[雙語新聞] 美國副總統拜登撤軍前突訪伊拉克

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中英對照

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U.S. Vice President Joe Biden has made Tuesday a previously unannounced visit to Iraq. The vice president has been meeting with Iraqi leaders, about a month before a deadline for U.S. forces to withdraw from the country.美國副總統拜登星期二對伊拉克進行了事前沒有宣布的訪問。這次訪問正值美軍還有一個月就要從伊拉克撤軍之際。

With the U.S. military mission in Iraq winding down, Vice President Biden went to Baghdad. The visit was designed to help shape the future of the relationship between the two countries.副總統拜登在美國在伊拉克的軍事使命即將結束之際抵達了巴格達。這次訪問是為了幫助增進兩國未來關係而進行的。

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said the vice president"s stop in the Iraqi capital shows that President Barack Obama is keeping the promise he made in 2008 to end the Iraq war.白宮發言人卡尼說，拜登副總統到伊拉克首都訪問，顯示奧巴馬總統遵守著他本人在2008年所作的結束伊拉克戰爭的承諾。

"We are withdrawing the remaining U.S. forces from Iraq, and we are ending that war responsibly and giving the Iraqi people the chance for a better future that they deserve, and also maintaining an important strategic relationship with Iraq," said Biden.卡尼說：「我們將從伊拉克撤離目前剩餘的美軍部隊， 以負責任的態度結束這場戰爭，讓伊拉克人民得到掌握他們應得的更美好未來的機會，並繼續保持我們和伊拉克之間的重要戰略夥伴關係。」

A White House statement says the vice president made the visit to meet with Iraq"s leaders and participate in an event recognizing the sacrifices and accomplishments of U.S. and Iraqi troops.白宮的聲明說，拜登訪問伊拉克是為了會見伊拉克領導人，並參加了紀念美國和伊拉克軍隊所做出的犧牲和取得的成就的儀式。

In the meetings with Iraqi leaders, the vice president was expected to focus largely on the future of Washington"s military relationship with Iraq. The location of Iraq, between Iran and Syria, makes it an especially strategic U.S. ally.拜登與伊拉克領導人減免預計將重點討論兩國的軍事關係。伊拉克地處伊朗和敘利亞之間，因此是美國特別重要的戰略盟友。

Officials in Baghdad have said they want U.S. military training help for their security forces. U.S. officials are trying to determine how to help Iraq develop its abilities to fight terrorism.巴格達官員已經表示，他們希望美國軍隊幫助培訓伊拉克安全部隊。美國官員在設法判斷如何幫助伊拉克增強自己的反恐能力。

A suicide car bombing Monday killed at least 19 people at the gates of a prison north of Baghdad. And 15 people died from a series of explosions on Saturday.星期一，巴格達北部一所監獄門口發生自殺汽車炸彈爆炸，造成至少19人喪生。上星期六發生的一系列爆炸導致15人喪生。

The trip to Iraq is Biden"s eighth since taking office. The visit was added to a previously-scheduled trip to Turkey and Greece.拜登此次訪問伊拉克是他就任以來第8次到訪。

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is scheduled to visit Washington on December 12.伊拉克總理馬利基定於12月12號訪問華盛頓。

All U.S. forces are to leave Iraq by December 31, under a security agreement the two nations approved in 2008.美軍定於12月31日前全部撤離伊拉克， 兩國於2008年批准的安全協議明確了這一點。

About 14,000 U.S. troops remain in Iraq, down from about 170,000 at the war"s height.目前有大約1萬4千名美軍仍在伊拉克，駐伊拉克的美軍人數最多曾達到17萬。

Almost 4,500 American service members have died in Iraq since the U.S. invaded in March, 2003. The Iraq war is one of the longest military conflicts in U.S. history.伊拉克戰爭從2003年3月開始，是美國歷史上為時最長的軍事行動。大約有4500名美國軍人在這場戰爭中獻身。

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