VOA常速英语2015--白宫尚不准备增设驻伊基地（在线收听）

白宫尚不准备增设驻伊基地

WHITE HOUSE— The White House says there are no immediate plans to open up more bases in Iraq. The remarks come a day after President Obama authorized 450 additional troops to a fifth Iraqi base to assist local forces in the fight against the Islamic State militant group in Anbar province.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey, told reporters Thursday that U.S. troops stationed at al-Taqqadam Air Base in Anbar could be a model for additional hubs in Iraq, where American military personnel train, assist and advise Iraqi forces.

参谋长联席会议主席马丁·邓普西将军周四告诉记者，驻扎在安巴尔al-Taqqadam空军基地的美军将成为在伊拉克新增基地的样板，美国军事人员在那里为伊拉克军队提供培训、援助和咨询帮助。

When asked about additional bases, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said Thursday there are no “immediate or specific plans” to add U.S. troops to Iraq, and that Dempsey’s comments simply reflect his role in long-term and contingency planning.

在被问及新增基地的问题时，白宫新闻秘书乔希·厄内斯特周四说，眼下没有增加驻伊美军的具体计划，邓普西的看法只说明他在长期和应急计划上的角色。

The spokesman noted that if President Obama’s military advisers did recommend opening another facility, it would reflect the fact that ongoing training efforts of Iraqi forces have been “useful.”

这位发言人指出，如果奥巴马总统的军事顾问确实建议增加其他基地，这就说明目前对伊拉克军队进行的培训帮助是有用的。

“Rather than being evidence of mission creep, it would be evidence of some progress in the ongoing mission to support the Iraqis as they take the fight to ISIL on the ground in their own country,” said Earnest.

“这并不是说明出现任务偏离，而是表明在伊拉克人与本国ISIL组织进行作战的过程中，美军向伊军提供的帮助取得了进展。”

Earnest responded to broader concerns of mission creep by noting the stark difference of the U.S. military presence in Iraq when President Obama took office in 2009 compared to the current mission in that country.

对于普遍存在的对任务偏离的担忧，厄内斯特指出，与2009年奥巴马总统刚上任时相比，目前美军在伊拉克所进行的任务有着明显的不同。

“There is a significant difference between 150,000 troops in a combat role and 3,500 U.S. troops in roles... not in a combat role...in a variety of roles,” said Earnest.

“当时有15万美军在伊拉克发挥战斗角色，而目前只有3500美军在伊拉克担任各种角色，而并非战斗角色。”

The 3,500 U.S. military personnel in Iraq include the 450 troops going to Anbar to train, advise, and assist Iraqi forces, particularly Sunni tribal fighters, in the fight to retake the provincial capital Ramadi from Islamic State militants.

在伊拉克的3500美军人员包括有450人前往安巴尔对伊军提供培训、咨询和援助，尤其是在逊尼派部落武装人员为将省会拉马迪从伊斯兰国武装分子手中重新夺回的战斗中。

Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Michael O’Hanlon says sending additional U.S. forces to Iraq is a good move, but not enough.

布鲁克林研究所高级研究员迈克尔·欧汉隆说，增派驻伊美军是个不错的动作，但这并不够。

“Overall, I’m a little concerned about the Obama administration’s incrementalist approach, which I think concedes too much initiative to the enemy and also is somewhat too leisurely and slow,” said O’Hanlon.

“整体上来说，我有点担心奥巴马政府的渐进主义路线，我认为向敌人让步太多，而且也有点太放松和缓慢。”

Criticism echoed by others as the president struggles with a fight that he himself concedes is not a “short term proposition.”

就在总统苦苦应对这场他自己也承认并非短期任务的战斗时，对他的批评也得到其他人的应和。