VOA慢速英語(yǔ):奧巴馬為美國(guó)外交政策辯護(hù)

Obama Defends US Foreign Policy

奧巴馬為美國(guó)外交政策辯護(hù)

From VOA Learning English, this is In The News.

這里是美國(guó)之音慢速英語(yǔ)新聞報(bào)道。

President Barack Obama this week announced plans for bringing America's longest war to what he called a responsible end. He said that this year the United States will finish its combat operations in Afghanistan, and give Afghan forces control of the country's security. Mr. Obama said that after 2014, 9,800 U.S. troops will remain in Afghanistan. But he said they all could be withdrawn if Afghan leaders do not sign a joint security agreement.

美國(guó)總統(tǒng)奧巴馬本周宣布計(jì)劃以他所謂負(fù)責(zé)任的方式結(jié)束美國(guó)的連年征戰(zhàn)。他說(shuō)，今年美國(guó)將結(jié)束在阿富汗的作戰(zhàn)行動(dòng)，向阿富汗部隊(duì)移交國(guó)家安全的控制權(quán)。奧巴馬表示，2014年之后將只有9800名美國(guó)士兵繼續(xù)留在阿富汗。但他表示，如果阿富汗領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人不簽署一份聯(lián)合安全協(xié)定，那么所有美軍都將撤回到美國(guó)。

Under the president's plan, U.S. forces will be out of the country by the time he leaves office in 2017. The only soldiers left will guard the embassy and diplomats. That would be similar to the situation in Iraq, where Mr. Obama withdrew troops in 2011.

根據(jù)奧巴馬的計(jì)劃，美軍將在2017年他總統(tǒng)任期結(jié)束時(shí)離開(kāi)阿富汗，唯一留下的士兵將負(fù)責(zé)使館和外交人員的安保。這和伊拉克的情況類(lèi)似。2011年奧巴馬從伊拉克撤軍。

On Wednesday, the president spoke to the men and women finishing study programs at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He told them that, "you are the first class to graduate since 9/11 who may not be sent into combat in Iraq or Afghanistan."

本周三，奧巴馬總統(tǒng)在美國(guó)西點(diǎn)軍校對(duì)該校畢業(yè)生發(fā)表了講話。他對(duì)學(xué)生們說(shuō)，“你們是911以來(lái)首個(gè)畢業(yè)后不會(huì)被派到伊拉克或阿富汗參加作戰(zhàn)的班級(jí)。”

President Obama used the speech to answer critics of his foreign policy. He said the United States is the most "indispensible" nation in the world. But he warned against new military interventions.

奧巴馬總統(tǒng)用這次演講回應(yīng)了對(duì)他外交政策的批評(píng)。他說(shuō)美國(guó)是全球最不可或缺的國(guó)家。但他反對(duì)進(jìn)行新的軍事干預(yù)。

Critics have called Mr. Obama's foreign policy unclear and weak. They point to his decision not to follow up on threats to attack Syria when it used chemical weapons. They also have criticized his failure to stop Russia from interfering in Ukraine.

批評(píng)人士稱(chēng)奧巴馬的外交政模糊、軟弱。他們指出，在敘利亞使用化學(xué)武器時(shí)，奧巴馬決定不進(jìn)一步威脅進(jìn)攻敘利亞。他們還批評(píng)奧巴馬未能阻止俄羅斯干涉烏克蘭。

In his speech, Mr. Obama said that, "the most direct threat to America at home and abroad remains terrorism."

在他的演講中，奧巴馬表示，“美國(guó)國(guó)內(nèi)外面臨的最直接威脅仍然是恐怖主義。”

"First, let me repeat a principle I put forward at the outset of my presidency: the United States will use military force, unilaterally if necessary, when our core interests demand it."

“首先，請(qǐng)?jiān)试S我重申我擔(dān)任總統(tǒng)之初提出的一項(xiàng)原則：當(dāng)我們的核心利益需要時(shí)，美國(guó)將在必要的情況下單方面使用武力。”

Mr. Obama called for a new $5 billion plan to help Yemen, Somalia, Libya and Mali fight terrorists. He also said the U.S. would continue drone strikes against terrorists and support for Syrian opposition groups.

奧巴馬呼吁籌集50億美元，計(jì)劃用于幫助也門(mén)、索馬里、利比亞和馬里打擊恐怖分子。他還表示，美國(guó)將繼續(xù)使用無(wú)人機(jī)打擊恐怖分子，并支持?jǐn)⒗麃喎磳?duì)派組織。

One of Mr. Obama's critics is Arizona Senator John McCain. Mr. McCain says the United States should be arming Syrian rebels. He also is critical of Mr. Obama's plan for withdrawing troops from Afghanistan. The senator spoke on Phoenix radio station KFYI, The Barry Young Show.

亞利桑那州參議員約翰·麥凱恩(John McCain)是奧巴馬的批評(píng)者之一。麥凱恩表示，美國(guó)應(yīng)該把敘利亞叛軍武裝起來(lái)。他還批評(píng)了奧巴馬從阿富汗撤軍的計(jì)劃。這位參議員在參加鳳凰城電臺(tái)KFYI的The Barry Young Show節(jié)目時(shí)表示：

"We're now seeing a replay of Iraq in Afghanistan, and one can only question whether this whole basis was that he [Obama] would be able to say at the end of his term that the troops are out of both countries....But the first thing the United States of America needs to regain is its credibility."

