Americans across the political spectrum supported the use of force against those who attacked us on 9/11. Now, as we approach our 10th year of combat in Afghanistan, there are those who are understandably asking tough questions about our mission there. But we must never lose sight of what's at stake. As we speak, al Qaeda continues to plot against us, and its leadership remains anchored in the border region of Afghanistan and Pakistan. We will disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al Qaeda, while preventing Afghanistan from again serving as a base for terrorists. And because of our drawdown in Iraq, we are now able to apply the resources necessary to go on offense. In fact, over the last 19 months, nearly a dozen al Qaeda leaders -and hundreds of Al Qaeda's extremist allies-have been killed or captured around the world.

美国的全体政界人士都支持使用武力打击发动9•11袭击的恐怖分子。现在我们在阿富汗的战争接近第10个年头，有人质疑我们在那里的使命，这一点可以理解。但我们绝对不能忽视所面临的危险。正如我们所说的，基地组织继续对我们图谋不轨，而且其头目仍藏身在阿富汗和巴基斯坦交界地区。我们将扰乱、驱散并击败基地组织，同时阻止阿富汗再次成为恐怖分子的基地。由于我们从伊拉克撤军，我们现在能够提供进攻所需的资源。实际上，在过去19个月中，全世界已有十几名基地组织头目、数百名基地组织极端分子盟友已被击毙或俘虏。

Within Afghanistan, I have ordered the deployment of additional troops who-under the command of General David Petraeus -are fighting to break the Taliban's momentum. As with the surge in Iraq, these forces will be in place for a limited time to provide space for the Afghans to build their capacity and secure their own future. But, as was the case in Iraq, we cannot do for Afghans what they must ultimately do for themselves. That's why we are training Afghan Security Forces and supporting a political resolution to Afghanistan's problems. And, next July, we will begin a transition to Afghan responsibility. The pace of our troop reductions will be determined by conditions on the ground, and our support for Afghanistan will endure. But make no mistake: this transition will begin - because open-ended war serves neither our interests nor the Afghan people's.

在阿富汗境内，我已经命令增加军队部署，由戴维•彼得雷乌斯将军指挥，打击并粉碎塔利班的势头。与在伊拉克一样，这些部队不会永远驻扎在阿富汗，他们主要是为阿富汗争取空间，使他们可以增强能力以掌握自己的未来。与伊拉克也一样，我们并不能替代阿富汗做最终需要他们亲自动手做的事情。正是因为这样，我们才会训练阿富汗安全部队并支持通过政治途径解决阿富汗问题。而且，明年7月，我们将开始将责任逐步转交给阿富汗。我们撤军的步伐将根据当地的情况而定，而且，我们对阿富汗的支持也会是长期的。但不要弄错：这种权责转交将会开始，因为美军无限期停留在阿富汗既不符合我们的利益也不符合阿富汗人民的利益。

Indeed, one of the lessons of our effort in Iraq is that American influence around the world is not a function of military force alone. We must use all elements of our power -including our diplomacy, our economic strength, and the power of America's example -to secure our interests and stand by our allies. And we must project a vision of the future that is based not just on our fears, but also on our hopes -a vision that recognizes the real dangers that exist around the world, but also the limitless possibility of our time.

实际上，我们在伊拉克的努力得到的教训之一就是，美国对全世界的影响并不仅是军力影响。我们必须全方位使用我们的力量——包括我们的外交、我们的经济力量以及美国榜样的力量，来确保我们的利益并支持我们的盟国。而且我们对于未来的展望必须既基于我们的担忧，也要基于我们的希望。这种展望既要承认全世界存在危险，也必须承认我们的时代有无限的可能。

Today, old adversaries are at peace, and emerging democracies are potential partners. New markets for our goods stretch from Asia to the Americas. A new push for peace in the Middle East will begin here tomorrow. Billions of young people want to move beyond the shackles of poverty and conflict. As the leader of the free world, America will do more than just defeat on the battlefield those who offer hatred and destruction -we will also lead among those who are willing to work together to expand freedom and opportunity for all people.

