VOA双语新闻 Bush says Americans Understand his Stand on I

President Bush says American voters ratified¹ his stand on Iraq when they re-elected him in November, and there is no need to hold officials accountable for any miscalculations or mistakes in judgment² either before or after the invasion. The comments were made in an interview published just days before the president takes the oath of office for a second term.

布什总统说，美国选民去年11月再次选举他为总统表明人们支持他在伊拉克问题上的立场，而且不必追究政府官员在进攻伊拉克前后的误判。布什在第二个任期就职仪式前几天接受采访时发表了上述观点。

President Bush says Americans were presented with two different assessments³ of the situation in Iraq during the 2004 campaign. He says they rejected the arguments of the Democratic Party nominee⁵, Senator John Kerry, and stood with his administration.

布什总统说，美国人在2004年竞选中面临着对伊拉克局势的两种不同评估。布什说，人们没有接受民主党总统候选人克里的观点，而是站在了现任政府的立场上。

In an interview published in the Washington Post (newspaper), the president acknowledged the path to democracy in Iraq has not been smooth. He said at times of war, things do not always go exactly as planned. But he said he is willing to be patient and he remains⁶ optimistic about the future.

《华盛顿邮报》刊登的一篇对布什的采访报导说，布什承认伊拉克通向民主的道路并不平坦。他说，在战争期间，局势并不能总是象预计的那样发展。但是他说，他愿意对未来保持耐心和乐观的态度。

Appearing on the Fox News Sunday television program, one of the president's closest advisors⁷, Dan Bartlett, explained his remarks this way: "There was a case made that the course taken by this administration was the wrong coarse when it came to Iraq. It was heard by the American people, and they embraced President Bush's vision."

布什总统最密切的顾问之一丹·巴特利特在福克斯星期天新闻电视节目中解释布什总统的讲话说，“有人说，布什政府在伊拉克问题上采取的行动是错误的。美国人民听到了这种说法，但他们支持布什对未来的展望。”

In a subsequent interview aired on NBC's Meet the Press, he said this is an historic period for Iraq, with elections just two weeks away. Mr. Bartlett, who was recently named Counselor⁸ to the President, said the security situation is difficult, but added every step possible is being taken to secure polling places so voters can cast their ballots⁹.

后来，在接受全国广播公司“面对新闻界”节目采访时，巴特利特说，离伊拉克全国选举只有两个星期了，这是伊拉克的历史时刻。最近被提名担任总统顾问的巴特利特说，伊拉克安全局势非常严峻，但是他说，在每个投票站都采取了一切必要措施来保障选民的投票安全。

"We know that millions of people want to vote," he said. "It will be different in different parts of the country, but we think it will be a robust¹⁰ turnout and one that will demonstrate that the Iraqi people do believe in democracy, do believe in having their own voice heard."

他说，“我们知道，数以百万的人想要投票。在伊拉克的不同地区情况会不尽相同，但是，选民会踊跃投票，体现出伊拉克人民相信民主、愿意表达他们自己的意见。”

The election process is being watched carefully in the United States Congress, where lawmakers have been asked to approve billions of dollars in spending for Iraq.

美国国会将严密关注伊拉克的选举过程，因为国会议员将通过用以伊拉克的数十亿美元的拨款议案。

The president may say that the American voters ratified his policies, but his critics in Congress believe otherwise. On CNN's Late Edition, the top Democrat⁴ on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Michigan's Carl Levin, said questions remain about the administration's conduct of the war.

布什总统可能会说美国选民支持他的伊拉克政策，但是国会中他的批评者却不这么认为。参议院武装军事委员会最重要的民主党人、来自密歇根州的参议员卡尔·列文在美国有线新闻网的晚间节目中说，他对于布什政府在伊拉克战争问题上做法还存在疑问。

"Well, I think the American people obviously re-elected him," he said. "That does not mean they agreed with all of his policies relative to Iraq or all of the ways in which the Iraq war has been fought."

列文说，“我认为美国人民显然是再次选举他当了总统，但是，这并不意味着人民赞同他所有的伊拉克政策和伊拉克战争的进行方式。”

Mr. Levin said disbanding the Iraqi army after the invasion was a mistake, and there was a lack of long-term planning. But he said it is now time to move on, and the focus for Congress should be on supporting U.S. troops and ensuring the best possible results from the upcoming Iraqi elections.

列文说，在进攻伊拉克以后解散伊拉克军队是一个错误，而且缺乏对伊拉克的长远计划。但是他说，现在是捐弃前嫌继续前进的时候了，国会应该支持美国军队，并保证即将来到的伊拉克选举能产生最好的结果。
 

1 ratified   

v.批准，签认（合约等）( ratify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The treaty was declared invalid because it had not been ratified. 条约没有得到批准，因此被宣布无效。
• The treaty was ratified by all the member states. 这个条约得到了所有成员国的批准。

2 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

3 assessments   

n.评估( assessment的名词复数 )；评价；（应偿付金额的）估定；（为征税对财产所作的）估价

参考例句：

• He was shrewd in his personal assessments. 他总能对人作出精明的评价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Surveys show about two-thirds use such assessments, while half employ personality tests. 调查表明，约有三分之二的公司采用了这种测评；而一半的公司则采用工作人员个人品质测试。 来自百科语句

4 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

5 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

6 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

7 advisors   

n.顾问，劝告者( advisor的名词复数 )；（指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• The governors felt that they were being strung along by their advisors. 地方长官感到他们一直在受顾问们的愚弄。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• We will consult together with advisors about her education. 我们将一起和专家商议她的教育事宜。 来自互联网

8 counselor   

n.顾问，法律顾问

参考例句：

• The counselor gave us some disinterested advice.顾问给了我们一些无私的忠告。
• Chinese commercial counselor's office in foreign countries.中国驻国外商务参赞处。

9 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 robust   

adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的

参考例句：

• She is too tall and robust.她个子太高，身体太壮。
• China wants to keep growth robust to reduce poverty and avoid job losses,AP commented.美联社评论道，中国希望保持经济强势增长，以减少贫困和失业状况。