VOA双语新闻 Bush Awards Presidential Medals of Freedom

President Bush has awarded America's highest civilian¹ honor to three men who were instrumental in the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

美国总统布什把美国非军人最高荣誉奖章授予了三个在伊拉克战争中曾起到关键作用的美国人。

President Bush gave the Presidential Medal of Freedom to former CIA Director George Tenet, former U.S. Administrator² in Iraq Paul Bremer, and former U.S. Commander in Iraq General Tommy Franks.

美国总统布什把总统自由勋章授予前中央情报局局长特纳特、前美国驻伊拉克行政长官布莱默和前驻伊美军司令福兰克斯。

"These three men symbolize³ the nobility of public service, the good character of our country, and the good influence of America on the world," the president said.

布什说，他们三个人象征着服务公众事业的崇高性。我们国家的优秀品质和美国对世界的积极影响。

Director Tenet stepped down as head of the CIA this year, ending a tenure⁴ that began under former President Bill Clinton. The CIA provided much of the intelligence leading up to the invasion of Iraq, with Director Tenet reportedly telling cabinet members that information about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction was a "slam dunk."

今年特纳特从中央情报局局长的位置上退下来，结束了他自从克林顿时期就开始担任的这个职务的任期。中央情报局提供了大量导致美国发动伊拉克战争的情报。据称，特纳特曾对布什政府的成员说，有关伊拉克拥有大规模杀伤性武器的情报是确信无疑的。

Since the fall of Baghdad, U.S. inspectors⁵ have concluded that Iraq did not have the weapons of mass destruction that President Bush warned about. But there was no talk of intelligence failures at the White House Tuesday, as Mr. Bush praised his former intelligence chief for fighting terrorism.

自从巴格达陷落之后，美国武器核查人员得出的结论说，伊拉克并没有布什总统所警告的大规模杀伤性武器。但是星期二，白宫并没有谈论情报失误的问题，相反，布什总统称赞了这位前任情报部门主管对反恐斗争的贡献。

"His tireless efforts have brought justice to America's enemies and greater security to the American people, and today we honor a fine public servant and patriot⁶ in George John Tenet," he said.

布什说：“他孜孜不倦的工作终于使美国的敌人得到了惩罚并保证美国人民得到了更可靠的安全。今天，我们表彰乔治·约翰·特纳特作为一个优秀的公众服务者和爱国者。”

Ambassador Bremer's job as U.S. administrator in Iraq ended earlier this year with the transfer of power to an interim⁷ Iraqi government. Since then, Mr. Bremer has publicly questioned U.S. troop strength in Iraq and has drawn⁸ criticism for his planning for a post-war transition which is beset⁹ by continuing violence.

随着权力移交给伊拉克临时政府，布莱默大使作为美国驻伊拉克行政长官的任务结束了。但是从那时起，布莱默公开质疑美军在伊拉克的力量；他制定的战后过渡时期计划由于伊拉克暴力活动不断而遭到了批评。

President Bush thanked the man he calls Jerry for putting in place the framework for Iraqi elections scheduled for January that Mr. Bush says will spread democracy throughout the region.

布什感谢布莱默为伊拉克一月选举制定了框架。布什说，这将会帮助在中东地区扩大民主。

"Jerry will be remembered for his superb work in laying the foundations for a new democracy in the Middle East," he said.

布什说：“人们将记住他为奠定中东民主事业的基础所做的出色工作。”

Tommy Franks was wounded twice in Vietnam and served in the first Persian Gulf¹⁰ War, but President Bush says his greatest challenge, and greatest service, followed the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001 when General Franks took command of U.S. forces in Afghanistan and Iraq.

福兰克斯曾在越南战场两度负伤，并参加了第一次海湾战争。但是布什总统说，福兰克斯将军曾面临的最大挑战，所做出的最大贡献是在“9/11”恐怖袭击之后出任驻阿富汗和伊拉克的美军司令一职。

"As the commander of CENTCOM, Tommy Franks held responsibility for defending American interests in some of the most remote and difficult terrain¹¹ in the world," he said. "It's a job that requires the toughness of a general, the foresight¹² of a strategist, the tact¹³ of a diplomat¹⁴, and the skill of a good manager. Tommy Franks led the forces that fought and won two wars in the defense¹⁵ of the world's security and help liberate¹⁶ more than 50 million people from two of the worst tyrannies in the world."

