The beginning of the expected drawdown of U.S. troops in Afghanistan follows a steady decline in American public support for a war that has gone on for nearly 10 years.
美国已经开始按计划逐步从阿富汗撤军。在此之前，美国公众对这场进行了将近10年的战争的支持率稳步下降。
When he ran for president in 2008, then candidate Barack Obama promised to withdraw U.S. forces from Iraq, a war he opposed, and to strengthen the U.S. effort against the Taliban and al-Qaida in Afghanistan.
奥巴马在2008年竞选总统时，当时还是总统候选人的他对伊拉克战争持反对态度，并且保证当选之后要把美军撤出伊拉克，加强美国在阿富汗打击塔利班和基地组织的努力。
In late 2009, the president announced he was sending 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan, a move that was unpopular with some members of his own Democratic Party.
2009年年底，奥巴马总统宣布，他将向阿富汗增派3万美军，奥巴马本人所在的民主党内的一些人对此感到不满。
In the past two years, domestic support for the war in Afghanistan has weakened considerably. A recent poll found that 64 percent of those surveyed believe the Afghan war is no longer worth fighting. In late 2009, that number was 44 percent.
过去两年来，美国国内对阿富汗战争的支持度大为削弱。最近一次民意调查发现，接受调查的人中有64%的人认为，阿富汗战争不值得再打下去了。而在2009年年底，这个数字是44%。
Bipartisan opposition
Ohio Democratic Congressman Dennis Kucinich is a longtime opponent of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and of U.S. involvement in the NATO mission in Libya.
俄亥俄的民主党籍众议员丹尼斯.库西尼奇长期反对伊拉克和阿富汗战争，他也反对美国参与北约在利比亚的军事行动。
"Things are falling apart at home while we are searching the world looking for dragons to slay," said Kucinich.
库西尼奇说：“国内的经济一团糟，我们还在全球到处找仗打。”
In recent weeks, war fatigue over Afghanistan has also crept into the debate among the Republican presidential contenders for 2012, including the frontrunner, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney.
最近几个星期，阿富汗的战争疲劳症问题成为2012年总统大选共和党参选者辩论的议题，这些竞选人中包括目前处于领先地位的前麻萨诸塞州州长罗姆尼。
"But I also think we have learned that our troops should not go off and try to fight a war of independence for another nation," noted Romney. "Only the Afghanis can win Afghanistan's independence from the Taliban."
罗姆尼说：“不过我也认为，我们已经明白，我们的部队不应当试图为另一个国家打一场争取独立的战争，只有阿富汗人才能从塔利班那里赢得独立。”
Even the latest Republican to join the race, former Utah governor Jon Huntsman, says the United States should be more aggressive in drawing down troop levels in Afghanistan. Huntsman spoke to NBC's Today program.
最新加入竞选的共和党人、前犹他州州长洪博培也说，美国应当加大从阿富汗撤军的力度。他对全国广播公司的今日节目表示：
"What we need now is a healthy dose of nation-building here at home," said Huntsman. "Our core is weak. We need to focus on getting our own house in order right here."
“我们现在需要的是服用一剂建国良药。我们的核心部分是虚弱的。我们需要集中精力把国内的事情搞好。”
Shifting priorities
Quinnipiac University pollster Peter Brown says during a period of several months national-opinion surveys have shown a growing level of war weariness among the American public.
昆昆皮亚克大学民意调查分析员彼得.布朗说，全国民调结果显示，美国公众已经越来越对战争感到厌倦。
"I do not think there is any doubt in Afghanistan, the involvement in Iraq and now the involvement in Libya has for many Americans raised questions about the wisdom of these policies," said Brown.
布朗说：“我认为毫无疑问的是，许多美国人都对美国卷入阿富汗与伊拉克战争以及卷入利比亚战争是否明智提出质疑。”
It is not just that Americans have tired of the Afghan conflict. They also see much more important priorities at home, especially reviving the U.S. economy, says expert Stephen Hess with the Brookings Institution.
美国布鲁金斯学会的专家斯蒂芬.赫斯说，美国人并不只是对阿富汗战争感到厌倦，他们也看到在国内有更多需要优先解决的问题，尤其是重振美国经济。
"A trio of wars is not exactly what Americans are interested in at this time when they have a very full platter of problems at home," said Hess.
赫斯说：“这三场战争并不是目前美国人真正感兴趣的，因为现在美国国内的问题成堆。”
Budget drain
Many Americans believe the war commitments in Afghanistan and Iraq are also a major budget drain on the U.S. government at a time when many Americans are struggling economically.
许多美国人相信，对阿富汗与伊拉克的战争承诺也是美国政府的一个主要预算负担。因为目前许多美国人正在经济方面挣扎。
Political analysts say the U.S. commitment to the Afghan war could become an issue in next year's presidential campaign, especially for anti-war Democrats who are pressing for a speedier exit from Afghanistan.
政治分析人士说，美国对阿富汗战争的承诺可能会成为明年总统大选中的一个问题，特别是对于那些敦促加快从阿富汗撤军的反战的民主党人来说更是如此。
Analyst Stuart Rothenberg spoke to VOA's Encounter program about the impact of Afghanistan on next year's U.S. presidential election.
分析人士斯图尔特.罗腾伯格对美国之音谈到了阿富汗问题对明年美国总统选举的影响。
"Are we going to have stable environments?" Rothenberg asked. "Are we going to have talk about terrorists being allowed to gather and train? So I think this is another huge problem for the president. The problem here is clearly on his left with the anti-war element of the Democratic Party thinking that the president has violated a promise and a reason why they supported him in the last election."
罗腾伯格说：“我认为，对奥巴马总统来讲有一个很大的问题。这个问题显然来自奥巴马自己民主党内的那些反战人士，这些人认为，奥巴马总统违背了他的竞选诺言，而他们在上次大选中之所以支持奥巴马也正是由于奥巴马的这一诺言。”
President Obama received a modest boost in the polls following the killing of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden. But that bump has largely dissipated as Americans refocus on the struggling domestic economy and a stubbornly high unemployment rate of 9.1 percent.
基地组织头目本.拉登被击毙后，奥巴马总统的支持率在民意调查中适度增长。可是这一增长基本上已经逐渐消失，因为美国人重新把他们的注意力集中在低迷的国内经济以及9.1%这个居高不下的失业率上。 |