今天，老对手处于和平状态，新兴民主国家是我们的潜在合作伙伴。我们商品的新市场从亚洲延伸到美洲。推进中东地区和平的新努力将于明天从这里开始。数十亿年轻人都想努力挣脱贫穷和冲突的桎梏。作为自由世界的领导者，美国不仅要在战场上打败那些给人们带来仇恨和破坏的敌人，还要领导那些愿意共同努力为所有人争取自由和机遇的人们。

That effort must begin within our own borders. Throughout our history, America has been willing to bear the burden of promoting liberty and human dignity overseas, understanding its link to our own liberty and security. But we have also understood that our nation's strength and influence abroad must be firmly anchored in our prosperity at home. And the bedrock of that prosperity must be a growing middle class.

这种努力必须从我们自己的疆域内开始。纵观历史，美国一直愿意承担推动海外自由和人类尊严的责任，因为这与我们自己的自由和安全息息相关。不过，我们也要理解，我们国家在国外的力量和影响力，必须牢牢地植根于国内的繁荣。而且，这种繁荣的基础必定是不断壮大的中产阶级。

Unfortunately, over the last decade, we have not done what is necessary to shore up the foundation of our own prosperity. We have spent over a trillion dollars at war, often financed by borrowing from overseas. This, in turn, has short-changed investments in our own people, and contributed to record deficits. For too long, we have put off tough decisions on everything from our manufacturing base to our energy policy to education reform. As a result, too many middle class families find themselves working harder for less, while our nation's long-term competitiveness is put at risk.

遗憾的是，在过去的十年里，我们并没有为巩固我国繁荣的基础做过什么。在战争中，我们花费了逾万亿美元，这些资金往往来自海外借贷。这反过来减少了我们对自己国民的投资，并催生了破纪录的财政赤字。长久以来，我们一直在推迟制造业基础、能源政策及教育改革等所有领域的重大决定。结果，太多的中产阶级家庭发现他们的工作更辛苦，但挣的却更少，我国的长期竞争力也处在危险中。

And so at this moment, as we wind down the war in Iraq, we must tackle those challenges at home with as much energy, and grit, and sense of common purpose as our men and women in uniform who have served abroad. They have met every test that they faced. Now, it is our turn. Now, it is our responsibility to honor them by coming together, all of us, and working to secure the dream that so many generations have fought for -the dream that a better life awaits anyone who is willing to work for it and reach for it.

因此，在这个时刻，当我们逐渐结束伊拉克战争的时候，我们必需拿出更多的精力、勇气和共同追求感应对国内挑战，就像我们的士兵在国外的表现一样。他们经受了遇到的每一个考验。现在，轮到我们了。现在，我们有责任团结起来，通过努力争取我们世代为之努力奋斗的梦想，以此向他们致敬。我们的梦想就是美好的生活等着每一个愿意为之努力、为之奋斗的人。

Our most urgent task is to restore our economy, and put the millions of Americans who have lost their jobs back to work. To strengthen our middle class, we must give all our children the education they deserve, and all our workers the skills that they need to compete in a global economy. We must jumpstart industries that create jobs, and end our dependence on foreign oil. We must unleash the innovation that allows new products to roll off our assembly lines, and nurture the ideas that spring from our entrepreneurs. This will be difficult. But in the days to come, it must be our central mission as a people, and my central responsibility as President.

我们最紧迫的任务是重振我们的经济，让数百万失去工作的美国人重新上岗。为了壮大我们的中产阶级，我们必须让孩子们享受他们应该得到的教育，让我们的工人拥有足以在全球经济中竞争的技能。我们必须推动可创造就业机会的产业的发展，摆脱对外国石油的依赖。我们必须改革创新，生产制造新产品，并鼓励企业家提出新理念。这将很困难，不过，在未来的日子里，这将是我们民族的中心任务，同时也我身为美国总统的主要责任。

Part of that responsibility is making sure that we honor our commitments to those who have served our country with such valor. As long as I am President, we will maintain the finest fighting force that the world has ever known, and do whatever it takes to serve our veterans as well as they have served us. This is a sacred trust. That is why we have already made one of the largest increases in funding for veterans in decades. We are treating the signature wounds of today's wars post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury, while providing the health care and benefits that all of our veterans have earned. And we are funding a post-9/11 GI Bill that helps our veterans and their families pursue the dream of a college education. Just as the GI Bill helped those who fought World War II- including my grandfather- become the backbone of our middle class, so today's servicemen and women must have the chance to apply their gifts to expand the American economy. Because part of ending a war responsibly is standing by those who have fought it.

