circular firing squad 「内部対立」「内輪もめ」

アメリカのバイデン政権が苦境に陥りつつあるというCNNの記事を読んでいたら、circular firing squad という表現が目にとまった。ちょっとおもしろいと思ったので、取り上げてみたい。

- The Biden administration is engaged in a circular firing squad over the CDC's recommendation that even vaccinated individuals must wear masks indoors if they live in areas where spread of the virus is high.
("Joe Biden is having the worst week of his presidency so far" CNN, August 3, 2021)

文字通りには「円形になった銃殺隊」ということだが、銃を構えた人たちが輪になって発砲すれば、お互いを撃ち合うことになる。そこで、お互いを傷つけ合うような深刻な内部抗争を指すようだ。

手持ちの英和辞典で記載があるものは見当たらなかったので、英語圏のオンライン辞書から引用しよう。

- Used in reference to a situation in which a group of people are engaged in self-destructive internal conflicts and mutual recriminations.
They will form a circular firing squad in an attempt to prevent his nomination.
Even with the prospect of being able to win control of the Senate, some Republicans are busy manufacturing ammunition for their own circular firing squad.
(Oxford Dictionaries)

- When people with a common enemy end up harming each other instead.
With the more conservative wing actively attacking the centrists, the Republican caucus quickly devolved into a circular firing squad.
(Urban Dictionary)

- a situation in which a group of people who have a common enemy engage in behaviour that ends up harming themselves more than the enemy
The Republican Party is going to be a circular firing squad for the foreseeable future.
(Macmillan Dictionary)

こうした定義を見ると、共通の敵や競争相手に対するために結束しなくてはいけないはずの組織・団体が、敵よりも自分たちに大きな損害を与えるような内部対立にいそしむ、というニュアンスがあることになる。

ウェブで拾った他の実例を抜き書きしておこう。

- The GOP, he said, has become a "circular firing squad where we're just attacking members of our party instead of focusing on solving problems" or debating the Biden administration on policy.
("Republicans liken GOP to Titanic, 'circular firing squad'" The Week, May 10, 2021)

- Obama argued, at an Obama Foundation event on Saturday, that party infighting usually leads to the weakening of a movement by "creating what's called a 'circular firing squad' where you start shooting at your allies because one of them is straying from purity on the issues."
("Obama's 'circular firing squad' remarks may not persuade 2020 Democrats" CNN, April 8, 2019)


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