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Demonstrations¹ against the war in Iraq have been held across the United States on the fifth anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion. Several thousand protesters gathered near major landmarks² and federal buildings in Washington.

美国领导的伊拉克战争五周年这一天，美国各地举行了反对伊拉克战争的示威游行。几千名抗议示威者在首都华盛顿的主要景点和联邦政府大楼附近举行集会。

In a rolling flourish of activity, protesters gathered near the White House, the Capitol, the Internal Revenue Service, and the American Petroleum³ Institute among other well-known landmarks to voice their anger over the continuing war in Iraq. Among them: New York resident Jim Anderson, who traveled to Washington to take part in the demonstrations.

在声势浩大的示威游行活动中，抗议示威者们在白宫、美国国税局和美国石油学会以及其他著名景点附近集会，以此表达他们对持续进行的伊拉克战争的愤怒。在抗议示威人群中，纽约居民安德松从纽约赶来华盛顿参加这次示威游行。

"There are a lot of people out there who have no idea how much the war is costing us in terms of lives, in terms of damage to the Iraqi people and their culture, and in terms of direct cost to the American people in both appropriations⁴ and economic stress," he said.

他说：“还有许多人不知道，这场战争牺牲了多少条生命，给伊拉克人民和他们的文化造成了多大的损失，这场战争也直接消耗了美国人民的金钱，这包括战争拨款和经济困难。”

Polls have shown a gradual erosion of popular support for the war effort in Iraq since Saddam Hussein's ouster. The low-point for approval of the war came a year ago, when opinion surveys showed roughly seven of 10 Americans opposed.

民意调查显示，自萨达姆.侯赛因被推翻，民众对伊拉克战争的支持率在逐渐下降。对伊拉克战争的支持率在一年前下降到最低点，当时的民意测验显示，10个美国人中有大约7个反对伊拉克战争。

Although a majority of Americans continue to disapprove⁵, pessimism⁶ over the war's chances of success appears to have moderated slightly since President Bush ordered a troop surge that is believed to have brought about a decrease in bloodshed in Iraq over the last nine months.

虽然大部分美国人继续反对伊拉克战争，但是自美国总统布什下令实行增兵计划后，民众对战争获胜的可能性所持的悲观态度稍微有些缓和。据信，布什总统的增兵计划在过去9个月里使伊拉克的暴力活动减少。

But improvements on the ground in Iraq do not impress Sheila Morris, an educator from Minnesota who stood with a group of demonstrators near the White House.

但是，伊拉克地面战争的进展并没有影响来自明尼苏达州的教育人士莫里斯对战争的看法。莫里斯与一群游行者一起站在白宫附近举行抗议示威。

"I know three people who have died in Iraq: a friend of mine's son and two of my son's friends," said Morris. "I blame the [Bush] administration and I also blame the Congress for just laying low [not acting⁷ to end the war] and not paying attention."

莫里斯说：“我认识的人中有3个人死在伊拉克：我的一个朋友的儿子和我儿子的两个朋友。我把这怪罪于布什政府，我还怪罪国会没有采取行动停止战争，也没有关注此事。”

Polls show a majority of Americans favor withdrawing from Iraq. But surveys also show that, among those who want to bring the war to an end, opinion is split on whether to withdraw immediately or do so gradually over a period of months or years.

民意调查显示，大部分美国人赞成从伊拉克撤军。不过调查还显示，在支持停战的人中，在是否立即撤军还是在几个月或几年内撤军的问题上存在着意见分歧。

Asked about warnings by analysts⁸ that a sudden U.S. troop pullout could trigger a bloodbath in Iraq - and asked whether the United States bears responsibility for the safety of the Iraqi people in the post-Saddam era - she says, "I do not know."

当记者问莫里斯关于分析人士所警告的立即撤出美军会造成伊拉克发生暴力血腥事件，以及美国是否应当为萨达姆死后的伊拉克人民的安全负责任时，莫里斯的回答是“我不知道”。

She does, however, believe that it is important to voice her opinion through demonstrations.

不过她相信，通过游行来表达她的观点是非常重要的。

"I do not know if it [demonstrating] affects public opinion, but it keeps the awareness⁹ there," she said.

她说：“我不知道游行是否会影响民意，但是游行会让大家继续关注这件事。”

Similar protests were mounted in cities, towns and college communities across the country.

美国全国的许多城市、城镇和大学社区举行了很多类似的抗议示威活动。