西部落：布什任内最后一年的回顾（在线收听）

Year in review: President Bush

The AP looks back on the challenges president Bush faced in his last year in office

George W Bush hoped his last year as president will be remembered for scenes like these: troops hoist to come home in triumph from Iraq where bloodshed is dramatically down. You have shown that there is no task too difficult for the United States military. But now Bush's final year will also be known for unprecedented financial panic. The massive Federal rescue that has stanched free market tear was then forced to order and the historic economic downturn that engulf the country. If you don't take decisive measures, then it's conceivable that our country keep going into a depression, greater than the greater depression. And if that weren't enough, though the Iraq war is going better, many Iraqis still smolder as Bush found out during a year and a news conference there. At meantime, Afghanistan is dramatically worse, US intelligence says the war there is spiraling downward, and commanders are scrambling to send in more troops. Against that background, Bush's poll number sank to record loans,so low that GOP candidates shunned him during the campaign, but still took a feeting on the Election Night, that means Bush will soon hand the keys to the oval office to the other Party. Yet looking back, he tells reporters he's got no regrets. When the time comes on January the 20th, Laura and I will return home to Texas, we treasure the memories of our time here. Still, Bush makes no secret, he's counting the days. Mark Smith, the Associated Press, the White House.

AP回顾了布什总统任期内最后一年面临的挑战。

布什总统希望大家回忆起他任期内最后一年的如下情景：伊拉克境内伤亡急剧下降，美国军队凯旋回国。你已经看到，对美国军队来说，任何任务都不困难。但是，布什总统任期内最后一年也面临前所未有的金融危机。自由市场遭到严重打击，历史性的经济低迷吞没全国，政府不得不采取大规模的联邦救援。如果不采取果断措施，可以想象，国家必将进入比上世纪30年代大萧条更严重的衰退状态。虽然伊拉克战争形势好转，但是布什总统在那里开新闻发布会时发现，许多伊拉克人仍然愤懑不平。同时，阿富汗状况恶化，美国情报部门表示，战争形势螺旋状下滑，派往阿富汗的指挥官要求增援部队。在这种背景下，布什的民意支持率下降到历史最低纪录，以至于在总统竞选活动中遭受民主党候选人的抨击。但是在大选之夜，他不得不将白宫椭圆形办公室的钥匙交给另外一个政党。然而，他告诉记者，回顾过去，他没有任何遗憾。1月20日，我和劳拉会回到得克萨斯的家，我们珍惜在这里的美好回忆。但是布什仍然坦言，离去的日子已经屈指可数了，他会倍加珍惜。