这种责任的一部分就是，确保兑现我们对怀着巨大勇气为我们国家服务的人的承诺。只要我还是总统，我们就会维持世界所知的最精良的战队，尽我们所能为退伍军人服务，就像他们为我们所做的一样，这是一种神圣的信任。正因为如此，我们此前大幅度提升了对退伍军人的资助，这是数十年来最大的增幅。我们治疗他们的战后精神损伤，同时为退伍军人提供医疗保健和给予他们应得的利益。而且我们正在提供资金实施《后9-11士兵福利法案》，帮助我们的老兵和他们的家人实现追求大学教育的梦想。就像《士兵福利法案》帮助那些二战老兵、包括我祖父，成为了我们中产阶级的支柱一样，今天的士兵必须有机会施展他们的才能，以增强美国的经济。因为，负责任地结束一场战争部分有赖于那些曾经为之战斗的人们。

Two weeks ago, America's final combat brigade in Iraq -the Army's Fourth Stryker Brigade -journeyed home in the pre-dawn darkness. Thousands of soldiers and hundreds of vehicles made the trip from Baghdad, the last of them passing into Kuwait in the early morning hours. Over seven years before, American troops and coalition partners had fought their way across similar highways, but this time no shots were fired. It was just a convoy of brave Americans, making their way home.

两周前，美国驻伊拉克的最后一个战斗旅、陆军第四斯瑞克装甲旅已在黎明前的黑暗中踏上归途。数千名士兵以及数百辆车辆离开巴格达，并在清早时分进入科威特境内。大约7年前，美国军队与盟友沿着相似的道路战斗挺进，但是，这一次我们并未开枪射击。这一次仅仅是一队勇敢的美国人，正在返回家乡。

Of course, the soldiers left much behind. Some were teenagers when the war began. Many have served multiple tours of duty, far from their families who bore a heroic burden of their own, enduring the absence of a husband's embrace or a mother's kiss. Most painfully, since the war began fifty-five members of the Fourth Stryker Brigade made the ultimate sacrifice -part of over 4,400 Americans who have given their lives in Iraq. As one staff sergeant said, "I know that to my brothers in arms who fought and died, this day would probably mean a lot."

当然，这些士兵身后留下了许多东西。战争爆发时，他们之中的一些人仅仅只有十几岁。许多士兵都曾多次服役，远离家乡。他们身处千里之外的家人也肩负着崇高的使命，忍受无法拥抱丈夫或亲吻母亲的日子。最令人痛心的是，自战争爆发以来，第四斯瑞克装甲旅已有55名士兵献出了自己的生命，他们是为伊拉克牺牲的4400多名美国人中的一份子。就像一名上士所说的那样：“我知道对于那些战斗过并已牺牲的战友来说，今天本来应该非常重要。”

Those Americans gave their lives for the values that have lived in the hearts of our people for over two centuries. Along with nearly 1.5 million Americans who have served in Iraq, they fought in a faraway place for people they never knew. They stared into the darkest of human creations -war -and helped the Iraqi people seek the light of peace.

这些美国人为了已在国人心中存在了200多年的价值理想献出了宝贵的生命。同近150万在伊拉克服役的美国人一道，他们在遥远的国度，为素未谋面的陌生人奋战。他们直视人类创造的最黑暗的事物——战争，帮助伊拉克人民寻找和平之光。

In an age without surrender ceremonies, we must earn victory through the success of our partners and the strength of our own nation. Every American who serves joins an unbroken line of heroes that stretches from Lexington to Gettysburg; from Iwo Jima to Inchon; from Khe Sanh to Kandahar - Americans who have fought to see that the lives of our children are better than our own. Our troops are the steel in our ship of state. And though our nation may be travelling through rough waters, they give us confidence that our course is true, and that beyond the pre-dawn darkness, better days lie ahead.

在没有投降仪式的时代里，我们的胜利须由盟友的成功以及自身国家的强大来体现。为国家效力的美国人都是英雄，从莱克星顿到葛底斯堡，从硫磺岛到仁川，从溪山到坎大哈，不断奋战的美国人相信，孩子们的生命重于自己的生命。军队是我们这个国家的钢铁护卫。虽然我们的国家或许正身处险滩之中，但他们使我们确信航线是正确的，突破黎明前的黑暗后，前方必定是更美好的日子。

Thank you. May God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America, and all who serve her.

谢谢。愿上帝保佑你。愿上帝保佑美利坚合众国，保佑她的子民。

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（来源：news.sky.com/中国日报网  编辑：Julie）