奥巴马政府被指责在是否确实对ISIS开战的问题上含糊其辞，而美国白宫办公厅主任丹尼斯·麦克多诺上周日驳回了该指责，称美国政府“非常清楚”对恐怖组织的军事任务。

　　“We’ve made it very clear from the start,” McDonough told “Fox News Sunday." “Just as we have been at war with Al Qaeda, in similar fashion we are at war with ISIL.”

　　“从一开始我们的目标就很清楚，”麦克多诺告诉《福克斯周日新闻》的记者，“正如我们一直同‘基地’组织处于战争状态一样，我们以同样的方式与ISIL（即伊斯兰国恐怖组织）开战。”

　　McDonough's comments follow President Obama's remarks to Americans on Wednesday night, when he said that the U.S. will increase airstrikes on Islamic State positions in Iraq and that he has OK’d similar strikes in Syria, which has been followed by a seemingly mixed and evolving message from a series of top U.S. officials.

　　在麦克多诺发表言论之前，上周三晚奥巴马总统发表全国讲话时称，美国将扩大对伊拉克境内的伊斯兰国组织的空袭，同时也同意在叙利亚展开空袭。在这之前美国的高层官员也已传达了一些看似混乱但相互关联的信息。

　　On Thursday, Secretary of State John Kerry described the U.S. military effort as “very significant” and a “major counter-terrorism operation,” but said, “war is the wrong terminology.”

　　上周四，美国国务卿约翰·克里称美国部队所做出的努力“很有意义”，“是一场重大的反恐行动”，但提到“用战争这个词并不合适”。

　　The next day, the White House and Pentagon acknowledged that the U.S. “is at war” with the Islamic State, the terrorist group formerly known as ISIS.

　　之后第二天，白宫及五角大楼的发言人称美国与伊斯兰国恐怖组织（之前被称为ISIS）“开战”。

　　“In the same way that the United States is at war with Al Qaeda and its affiliates … the United States is at war with ISIL,” said White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest.

　　“正如美国同‘基地’组织及其分支处于战争状态一样，美国目前也与伊斯兰国处于战争状态。”白宫新闻秘书乔希·欧内斯特称。

　　Pentagon spokesman Rear Adm. John Kirby used almost identical language when pressed by reporters about whether the expanded military operation against the terrorist group is, in fact, a war.

　　五角大楼发言人科比在被问到部队针对恐怖组织的行动是否会扩大至一场战争的时候，他的回答和欧内斯特的基本一致。

　　Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, told "Fox News Sunday": “You cannot create an army to destroy ISIL without an American component. … This is war.”

　　参议会军事委员会的成员格雷汉姆对《福克斯周日新闻》说：“没有美国参与的话就不可能组建一支军队来摧毁伊斯兰国，…这就是一场战争”

　　He and others have suggested that U.S. Special Forces, not battalions of ground troops, are needed.

　　他以及其他人的话里都暗示了目前需要的不是地面部队而是美国的特种部队。

　　Polls show Americans support airstrikes, but not a war like the ones in Afghanistan and Iraq.

　　调查显示美国人支持空袭，但是不希望发生像对阿富汗和伊拉克那样的战争。

　　McDonough also repeated Sunday that Obama’s plan does not include U.S. soldiers in a combat mission, but declined to say how many military people will ultimately be needed, amid speculation the number needs to be about 5,000.

　　麦克多诺上周日也重申奥巴马的计划不包括战斗任务中的美国士兵，同时拒绝透漏需要参与的军人人数，根据猜测，此人数约为5000人。

　　McDonough said the U.S. now has about 1,400 military personnel in Iraq -- protecting Americans, Baghdad, the Baghdad airport and the city or Erbil.

　　麦克多诺称目前在伊拉克驻守的美国军人约为1400名，他们是在保护美国人民、保护巴格达、巴格达机场以及埃尔比勒。