President Barack Obama is speaking about his efforts to close the U.S. military detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where some terror suspects are held. U.S. lawmakers voted Wednesday to deny Mr. Obama the money to close the prison.
美国总统奥巴马今天将就关闭关押恐怖分子嫌疑人的美军古巴关塔那摩湾拘留中心发表讲话。美国国会星期三投票，拒绝给奥巴马政府关闭关塔那摩基地监狱的计划拨款。
The Obama administration described the address as a "major national security speech." White House spokesman Robert Gibbs had said President Obama would discuss, among other things, the steps are needed to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay.
白宫表示，奥巴马星期四的讲话是一次有关国家安全问题的重要讲话。白宫发言人吉布斯说，奥巴马将阐述关闭关塔那摩湾拘留中心所应该采取的必要措施。
"He will go through some of the decisions that we have to make, regarding how to close down Guantanamo, something that Democrats and Republicans alike agree on," Gibbs said.
他说：“奥巴马总统将谈到在如何关闭关塔那摩湾拘留中心这个问题上我们已经作出的一些决定，而在关闭该中心这个问题上，民主和共和两党人士也是有共识的。”
"Pictures emerged in 2004, showing abuses of prisoners at Guantanamo," said Gibbs. "Mr. Obama promised during his 2008 presidential campaign to close the prison. In his first days in office, he signed an order to do so, and appointed a task force to look into details."
一些关塔那摩湾拘留中心虐待囚犯的照片2004年开始出现。奥巴马在2008年竞选总统期间曾经承诺要关闭关塔那摩湾监狱。他入主白宫后不久即签署有关命令，并任命了一个工作小组负责处理有关细节。
Senate votes no
But the U.S. Senate voted 90-6 on Wednesday to deny the president the money to close the facility. Many senators are worried that the 240 detainees held there could be transferred to prisons in the United States. Gibbs has acknowledged the lawmakers' concerns, and says Mr. Obama's plans for the prisoners are still taking shape.
但是美国参议院星期三以90票赞成，6票反对的表决结果反对为奥巴马的计划拨款。很多参议员担心该中心的240名在押人员可能被转移到美国本土。白宫发言人吉布斯说，白宫注意到了议员们的担心，但他表示，有关如何安排犯人的计划仍然在制定当中。
"The president has not decided where some of the detainees will be transferred," he said. "Again, those are decisions that the task forces are working on, and that the president will begin to lay out and discuss tomorrow [Thursday]."
吉布斯说：“奥巴马总统还没有就有些在押人员的去向作出决定。我想再次说明的是，有关工作小组正在研究这些问题，这也是总统明天将要提出和讨论的问题。”
President committed to Americans' safety
Despite the uncertainty about the fate of the detainees, Gibbs says the president is committed, above all, to Americans' safety.
吉布斯说，不管关塔那摩湾在押人员的前途如何，奥巴马总统都将会确保美国的安全。
"The president understands that his most important job is to keep the American people safe, and that he is not going to make any decision or any judgment that imperils the safety of the American people," said Gibbs.
吉布斯说：“奥巴马总统明白，他的最重要的使命就是保障美国人民的安全，决不会作出任何有损于美国人民安全的决定。”
Some Republicans say Guantanamo should be kept open, and that abuses there have been ended. They also warn that terrorists who cannot be convicted might be set free in the U.S.
一些共和党人反对关闭关塔那摩湾监狱，并且指出那里的虐待囚犯的现象已经不复存在了。他们警告说，有些无法定罪的恐怖分子可能会在美国获得自由。
Gibbs says Guantanamo's continued existence is helping terror groups recruit new members.
吉布斯则表示，关塔那摩监狱的存在有助于恐怖组织招募新成员。
Also Wednesday, a federal judge ruled that the U.S. can still hold some prisoners at Guantanamo indefinitely without any charges.
在另一方面，一名联邦法官星期三裁决，美国政府仍然可以在不经起诉的情况下，无限期地关押一些犯人。 |