國軍方將提供援助，將更多符合特別移民簽證條件的阿富汗人及其家人遷出阿富汗。
In the coming days, the U.S. military willprovide assistance to move more SIV-eligible Afghans and their families out ofAfghanistan.
我們還在擴大難民准入範圍，以涵蓋為我國大使館、美國的非政府機構，或美國的非政府組織以及美國的新聞機構工作的其他處於弱勢的阿富汗人；以及在其他方面面臨巨大風險的阿富汗人。
We’re also expanding refugee access tocover other vulnerable Afghans who worked for our embassy: U.S.non-governmental agencies — or the U.S. non-governmental organizations; andAfghans who otherwise are at great risk; and U.S. news agencies.
我知道，有人擔心我們為什麼不早點開始疏散阿富汗人，疏散平民。答案的一部分是一些阿富汗人不想早點離開，他們對自己的國家仍然充滿希望。而部分原因是阿富汗政府及其支持者不鼓勵我們組織大規模的撤離，以避免引發他們所說的"信任危機"。
I know that there are concerns about why wedid not begin evacuating Afghans — civilians sooner. Part of the answer is some of the Afghans didnot want to leave earlier — still hopeful for their country. And part of it was because the Afghangovernment and its supporters discouraged us from organizing a mass exodus toavoid triggering, as they said, “a crisis of confidence.”
美國士兵像往常一樣專業而高效地執行這一任務，但並非沒有風險。
American troops are performing this missionas professionally and as effectively as they always do, but it is not withoutrisks.
在我們執行這次撤離時，我們已經向塔利班明確表示：如果他們襲擊我們的人員或破壞我們的行動，美國的部隊派遣將是迅速的，反應也將是迅速而有力的。如果有必要，我們將以毀滅性的力量保衛我們的人民。
As we carry out this departure, we havemade it clear to the Taliban: If they attack our personnel or disrupt ouroperation, the U.S. presence will be swift and the response will be swift andforceful. We will defend our people withdevastating force if necessary.
我們目前的軍事任務在時間上將是短暫的，範圍上是有限的，目標是集中的：儘快將我們的人民和我們的盟友送到安全地帶。
Our current military mission will be shortin time, limited in scope, and focused in its objectives: Get our people andour allies to safety as quickly as possible.
一旦我們完成這一任務，我們將結束我們的軍事撤退。我們將在長達20年的流血衝突後結束美國最漫長的戰爭。
And once we have completed this mission, wewill conclude our military withdrawal. We will end America’s longest war after 20 long years of bloodshed.
我們現在看到的事件可悲地證明，再多的軍事力量也無法提供一個穩定、統一和安全的阿富汗-在歷史上被稱為"帝國的墳場"。
The events we’re seeing now are sadly proofthat no amount of military force would ever deliver a stable, united, andsecure Afghanistan — as known in history as the “graveyard of empires.”
現在發生的事情可能在5年前或15年後同樣容易發生。我們必須坦誠：我們在阿富汗的任務已經走了很多彎路-在過去20年裡走了很多彎路。
What is happening now could just as easilyhave happened 5 years ago or 15 years in the future. We have to be honest: Our mission inAfghanistan has taken many missteps — made many missteps over the past twodecades.
我現在是第四位主持阿富汗戰爭的美國總統-四位總統中有兩位民主黨人和兩位共和黨人。我不會把這個責任轉交給第五位總統。
I’m now the fourth American President topreside over war in Afghanistan — two Democrats and two Republicans. I will not pass this responsibly on —responsibility on to a fifth President.
我不會誤導美國人民，聲稱只要在阿富汗多待一會兒就會有很大的改觀。我也不會逃避我對我們今天的處境以及我們必須從這裡向前邁進的那份責任。
I will not mislead the American people byclaiming that just a little more time in Afghanistan will make all thedifference. Nor will I shrink from myshare of responsibility for where we are today and how we must move forwardfrom here.
我是美利堅合眾國的總統，責任由我承擔。
I am President of the United States ofAmerica, and the buck stops with me.
我對我們現在面臨的事實深感悲痛。但我不後悔我決定結束美國在阿富汗的作戰行動，並保持對我們在那裡和世界其他地區的反恐任務的高度關注。
I am deeply saddened by the facts we nowface. But I do not regret my decision toend America’s warfighting in Afghanistan and maintain a laser-focus on ourcounterterrorism missions there and in other parts of the world.
我們在阿富汗削弱基地組織的恐怖威脅並殺死烏薩馬·本·拉登的任務是成功的
Our mission to degrade the terrorist threatof al Qaeda in Afghanistan and kill Osama bin Laden was a success.
我們為克服幾個世紀的歷史並永久地改變和重塑阿富汗所做的數十年努力並不成功，我寫到這一點並相信它永遠不可能成功。
Our decades-long effort to overcomecenturies of history and permanently change and remake Afghanistan was not, andI wrote and believed it never could be.
我不能也不會要求我們計程車兵在另一個國家的內戰中無休止地戰鬥下去，造成傷亡，遭受致命損傷，而家庭因悲痛和損失而支離破碎。
I cannot and I will not ask our troops tofight on endlessly in another — in another country’s civil war, takingcasualties, suffering life-shattering injuries, leaving families broken bygrief and loss.
這不符合我們的國家安全利益。這不是美國人民想要的。我們計程車兵在過去20年中犧牲了那麼多，這不是他們應該得到的。
This is not in our national securityinterest. It is not what the Americanpeople want. It is not what our troops,who have sacrificed so much over the past two decades, deserve.
我在競選總統時向美國人民承諾，我將結束美國在阿富汗的軍事介入。雖然這很艱難，也很混亂-是的，遠非完美-但我已經履行了這一承諾。
I made a commitment to the American peoplewhen I ran for President that I would bring America’s military involvement inAfghanistan to an end. And while it’sbeen hard and messy — and yes, far from perfect — I’ve honored that commitment.
更重要的是，我向為這個國家服務的勇敢的男人和女人承諾，我不會要求他們繼續在一場早就應該結束的軍事行動中冒生命危險。
More importantly, I made a commitment tothe brave men and women who serve this nation that I wasn’t going to ask themto continue to risk their lives in a military action that should have endedlong ago.
當我作為一個年輕人來到這裡時，我們的領導人在越南就這樣做了。我不會在阿富汗這樣做。
Our leaders did that in Vietnam when I gothere as a young man. I will not do it inAfghanistan.
我知道我的決定會受到批評，但我寧願接受所有這些批評，也不願把這個決策轉交給另一位美國總統-又一位-第五位。
I know my decision will be criticized, butI would rather take all that criticism than pass this decision on to anotherPresident of the United States — yet another one — a fifth one.
因為這是一個正確的決定-這對我們的人民來說是正確的決定。對我們冒著生命危險為國家服務的勇敢的軍人來說是正確的。而且這對美國來說是正確的。
Because it’s the right one — it’s the rightdecision for our people. The right onefor our brave service members who have risked their lives serving ournation. And it’s the right one forAmerica.
所以，謝謝你們。願上帝保護我們計程車兵，我們的外交官，以及所有在危險中為國效力的勇敢的美國人。
So, thank you. May God protect our troops, our diplomats,and all of the brave Americans serving in harm’s way.
美國東部時間下午4:21
4:21 P.M. EDT
