美国候任总统唐纳德·川普(Donald Trump)本周提名退役海军上将詹姆斯·马蒂斯（James Mattis）担任他的国防部长。
Mattis left military service three years ago. At the time, he led the U.S. Central Command, which carries out U.S. operations in the Middle East. He was also the Supreme Allied Commander of NATO forces.
马蒂斯于3年前离开军队。当时，他领导了美国中央司令部，该部门负责美国中东地区行动。他还是北约部队的最高盟军司令。
His leadership in the fight against enemy forces in Afghanistan and Iraq won him respect among many military leaders.
他在阿富汗和伊拉克领导的对敌作战为他赢得了许多军事将领的尊重。
General John Nicholson is the commander of international forces in Afghanistan.
约翰·尼科尔森（John Nicholson）上将是驻阿富汗国际部队的司令。
"I first met him in Nangahar province in Afghanistan, where we were in a tough fight in 2006, and he's a very inspirational leader -- I know he inspired me."
他说：“我第一次见到他是在阿富汗的楠格哈尔省，2006年我们在那里陷入苦战。他是一位非常激励人心的将领，也激励了我。”
Michael O'Hanlon writes about military affairs at the Brookings Institution, a research group in Washington.
迈克尔·欧汉伦（Michael O'Hanlon）在华盛顿布鲁金斯学会撰写军事事务有关的文章。
"He's thought of as one of the best-read, best-informed and most-experienced generals of his generation."
他说：“马蒂斯被认为是他这一代人中读书最多、了解信息最多、也最有经验的将军之一。”
O'Hanlon says Mattis knows the limits of military power. He says he believes the former general's battlefield experience gives him persuasive power with Trump. O'Hanlon says Trump will be more likely to listen to an argument for restraint, for example, if it comes from Mattis.
欧汉伦表示，马蒂斯了解军事力量的局限性。他认为这位前任上将的战场经验使他对川普颇具说服力。欧汉伦表示，川普可能更愿意听马蒂斯这类人的克制意见。
Currently, Mattis is not permitted to take the office of defense secretary, however. A U.S. law bans military officers from the position who have fewer than seven years in retirement. Congress would have to change that law.
然而目前马蒂斯无权就任国防部长。美国法律禁止退休少于7年的军官担任该职务。国会可能必须修改该法律。
The 1947 law first called for a 10-year ban. But Congress cut it to seven years in 2008. Congress has let only one general serve as secretary of defense before the time permitted by law. In 1950, Congress voted to let General George Marshall serve as secretary of defense. Marshall had been a top general during World War II.
这项1947年的法律最初要求不少于10年。但是国会于2008年将其缩短为7年。国会仅批准过一位将军在法律允许时间前担任国防部长。1950年，国会投票决定允许乔治·马歇尔将军担任国防部长。马歇尔曾是二战期间的一位高级将领。
I'm Kelly Jean Kelly.
我是凯莉·吉恩·凯莉。(51VOA.COM对本文翻译保留全部权利，未经授权请勿转载，违者必究！)