布什说：“作为中央司令部的司令，福兰克斯将军担负起了在世界上最遥远、条件最恶劣的地区捍卫美国利益的责任。这样的工作需要有将军的刚毅、战略家的眼光、外交家的灵活和管理人的技巧。福兰克斯领导军队进行了并赢得了两场保卫世界安全的战争，从世界上两个最恶劣的专制政权手里解放出了五千多万人民。”

The Presidential Medal of Freedom was established by President Harry¹⁷ Truman in the 1950s to recognize civilians¹⁸ who have made especially meritorious¹⁹ contributions to U.S. interests, world peace, or cultural endeavors. Past recipients²⁰ include Pope John Paul II, former NATO Chief George Robertson, television chef Julia Child, and entertainer Rita Moreno.

总统自由勋章是在1950年代由杜鲁门总统设立的。这个勋章是用来表彰那些为美国利益、世界和平和文化事业做出卓越贡献的非军事人员。过去被授予这个勋章的人中包括教皇约翰·保罗二世、前北约总司令乔治·罗伯逊、电视厨师明星朱俐亚·乔尔德和电影明星丽塔·莫雷诺。
 

1 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

2 administrator   

n.经营管理者，行政官员

参考例句：

• The role of administrator absorbed much of Ben's energy.行政职务耗掉本很多精力。
• He has proved himself capable as administrator.他表现出管理才能。

3 symbolize   

vt.作为...的象征，用符号代表

参考例句：

• Easter eggs symbolize the renewal of life.复活蛋象征新生。
• Dolphins symbolize the breath of life.海豚象征着生命的气息。

4 tenure   

n.终身职位；任期；(土地)保有权，保有期

参考例句：

• He remained popular throughout his tenure of the office of mayor.他在担任市长的整个任期内都深得民心。
• Land tenure is a leading political issue in many parts of the world.土地的保有权在世界很多地区是主要的政治问题。

5 inspectors   

n.检查员( inspector的名词复数 )；（英国公共汽车或火车上的）查票员；（警察）巡官；检阅官

参考例句：

• They got into the school in the guise of inspectors. 他们假装成视察员进了学校。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Inspectors checked that there was adequate ventilation. 检查员已检查过，通风良好。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 patriot   

n.爱国者，爱国主义者

参考例句：

• He avowed himself a patriot.他自称自己是爱国者。
• He is a patriot who has won the admiration of the French already.他是一个已经赢得法国人敬仰的爱国者。

7 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

8 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

9 beset   

v.镶嵌；困扰，包围

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• The plan was beset with difficulties from the beginning.这项计划自开始就困难重重。

10 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

11 terrain   

n.地面，地形，地图

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• He knows the terrain of this locality like the back of his hand.他对这一带的地形了如指掌。

12 foresight   

n.先见之明，深谋远虑

参考例句：

• The failure is the result of our lack of foresight.这次失败是由于我们缺乏远虑而造成的。
• It required a statesman's foresight and sagacity to make the decision.作出这个决定需要政治家的远见卓识。

13 tact   

n.机敏，圆滑，得体

参考例句：

• She showed great tact in dealing with a tricky situation.她处理棘手的局面表现得十分老练。
• Tact is a valuable commodity.圆滑老练是很有用处的。

14 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

15 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

16 liberate   

v.解放，使获得自由，释出，放出；vt.解放，使获自由

参考例句：

• They did their best to liberate slaves.他们尽最大能力去解放奴隶。
• This will liberate him from economic worry.这将消除他经济上的忧虑。

17 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

18 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

19 meritorious   

adj.值得赞赏的

参考例句：

• He wrote a meritorious theme about his visit to the cotton mill.他写了一篇关于参观棉纺织厂的有价值的论文。
• He was praised for his meritorious service.他由于出色地工作而受到称赞。

20 recipients   

adj.接受的；受领的；容纳的；愿意接受的n.收件人；接受者；受领者；接受器

参考例句：

• The recipients of the prizes had their names printed in the paper. 获奖者的姓名登在报上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The recipients of prizes had their names printed in the paper. 获奖者名单登在报上。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》