“我們現(xiàn)在看到美國(guó)在阿富汗的戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)重蹈了在伊拉克的覆轍，人們只能質(zhì)疑整個(gè)基準(zhǔn)原則是不是奧巴馬能否在他任期結(jié)束時(shí)說(shuō)，美軍撤出了這兩個(gè)國(guó)家。但美國(guó)首先需要恢復(fù)的是它的公信力。”

It is in Congress where Mr. Obama faces much of the criticism over his foreign policy. Michael O'Hanlon is with the Brookings Institution. He says the president's decision to avoid military action in Syria and Ukraine is probably what most Americans wanted. Studies have shown that Americans are tired of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and do not support more military adventures.

奧巴馬的外交政策在國(guó)會(huì)面臨著諸多批評(píng)。邁克爾·奧漢隆(Michael O'Hanlon)就職于布魯斯金學(xué)會(huì)。他說(shuō)，奧巴馬總統(tǒng)決定避免在敘利亞和烏克蘭采取軍事行動(dòng)，也許這正是大多數(shù)美國(guó)人想要的。有研究表明，美國(guó)人厭倦了伊拉克和阿富汗戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)，不會(huì)支持更多的軍事冒險(xiǎn)。

"...you add up the whole picture, it starts to look a little weak. And then you are open to the charge that foreign leaders have figured out that you do not want to do much and they're exploiting the window of opportunity, which is, of course, the charge being made about why (Russian President Vladimir) Putin got so aggressive on the Crimea."

奧漢隆說(shuō)，“縱觀全局開(kāi)始看起來(lái)有點(diǎn)軟弱。然后你會(huì)被指責(zé)，正如外國(guó)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人所推測(cè)的，你不想要做太多。他們正在利用這個(gè)機(jī)會(huì)之窗，指責(zé)為何俄羅斯總統(tǒng)普京在克里米亞如此咄咄逼人。”

And that's In The News, from VOA Learning English. I'm Steve Ember.

以上就是本期美國(guó)之音慢速英語(yǔ)新聞報(bào)道的全部?jī)?nèi)容。我是史蒂夫·恩伯(Steve Ember)。

Obama Defends US Foreign Policy

By VOA

30 May, 2014

From VOA Learning English, this is In The News.

President Barack Obama this week announced plans for bringing America's longest war to what he called a responsible end. He said that this year the United States will finish its combat operations in Afghanistan, and give Afghan forces control of the country's security. Mr. Obama said that after 2014, 9,800 U.S. troops will remain in Afghanistan. But he said they all could be withdrawn if Afghan leaders do not sign a joint security agreement.

U.S. President Barack Obama speaks at the commencement ceremony at the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., May 28, 2014.

Under the president's plan, U.S. forces will be out of the country by the time he leaves office in 2017. The only soldiers left will guard the embassy and diplomats. That would be similar to the situation in Iraq, where Mr. Obama withdrew troops in 2011.

On Wednesday, the president spoke to the men and women finishing study programs at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He told them that, "you are the first class to graduate since 9/11 who may not be sent into combat in Iraq or Afghanistan."

President Obama used the speech to answer critics of his foreign policy. He said the United States is the most "indispensible" nation in the world. But he warned against new military interventions.

Critics have called Mr. Obama's foreign policy unclear and weak. They point to his decision not to follow up on threats to attack Syria when it used chemical weapons. They also have criticized his failure to stop Russia from interfering in Ukraine.

In his speech, Mr. Obama said that, "the most direct threat to America at home and abroad remains terrorism."

"First, let me repeat a principle I put forward at the outset of my presidency: the United States will use military force, unilaterally if necessary, when our core interests demand it."

Mr. Obama called for a new $5 billion plan to help Yemen, Somalia, Libya and Mali fight terrorists. He also said the U.S. would continue drone strikes against terrorists and support for Syrian opposition groups.

One of Mr. Obama's critics is Arizona Senator John McCain. Mr. McCain says the United States should be arming Syrian rebels. He also is critical of Mr. Obama's plan for withdrawing troops from Afghanistan. The senator spoke on Phoenix radio station KFYI, The Barry Young Show.

"We're now seeing a replay of Iraq in Afghanistan, and one can only question whether this whole basis was that he [Obama] would be able to say at the end of his term that the troops are out of both countries....But the first thing the United States of America needs to regain is its credibility."

It is in Congress where Mr. Obama faces much of the criticism over his foreign policy. Michael O'Hanlon is with the Brookings Institution. He says the president's decision to avoid military action in Syria and Ukraine is probably what most Americans wanted. Studies have shown that Americans are tired of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and do not support more military adventures.

"...you add up the whole picture, it starts to look a little weak. And then you are open to the charge that foreign leaders have figured out that you do not want to do much and they're exploiting the window of opportunity, which is, of course, the charge being made about why (Russian President Vladimir) Putin got so aggressive on the Crimea."

And that's In The News, from VOA Learning English. I'm Steve Ember.