12-07-2005

布什称伊拉克已取得惊人进步 (Bush Cites "Amazing Progress" in Iraq Ahead of Elections)

美国总统布什星期三在华盛顿的一次讲话中为他的伊拉克政策进行了辩护。他在讲话中着重谈到了伊拉克在经济上取得的进步。布什说，伊拉克人在过去的两年半里取得了惊人的进步。他说，下星期即将举行的选举就是这种进步的一个标志。

布什总统的讲话是他近来发表的一系列讲话中的第二次。这些讲话目的在于解释美国政府制定的伊拉克战争制胜策略。目前布什在民意调查中的支持率掉到了最低点。部份原因是伊拉克战争不太受欢迎。布什总统重点谈到盟军和伊拉克政府在纳杰夫的工作。他把这些工作称为伊拉克的稳步进展。

布什指出，2003年，纳杰夫被一支暴力民兵队伍控制，地方经济遭到破坏，但是在盟军和伊拉克部队发动攻击并于2004年夏天迫使这些民兵放下武器之后，这座什叶派圣城已经开始重建。重建工作包括改善供水系统，重建住房和振兴经济。

布什承认，目前还存在一些问题，例如安全威胁和缺少稳定的电力供应等。但是他指出，居民们亲眼看到了进展，所以他们在民主和专制两者间选择了民主。

布什总统说，美国正在调整在伊拉克的重建努力，把精力集中在规模比较小的地方项目上，以便取得迅速和看得到的进展。

布什承认，重建工作的进展不总像他希望的那样顺利，主要原因在于他所说的萨达姆分子和恐怖分子的暴力攻击。

布什说，美国正在帮助伊拉克政府扭转持续了几十年的经济下滑趋势。他指出，前伊拉克领导人萨达姆.侯赛因无视国家的资源，浪费了人民的才智和精力。

President Bush is defending his Iraq policy in a speech in Washington focusing on economic progress in the country. Mr. Bush said Iraqis have made amazing progress over the past two-and-a-half-years, and cited next week's election as a sign of that progress.

The president's speech is the second in a series aimed at explaining his administration's strategy to win the war in Iraq.

Mr. Bush's approval ratings have dipped to record lows, in part due to the unpopularity of the Iraq war. President Bush highlighted the work of coalition forces and the Iraqi government in the city of Najaf as an example of what he called steady progress in Iraq. 

The president said the city fell under the control of a violent militia in 2003, devastating the local economy. But after coalition and Iraqi troops battled the militia and forced it to disarm in the summer of 2004, the Shi'ite holy city has since begun rebuilding.

He said reconstruction efforts include improving water systems, rebuilding homes and boosting the economy.

Mr. Bush acknowledged that problems remain, including security threats and the lack of sustained electric power. But he said because residents have witnessed progress, they are choosing democracy over tyranny.

President Bush said the United States is adapting its reconstruction efforts in Iraq to focus on smaller, local projects that can deliver rapid, noticeable improvement.

Mr. Bush acknowledged the reconstruction has not always gone as well as he might have hoped, largely because of violent attacks by what he called Saddamists and terrorists.

He said America is helping the Iraqi government reverse decades of economic decline. He said former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein had neglected the country's resources and squandered the talent and energy of its people.

巴格达法庭继续缺席审判萨达姆 (Saddam's Trial Resumes without Him in Court)

巴格达法庭对萨达姆的审判在这位前独裁者缺席的情况下继续进行。萨达姆拒绝出席今天对他和他的7名同案人的公开听证而致使开庭拖延。

在星期二审判结束的时候，萨达姆说，他将不出席他所称的“不公正的法庭”，还叫主审法官“见鬼去”。

The trial of Saddam Hussein has resumed at a Baghdad court without the presence of the former Iraqi dictator. Saddam's refusal to attend delayed today's public hearing in the case against him and his seven co-defendants.

At the end of Tuesday's session, Saddam said he would not attend what he called an "unjust court" and told the judge to "go to hell."