VOA双语新闻 Bush says Americans Understand his Stand on I（在线收听）

President Bush says American voters ratified his stand on Iraq when they re-elected him in November, and there is no need to hold officials accountable for any miscalculations or mistakes in judgment either before or after the invasion. The comments were made in an interview published just days before the president takes the oath of office for a second term.

布什总统说，美国选民去年11月再次选举他为总统表明人们支持他在伊拉克问题上的立场，而且不必追究政府官员在进攻伊拉克前后的误判。布什在第二个任期就职仪式前几天接受采访时发表了上述观点。

President Bush says Americans were presented with two different assessments of the situation in Iraq during the 2004 campaign. He says they rejected the arguments of the Democratic Party nominee, Senator John Kerry, and stood with his administration.

布什总统说，美国人在2004年竞选中面临着对伊拉克局势的两种不同评估。布什说，人们没有接受民主党总统候选人克里的观点，而是站在了现任政府的立场上。

In an interview published in the Washington Post (newspaper), the president acknowledged the path to democracy in Iraq has not been smooth. He said at times of war, things do not always go exactly as planned. But he said he is willing to be patient and he remains optimistic about the future.

《华盛顿邮报》刊登的一篇对布什的采访报导说，布什承认伊拉克通向民主的道路并不平坦。他说，在战争期间，局势并不能总是象预计的那样发展。但是他说，他愿意对未来保持耐心和乐观的态度。

Appearing on the Fox News Sunday television program, one of the president's closest advisors, Dan Bartlett, explained his remarks this way: "There was a case made that the course taken by this administration was the wrong coarse when it came to Iraq. It was heard by the American people, and they embraced President Bush's vision."

布什总统最密切的顾问之一丹·巴特利特在福克斯星期天新闻电视节目中解释布什总统的讲话说，“有人说，布什政府在伊拉克问题上采取的行动是错误的。美国人民听到了这种说法，但他们支持布什对未来的展望。”

In a subsequent interview aired on NBC's Meet the Press, he said this is an historic period for Iraq, with elections just two weeks away. Mr. Bartlett, who was recently named Counselor to the President, said the security situation is difficult, but added every step possible is being taken to secure polling places so voters can cast their ballots.

后来，在接受全国广播公司“面对新闻界”节目采访时，巴特利特说，离伊拉克全国选举只有两个星期了，这是伊拉克的历史时刻。最近被提名担任总统顾问的巴特利特说，伊拉克安全局势非常严峻，但是他说，在每个投票站都采取了一切必要措施来保障选民的投票安全。

"We know that millions of people want to vote," he said. "It will be different in different parts of the country, but we think it will be a robust turnout and one that will demonstrate that the Iraqi people do believe in democracy, do believe in having their own voice heard."

他说，“我们知道，数以百万的人想要投票。在伊拉克的不同地区情况会不尽相同，但是，选民会踊跃投票，体现出伊拉克人民相信民主、愿意表达他们自己的意见。”

The election process is being watched carefully in the United States Congress, where lawmakers have been asked to approve billions of dollars in spending for Iraq.

美国国会将严密关注伊拉克的选举过程，因为国会议员将通过用以伊拉克的数十亿美元的拨款议案。

The president may say that the American voters ratified his policies, but his critics in Congress believe otherwise. On CNN's Late Edition, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Michigan's Carl Levin, said questions remain about the administration's conduct of the war.

布什总统可能会说美国选民支持他的伊拉克政策，但是国会中他的批评者却不这么认为。参议院武装军事委员会最重要的民主党人、来自密歇根州的参议员卡尔·列文在美国有线新闻网的晚间节目中说，他对于布什政府在伊拉克战争问题上做法还存在疑问。

"Well, I think the American people obviously re-elected him," he said. "That does not mean they agreed with all of his policies relative to Iraq or all of the ways in which the Iraq war has been fought."

列文说，“我认为美国人民显然是再次选举他当了总统，但是，这并不意味着人民赞同他所有的伊拉克政策和伊拉克战争的进行方式。”

Mr. Levin said disbanding the Iraqi army after the invasion was a mistake, and there was a lack of long-term planning. But he said it is now time to move on, and the focus for Congress should be on supporting U.S. troops and ensuring the best possible results from the upcoming Iraqi elections.

列文说，在进攻伊拉克以后解散伊拉克军队是一个错误，而且缺乏对伊拉克的长远计划。但是他说，现在是捐弃前嫌继续前进的时候了，国会应该支持美国军队，并保证即将来到的伊拉克选举能产生最好的结果。