公众人物毕业演讲 第99期:奥巴马美国军事学院(2)

 　　Like several graduates, James is a combat veteran

　　同其他数位毕业生一样 詹姆斯是一位战场老兵

　　And I would ask all of us here today to stand and pay tribute not only to the veterans among us

　　我要求今天在场的所有人站起来 向我们中间的老兵

　　but to the more than 2.5 million Americans who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as their families

　　以及在伊拉克和阿富汗服役过的250多万美国军人 以及他们的家人致敬

　　This is a particularly useful time for America to reflect on those who have sacrificed so much for our freedom, a few days after Memorial Day

　　阵亡将士纪念日就在几天前 在今天 美国理应感谢所有军人为自由所作出的贡献

　　You are the first class to graduate since 9/11 who may not be sent into combat in Iraq or Afghanistan

　　你们是911袭击后第一届不用被送上伊拉克或阿富汗作战的毕业生

　　When I first spoke at West Point in 2009 we still had more than 100,000 troops in Iraq

　　2009年 我第一次来西点演讲时我们还有超过10万驻军位于伊拉克

　　We were preparing to surge in Afghanistan

　　我们还打算在阿富汗增兵

　　Our counterterrorism efforts were focused on al Qaeda's core leadership those who had carried out the 9/11 attacks

　　我们的反恐精力主要集中在打击基地组织的领导核心正是这些人实施了911袭击

　　And our nation was just beginning a long climb out of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression

　　而我们的国家正在经历大萧条后最严重的经济危机

　　Four and a half years later, as you graduate the landscape has changed

　　四年半后 在你们毕业的今天情况发生了重大变化

　　We have removed our troops from Iraq

　　我们已从伊拉克撤军

　　We are winding down our war in Afghanistan

　　我们在阿富汗的战争也逐渐缓和

　　Al Qaeda's leadership on the border region between Pakistan and Afghanistan has been decimated, and Osama bin Laden is no more

　　基地组织在巴基斯坦和阿富汗交界区域的领导已经被摧毁 奥萨马·本·拉登也已被抹杀