The Pentagon said Wednesday Iran is continuing to provide weapons and other material to Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan, in addition to its alleged continuing support for Shiite militias in Iraq. Officials spoke to reporters Wednesday shortly after a second U.S. aircraft carrier strike group arrived in the Persian Gulf.
美国国防部星期三说，伊朗继续为阿富汗的塔利班激进份子提供武器和其他材料。此外，伊朗还被指责继续支持伊拉克的什叶派武装份子。五角大楼官员星期三对记者做出上述表示前不久，美国第二个航空母舰战斗群抵达波斯湾。
The chief of operations for the senior U.S. military staff, Lieutenant General Carter Ham, says Iranian support for the Taliban, first reported last year, is continuing.
美军参谋长联席会议作战部部长卡特.哈姆中将说，最早在去年公布的伊朗对塔利班的支持目前仍在继续。
"There is indication that the Iranian support of the Taliban has continued," said General Ham. "Again, we don't believe it to be at the same level of which they have provided fighters and weapons into Iraq. But there is some clear evidence that it has occurred."
他说：“有迹象显示，伊朗对塔利班的支持仍在继续。当然，我们不认为伊朗向塔利班提供的支持达到了它向伊拉克输送战斗人员和提供武器的程度，但是有明确的证据显示伊朗支持了塔利班。”
General Ham says the support involves "weapons and material," but he did not provide details of what Iran sends or how much. He did say there is no indication Iran is providing the high-powered roadside bombs it has given to insurgents in Iraq.
哈姆将军说，这种支持包括“武器和材料”，但是他没有详细叙述伊朗输送了什么或者数量有多大。不过他明确表示，没有迹象显示伊朗为塔利班提供了它向伊拉克武装份子所提供的威力强大的路边炸弹。
The new allegation comes as two U.S. aircraft carrier strike groups are in the Persian Gulf in an unusual display of American military power in the waterway along Iran's southwestern coast. Officials say one carrier group is relieving the other, and the overlap will not last long. On Tuesday, Defense Secretary Robert Gates offered this characterization of the temporary double deployment.
对伊朗的最新指控发布之前，两组美国航空母舰战斗群已经抵达波斯湾， 在伊朗西南边境的水陆通道上不同寻常地彰显着美国的军事威力。有关官员说，一个航母战斗群是为了替换另一个战斗群，两组航母群不会同时在那里停留很久。
"I don't see it as an escalation," said Secretary Gates. "I think it could be seen, though, as a reminder."
星期二，国防部长盖茨就这种临时的部署方式表态说：“我不认为这是军事升级，不过我认为可以把它看成是一种提示。”
General Ham says the message is aimed at both U.S. allies and potential adversaries in the region, but he said it would be a mistake to view the carrier overlap as designed specifically to send a message to Iran.
哈姆将军说，这个信息既面向美国的盟友，又针对该地区潜在的对手。但是他说，将两组战斗群同时出现在波斯湾看成一种向伊朗发出信息的特意安排，那是一个错误。
"The message of commitment to the region is one that we think is important, but it's not intended to be any more than that," he said. "It's a message to all nations that the United States possesses the capability and the will to operate globally. So this is an opportunity to do that."
他说：“我们认为对该地区的承诺是一个重要的信息，但不是刻意要超过这个意义。对所有国家来说，这是一个信息，表示美国具有这种能力和意志展开全球行动。因此这是展示这种能力的一个机会。”
General Ham says the two carriers will enable U.S. commanders to order more air strikes in Iraq, as well as more reconnaissance flights and other missions.
哈姆将军说，两艘航母将让美军司令有能力命令在伊拉克展开更多的空袭行动，也能执行更多的侦察飞行和其他任务。
He says it also provides an important training opportunity for the two carrier crews.
他说，这也为两艘航母上的军人提供了重要的训练机会。
White House spokeswoman Dana Perino explained it this way.
白宫女发言人佩里诺对此解释说：
"These exercises are not aimed at Iran," said Dana Perino. "They reinforce that the U.S. has an enduring commitment to the region and to our allies and we continue to protect our allies and interests wherever necessary."
“这些军事演习没有针对伊朗。这仅仅是美国对该地区坚守承诺，对盟国坚守承诺的一种强化的表示。不论在任何必要的地方我们都将继续保卫我们的盟友和利益。”
Also on Wednesday, the director of planning for the U.S. military staff, Lieutenant General John Satler, denied a news report that indicated there is increased planning for potential U.S. military action against Iran.
另一方面，美军参谋长联席会议战略政策计划部部长萨特勒中将也在星期三否认了新闻报导所说的美国加紧了可能对伊朗采取军事行动计划的说法。
"There has been no order, specific order, to plan in any particular area of the world," said General Satler. "But I want to make it clear to everyone that we do plan. We challenge those plans. We challenge the assumptions of those plans, ongoing. And I would just leave it at that. We don't discuss, as you well know, specific plans that are ongoing or operations that are ongoing."
他说：“没有任何命令，特别的命令，针对世界某个特别地区进行备战。但是我要对各位明确说明，我们确实有所准备。我们也完善那些计划。我们持续地完善那些计划中的假设。我只能说这么多。就像各位所了解的那样，我们不就此进行讨论，不讨论进行中的特别计划，不讨论进行中的军事行动。”
U.S. officials have said they do not want to have a military confrontation with Iran, and hope to work through allies and diplomatic channels to convince Iranian leaders not to support insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan.
美国官员说过，他们不希望和伊朗进行军事对峙，希望通过盟国以及外交渠道来说服伊朗领导人，不要支持伊拉克和阿富汗的激进份子。 |