奥巴马将访以巴期望增加外交经验

来自中东的报导说，竞选美国总统的民主党候选人奥巴马将在下星期访问以色列和约旦河西岸，这是奥巴马一次重要外交访问的一部分。奥巴马此行还将访问伊拉克、阿富汗和几个欧洲国家。

The Obama campaign has released few details about the senator's forthcoming itinerary, but Israeli and Palestinian officials say Obama will meet separately with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

奥巴马竞选班子没有公布这位参议员出访的细节安排。但是以色列和巴勒斯坦官员说，奥巴马将分别会见以色列总理奥尔默特和巴勒斯坦权力机构主席阿巴斯。

His Republican rival, Senator John McCain, took a similar trip to the Middle East and Europe in March, and has regularly visited Iraq since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion to oust Saddam Hussein.

奥巴马的共和党竞选对手麦凯恩参议员3月也曾访问中东和欧洲。自从美国2003年领导进攻伊拉克、推翻萨达姆以来，麦凯恩经常访问伊拉克。

Obama has been a fierce critic of the Bush administration's handling of foreign affairs, especially the Iraq war. Political analyst Larry Sabato, who heads the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, says the upcoming trip is critical for a presidential aspirant with limited foreign policy credentials.

奥巴马一直猛烈批评布什政府处理外交事务的方式，特别是批评伊拉克战争。政治分析家萨巴托是美国维吉尼亚大学政治研究中心的负责人。他说，奥巴马即将进行的访问对这位外交政策经验不多的总统竞选人来说至关重要。

"He is criticizing our [US] policy in Iraq. He needs to see it on the ground, and he has not been there [to Iraq] in years," he said. "It is important that he talk to the world leaders with whom he may very well be dealing come January [if elected president]."

他说：“奥巴马批评美国的伊拉克政策。他需要到伊拉克去实地考察。他已经很多年没有去伊拉克了。重要的是，他要同世界领导人交谈。如果他当选总统，他在明年1月以后很可能要跟这些人打交道。”

Sabato describes the trip as a high-risk, high-reward opportunity for Obama, who could either quell voters' doubts about his command of foreign policy issues with a strong performance or amplify them with any miscues.

萨巴托说，对奥巴马来说，这次出访的风险很大，但是可能得到的回报也很大。如果表现好，他可以消除美国选民对他掌控外交问题的能力的疑问。如果犯什么错误，则会扩大人们的疑虑。

International public opinion polls show Obama with high approval ratings in many countries. Sabato says he expects Obama will get a warm reception at most stops on the trip, particularly in Europe. Foreign leaders will have their own agendas, knowing that they could be meeting with the next president of the United States, according to Sabato.

国际民意调查显示，奥巴马在很多国家都拥有很高的公众支持率。萨巴托预计奥巴马在这次出访的多数国家都会受到热烈欢迎，特别是在欧洲。外国领导人有他们自己的日程，他们知道这次会晤的很可能是下届美国总统。

"They will want to get off on the right foot with him [Obama]," said Sabato. "They will want to impress him. They will want to educate him about bilateral relations, multilateral relations, and some of the issues with which he will have to deal if indeed he does become president."

萨巴托说：“各国领导人希望从一开始就跟奥巴马搞好关系，给他留下好印象。他们希望让奥巴马了解双边关系、多边关系，了解那些他一旦当选总统就必须处理的问题。”

Monday, Obama reiterated his determination to gradually withdraw US forces from Iraq should he win the election, and refocus US military efforts to target al-Qaida and the Taliban in Afghanistan. In a column in the New York Times newspaper, Obama said he remains convinced that real political progress in Iraq will be achieved only if America places a time limit on the duration of its troop commitment in the country, but admitted that "tactical adjustments" to the strategy may be needed based on advice from US commanders.

奥巴马星期一重申，如果当选总统，他决心逐步从伊拉克撤军，让美国军队集中力量打击阿富汗的基地组织和塔利班。奥巴马在纽约时报发表专栏文章说，他仍然坚信，美国必须制定在伊拉克驻军的时间限制，伊拉克才能取得真正的政治进步。但是奥巴马承认，也许需要根据美军指挥官的建议对战略问题作战术性的调整。

John McCain has blasted Obama for opposing last year's US troop surge that many credit for helping bring a fragile stability to Iraq that could pave the way for future troop reductions. McCain has refused to embrace a timetable for withdrawing US forces from Iraq, saying to do so would embolden America's enemies.

麦凯恩曾抨击奥巴马去年反对美国向伊拉克增兵。很多人认为，那次增兵有助于在伊拉克实现脆弱的稳定。这种稳定可能为将来减少伊拉克驻军铺平道路。麦凯恩拒绝接受撤军时间表。他说，那样作将鼓励美国的敌人。