VOA慢速英语:Obama Defends US Foreign Policy

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 But he said they all could be withdrawn if Afghan leaders do not sign a joint security agreement.
本周，奥巴马总统宣布了“负责任地结束”美国持续时间最长的战争的计划。他说，今年美国将结束在阿富汗的作战行动，由阿富汗军队控制国家的安全形势。奥巴马表示，2014年之后将只有9800名美国士兵继续留在阿富汗。但他表示，如果阿富汗领导人不签署一份联合安全协定，那么所有美军都将撤回到美国。

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.
根据总统的计划，美国军队将在2017年他离任时撤出阿富汗。唯一留下的士兵将负责使馆和外交人员的安保。这和伊拉克的情况类似。2011年奥巴马从伊拉克撤军。

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."
周三，奥巴马向西点军校毕业生发表讲话。他对学生们说，“你们是911以来首个毕业后不会被派到伊拉克或阿富汗参加作战的班级。”

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.
奥巴马总统利用这次讲话回应了对他的外交政策的批评。他说美国是全球最不可或缺的国家。但他反对进行新的军事干预。

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.
批评家称奥巴马的外交政策含糊而软弱。他们指出，在叙利亚使用化学武器时，奥巴马决定不进一步威胁进攻叙利亚。他们还批评奥巴马未能阻止俄罗斯干涉乌克兰。

In his speech, Mr. Obama said that, "the most direct threat to America at home and abroad remains terrorism."
在他的演讲中，奥巴马表示，“美国国内外面临的最直接的威胁仍然是恐怖主义。”

"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，让我重复一下我刚刚担任总统时提出的原则，当我们的核心利益要求时，如果必要的话，美国将单方面使用武力。”

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.
奥巴马呼吁增加50亿美元帮助也门，索马里，利比亚和马里打击恐怖分子。他还表示，美国将继续使用无人机打击恐怖分子，并支持叙利亚反对派组织。

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.
亚利桑那州参议员约翰•麦凯恩（John McCain）是奥巴马的批评者之一。麦凯恩表示，美国应该把叙利亚叛军武装起来。他还批评了奥巴马从阿富汗撤军的计划。这位参议员在菲尼克斯广播台KFYI的巴里杨脱口秀节目中发表讲话：

"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."
“我们现在正目睹伊拉克的形势在阿富汗重演，人们只会质疑这一切的基础是不是奥巴马在任期结束的时候能够说，美国军队已经撤出了伊拉克和阿富汗。但是美国首先需要重获的就是可信性。”

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.
奥巴马的外交政策在国会面临着诸多批评。迈克尔•奥汉隆（Michael O'Hanlon）就职于布鲁斯金学会。他说，奥巴马总统决定避免在叙利亚和乌克兰采取军事行动，也许这正是大多数美国人想要的。研究显示，美国人厌倦了伊拉克和阿富汗战争，不支持更多军事行动。

"...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."
“纵观全局开始看起来有点软弱。然后你会被指责，正如外国领导人所推测的，你不想要做太多。他们正在利用这个机会之窗，指责为何俄罗斯总统普京在克里米亚如此咄咄逼人。”