The newly-appointed commander of U.S. forces in South Korea says he is confident an upcoming transfer in command control from Washington to South Korea will leave the two countries' alliance stronger.
新上任的驻韩美军司令说，他相信，未来华盛顿将作战指挥权移交给韩国后，两国的同盟关系会更牢固。
U.S. Lieutenant General Walter Sharp spoke directly to South Korean pride when he praised the country's military.
美军司令夏普将军赞赏韩国军队的谈话，让韩国民众颇感自豪。
"Do not underestimate the power of your [South Korea's] military. They are good," he said.
夏普将军说：“不要低估了你们的部队，他们相当不错。”
Sharp assumed command of U.S. forces stationed in Korea last month. Washington deploys about 28,000 military personnel in South Korea, to deter or defeat any repeat of North Korea's 1950 invasion.
夏普上个月接任驻韩美军司令。美国在韩国部署著大约2万8千部队，以遏制北韩再次发动1950年代那样的侵略。
In some of his first public comments since taking command, Sharp said South Korea's military has risen "head and shoulders" above where it was 10 years ago, when Sharp was stationed here, as an infantry officer.
夏普说，韩国部队的战力已经远远超过10年前他在韩国美军步兵师服役的时候。
"It has the ability, I believe, working within the alliance, to beat any North Korean threat," he said.
夏普将军说：“我相信，韩国部队在与盟国合作的情况下，有能力击退任何来自北韩的威胁。”
Under agreement with South Korea, the United States would assume command of the South Korean military, in the event of a renewed war with the North. But the two countries have agreed to return wartime operational control of South Korean forces to Seoul in 2012.
根据与韩国的协议，美国将在南北韩爆发战争时掌控部队指挥权。但是美韩两国已经同意在2012年把战时作战指挥权由华盛顿移交给首尔。
One of Sharp's main tasks is to sort out the implementation of the agreement, while reinforcing the alliance's ability to fight a war, if necessary. Using the common shorthand "ROK," standing for South Korea's formal name, the Republic of Korea, Sharp says more responsibility is being shifted.
夏普将军的主要任务是执行美韩的协议，同时在必要时，强化盟军作战能力。夏普表示，更多责任正在被移交。
"Right now we are starting to develop ROK-lead plans, as to what would that war plan look like, and with them, the ROK, in the lead, what would we, the United States, need to support that plan that would make the overarching plan even stronger than what we have today?" he added.
他说：“我们现在已经开始发展由韩国主导的作战计划，研究在这样的作战计划中，美国部队需要提供什么援助，让这样的作战计划比当前的计划更有力。”
Sharp dismisses the notion that the wartime control transfer is a prelude to the United States withdrawing from South Korea.
夏普否认了外界所说的华盛顿将战时作战指挥权移交是要从韩国撤军的开端。
"We, the United States, would be stupid to leave this region. And, I believe that is what our government believes right now, also," said Sharp.
“美军撤离这个区域是非常不明智的。我相信这也是我们政府现在的看法。”
Sharp says American service members will probably soon be assigned three-year tours of duty in South Korea, rather than the current one year. They will also be able to move here with their families - something he says will stabilize and strengthen the South Korean-American alliance.
夏普说，美国军人在韩国的服役期可能会从目前的一年转变为三年。他们也可以携带家人迁居韩国，夏普将军说，这种做法有助于强化美国与韩国的同盟关系。 |