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Progress was hard to define, and the frequent changes of command at every level in the country hampered our efforts.
"進展"二字很難定義，各級命令的頻繁變更也阻礙了我們的工作。
We suffered from Taliban safe havens across the border in Pakistan,
巴基斯坦邊境兩側塔利班（為基地組織提供的）安全庇護所，
difficult supply chains and a tendency to emphasize positive developments while understating the challenges.
供應鏈困難以及強調積極發展卻低估其難度的傾向都讓我們吃了不少苦頭。
Despite the frustration and the casualties,
盡管有挫折有傷亡，
we were able in time to turn the fight over to the marginally capable Afghan security forces and to withdraw the vast majority of our troops.
我們還是及時將戰斗移交給能力不強的阿富汗安全部隊，并撤出了我們的絕大部分軍隊。
We have brought home 90% of our troops, with only 13,000 or so still there.
我們已經撤回了90%的軍隊，目前只有13000人左右仍留在阿富汗執行任務。
Hopefully the peace agreement will be successfully concluded and will hold thanks to Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad’s tireless efforts.
多虧了（美國駐阿富汗）大使扎爾梅·哈利勒扎德的不懈努力，和平協議總算有望達成甚至持續下去。
The tenuous next steps will be negotiations between the Afghan government of Ashraf Ghani and the Taliban.
在那之后或許還有阿什拉夫·加尼領導的阿富汗政府與塔利班之間的談判。
The objective from the U.S. perspective will be to bring home more of our troops,
從美國的角度來看，我們的目標是撤回更多的軍隊，
although ideally we would retain a cadre of around 5,000 Special Forces and trainers
盡管理想情況下，我們還是要留一支由特種兵及教官組成，規模在5000人左右的骨干之師
to help preserve the gains in democracy, human rights and gender equality that have been so painfully achieved.
幫助該國捍衛來之不易的民主、人權和性別平等等方面的進步成果。
We’ve seen this movie before, of course—in Vietnam.
當然，這樣的故事我們并不陌生——那一次是在越南。
There it ended terribly, with all our forces withdrawn,
那一次的收場極其難堪，我們撤走了所有的部隊，
funding cut to the Vietnamese army and helicopters lifting off the rooftop of the U.S. embassy in Saigon.
削減了越南軍隊的資金并用直升機從駐西貢大使館的屋頂接走了最后一批海軍陸戰隊員。
Many of our local allies of decades were tortured and killed in “re-education” camps.
最后，不少與我們有著數十年交情的當地盟友都在“勞改”營里被拷打，被殺害了。
It doesn’t have to end that way again,
這一次的阿富汗戰爭大可不必重蹈覆轍，
but success will require a modicum of funding for the Afghan security forces;
但若真要想成功，我們需要的不僅僅是縮減阿富汗安全部隊的資金，
maintaining a “conditions-based” approach before withdrawing more troops;
還需要在撤出更多部隊前繼續落實“因地制宜”的政策，
real dialogue between the Afghan government and the Taliban;
推動阿富汗政府與塔利班展開實質性的對話，
continuing rights for women;
繼續推進女性權益保護工作，
and engaging our allies in keeping up support for the Afghans.
說服我們的盟友繼續支持阿富汗人民。
It will be hard to make this peace.
達成阿富汗協議固然不會容易。
I’d estimate the chances of a successful outcome—defined as the Taliban actually accepting a long-lasting peace—at roughly 50-50.
我個人估計，協商圓滿結束——意思是塔利班真的接受持久和平的方針——的可能性在50%左右。
But we need to recognize that there is no military solution here.
但我們必須認識到，阿富汗問題上，軍事解決方案終究是行不通的。
We have spent much blood and treasure on this honorable cause, and it would be foolish to throw it away.
我們已經為這個光榮的事業付出了太多的鮮血和財富，半途而廢的話就太不愚蠢了。
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