奥巴马访问伊拉克会晤伊领导人

预计会得到美国民主党总统候选人提名的奥巴马目前正在巴格达，这是他从2006年以来第一次访问伊拉克。人们认为这次访问是奥巴马为了在11月大选前提高自己外交政策方面的资历而作出的努力。

Senator Barack Obama's visit to Iraq gives the Illinois senator a chance to see first-hand the security conditions in the country. It also gives him an opportunity to assess possibilities for the U.S. role in Iraq beyond 2008 - a central campaign issue in the U.S. presidential election.

奥巴马参议员对伊拉克的访问给予这位伊利诺伊州参议员亲眼目睹伊拉克安全状况的机会。这次访问也让他有机会评估美国在2008年之后可能在伊拉克发挥的作用，这是2008年总统竞选运动的中心议题。

Obama held separate meetings with Iraq's President Jalal Talabani and Prime Minister Nouri al-Malaki.

奥巴马与伊拉克总统塔拉巴尼及伊拉克总理马利基分别举行会晤。

None of the men made public comments after the talks. Iraqi media reports say the discussions focused on security and economic developments, including challenges and successes.

在这些会谈后，他们都没有发表公开评论。伊拉克的新闻报导说，有关讨论的焦点是安全和经济发展，包括存在的困难及取得的成功。

Earlier in the day, Obama visited the southern city of Basra where he met with troops and military officials.

星期一早些时候，奥巴马访问了伊拉克南部城市巴士拉，他在当地会见了军队官兵。

Speaking in Washington, U.S. Department of Defense spokesman Bryan Whitman said he believed officials would give Obama what they have given other official visitors: a first-hand view of developments in the country.

美国国防部发言人怀特曼在华盛顿说，他相信当地官员会向奥巴马介绍伊拉克形势发展的第一手信息，正如他们对其他来访官员所作的介绍一样。

"What I would expect that he would hear would be the same things that others have heard, " Whitman said, "and that is a perspective from the commanders on the ground with respect to what they are seeing, the challenges that they are facing, the successes that they are having and the areas that still need more work."

怀特曼说：“我预计他会听到其他人已听到的同样信息，这是在实地的指挥官根据自己亲眼目睹的情况而作出的展望，即根据面临的问题、取得的成果和尚需进一步工作的地区，来展望前景。”

Obama opposes the war in Iraq. He has repeatedly vowed to end the war if he is elected president.

奥巴马反对伊拉克战争。他再三誓言一旦当选总统就要结束这场战争。

Earlier this month, Obama said if he is elected, he would like to withdraw U.S. troops at a pace of one-to-two brigades per month, meaning combat troops would be out in 16 months.

本月初，奥巴马说，他想要以每月撤回一到两个旅的进度来撤回驻伊美军，那意味美军战斗部队会在16个月内完全撤离伊拉克。

The German weekly Der Speigel reported Iraq's prime minister endorsed that plan, but after those comments ignited a firestorm of controversy Iraqi spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said the prime minister's comments were mistranslated and misconstrued. But after Mr. Maliki and Obama met, Dabbagh said he hopes U.S. combat forces could be out of Iraq by 2010.

德国明镜周刊报导，伊拉克总理赞同这一计划，但是在这些话引起激烈争议和批评后，伊拉克发言人达巴格说，人们误传及误解了伊拉克总理的评论。然而在奥巴马与马利基会面后，达巴格又说，他希望美国的战斗部队能在2010年撤离伊拉克。

Republican presidential candidate John McCain says troop draw-downs must be determined by the military and political situation. McCain says U.S. troops could be in Iraq in some capacity for many years to come.

共和党总统候选人麦凯恩说，要减少驻伊美军人数必须根据军事和政治形势来决定。麦凯恩说，美军可能还得在伊拉克承担多年的责任。

Obama is traveling with two other U.S. senators. They spent the first two days of this overseas tour in Afghanistan, followed by a stop in Kuwait.

Obama is also expected to visit Israel, Jordan and Europe this week.