美国结束伊拉克作战行动

    This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.
    这里是美国之音特别英语新闻报道。

    American Defense Secretary Robert Gates says history will judge whether the war in Iraq was justified. He spoke during a visit to a military base in western Iraq. Secretary Gates visited the base after President Obama officially declared an end to American combat operations in Iraq. The president made the announcement at the White House earlier this week.
    美国国防部长罗伯特·盖茨(Robert Gates)在视察位于伊拉克西部的一处军事基地时表示,历史会给伊拉克战争一个公正的评价。本周早些时候,奥巴马在白宫正式宣布结束美军在伊拉克的作战行动,随后盖茨视察了该基地。

    America's involvement in the armed conflict lasted more than seven years. During the most intense fighting, about 165,000 American soldiers served in Iraq. About 4,400 of the soldiers died in the war. An estimated 100,000 Iraqis were killed. The effort has cost billions of dollars.
    美国卷入了这场长达七年多的战争。在战情最紧张时,有大约16.5万美军在伊拉克服役。这次战争造成大约有4400名士兵丧生,同时预计造成10万伊拉克人死亡,战争耗费了数十亿美元。

    The war began in March of 2003. The United States led an international coalition against the government of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. At the time, the American president was George W. Bush. His administration received reports that seemed to show that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. Later, the information proved mistaken. No such weapons were found.
    这次战争爆发于2003年3月,战争双方分别以美国为首的国际联军,和萨达姆·侯赛因(Saddam Hussein)领导下的伊拉克政府。当时美国总统是小布什,布什政府情报显示伊拉克拥有大规模杀伤性武器,最终该消息被证实有误,在伊拉克并未找到这类武器。

    At first, the American-led forces were successful. By May of 2003, President Bush declared that major fighting operations had ended. Coalition troops had occupied Baghdad, and Saddam Hussein had fled.
    起初,美国领导的军队取得了成功,2003年5月,布什宣布主要作战行动结束,联军占领了巴格达(Baghdad),萨达姆潜逃。

    But as time passed, resistance forces grew stronger. Violence spread among Iraq's many Shi'ite and Sunni groups. And, supporters of al-Qaida joined the fighting. Coalition forces often became the targets of bombs and missiles.
    但随着时间的推移,抵抗力量逐渐壮大。暴力活动在伊拉克各类什叶派和逊尼派组织中蔓延,基地组织(al-Qaida)的支持者也加入到斗争中,联军经常成为炸弹和导弹的袭击目标。

    In 2007, President Bush ordered a surge in America's troop strength in Iraq. Thousands of additional troops were deployed around Baghdad and the western province of al-Anbar. They changed the balance of the war. Coalition troops defeated many resistance fighters and militants.
    2007年,布什下令增强驻伊美军实力,数千名增援士兵部署在巴格达和安尔巴省西部周围,他们改变了战争局势,联军多次击败抵抗力量和激进分子。

    Over the past few months, many American troops have left Iraq.
    在过去的几个月里,多数美国士兵已经撤离伊拉克。

    This week, the American military campaign in Iraq changed names – and goals. The campaign had been called Operation Iraqi Freedom. Now, it is known as Operation New Dawn.
    本周,美国改变了在伊拉克军事行动代号和行动目的。此前该行动被命名为伊拉克自由行动(Operation Iraqi Freedom),现改名为新曙光行动(Operation New Dawn)。

    The United States now has fewer than 50,000 soldiers left in Iraq. Their job is to assist and advise Iraqis. However, some soldiers will continue to help Iraqi forces search for resistance fighters.
    目前仅有不到5万美军留守伊拉克,他们的任务是协助伊拉克人并提供建议。但是,部分士兵仍将继续帮助伊拉克军队搜寻抵抗力量。

    For example, members of an American special operations group went with Iraqi forces Wednesday to the village of Hawija. One thousand Iraqi soldiers were to arrest suspected terrorists. The Americans raided houses and seized many suspects.
    例如,一支美国特种作战部队周三与伊拉克军队前往哈维贾(Hawija)。1000名伊拉克士兵准备去逮捕恐怖嫌疑人。美国士兵攻入屋内抓获多名嫌疑人。

    Some Iraqi military officers have expressed worry that the United States is ending battle operations too soon. Politically, Iraq still faces problems. Elections held six months ago failed to produce a clear winner. For this reason, the country has yet to form a new government.
    部分伊拉克军方人士对美国过早结束作战行动表达了担忧。在政治上伊拉克仍面临许多问题。6个月前举行的选举未能产生明确的赢家。由于这个原因,伊拉克尚未组建一个新政府。