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The top U.S. military commander in Iraq and the U.S. ambassador told Congress Tuesday that progress in Iraq is "fragile" and "reversible," and called for continuing U.S. commitment, including an open-ended pause in U.S. troop withdrawals² after the last of the surge forces leave in July.

驻伊拉克美军最高指挥官和美国驻伊拉克大使星期二对美国国会说，伊拉克的进步是“脆弱”的， 并且“可能逆转”。他们还要求美国继续在伊拉克承担义务，包括在今年7月最后一批增援部队离开伊拉克后，无限期地暂停美军撤离。

General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker used the words "fragile" and "reversible" several times during their lengthy³ testimony⁴. Because of that, General Petraeus says he told President Bush he does not want to decide at least until sometime in September whether there can be further U.S. troop withdrawals without jeopardizing⁵ fledgling security gains and political progress.

彼得雷乌斯将军和克罗克大使在他们长时间的作证中几次使用了“脆弱”和“可逆转”这两个词。彼得雷乌斯将军说，正因为如此，他对布什总统说，至少在今年9月之前他不想就美军是否可以进一步从伊拉克撤军作出决定，而美军的撤离必须在不危及伊拉克刚刚出现的安全成果和政治进步的前提下进行。

"I recommended to my chain of command that we continue the drawdown of surge combat forces and that upon withdrawal¹ of the last surge brigade combat team in July we undertake a 45-day period of consolidation⁶ and evaluation," he said. "At the end of that period, we will commence a process of assessment⁷ to examine the conditions on the ground, and over time determine when we can make recommendations for further reductions."

彼得雷乌斯说：“我对我的下属指挥官建议说，我们继续减少增援作战部队的人数，在今年7月最后一个增援作战旅撤离之后，我们进行为期45天的整合和评估。然后，我们开始一个评定程序，调查战场上的情况，并在一段时间之后决定我们何时可以对进一步撤军给出建议。”

Some members of the Senate Armed Services Committee objected to what they see as an "open ended" pause in U.S. withdrawals. But General Petraeus said he needs time to assess the impact of the loss of one quarter of his U.S. combat power and that further reductions must be based on the situation at the time.

美国国会参议院军事委员会的一些成员说，这等于是无限期地暂停美军撤离，他们对此表示反对。但是，彼得雷乌斯将军说，他需要时间来评估失去四分之一的美军作战力量会带来什么影响，而进一步撤军必须由以后的具体情况来决定。

"The operational considerations include recognition that the military surge has achieved progress, but that that progress is reversible," he added. "Iraqi security forces have strengthened their capabilities⁸, but still must grow further. Withdrawing too many forces too quickly could jeopardize⁹ the progress of the past year. And performing the necessary tasks in Iraq will require sizable conventional forces, as well as Special Operations Forces and advisor¹⁰ teams."

他说：“当我们考虑如何行动时，我们要承认增兵取得的成果和进步，但是也要意识到，这些进步可能发生倒退。伊拉克安全部队加强了他们的力量，但是这种力量还须进一步增加。过快地撤走过多的部队可能危及过去一年中取得的进步。要完成在伊拉克的必要任务，我们需要相当多的常规军力，还需要特别行动部队和顾问小组。”

He did not dispute one senator's suggestion that the pause could be several months long. The general expressed specific opposition¹¹ to the desire by some members of Congress for a more extensive withdrawal plan, which they believe would put pressure on the Iraqi government to move faster in developing its security forces and reaching political accommodation on key issues.

一位参议员建议说，可以将暂停撤军的时间设定为几个月。彼得雷乌斯将军并没有反驳这一想法。还有一些议员希望可以实施一项更加广泛的撤兵计划，他们认为，这样可以给伊拉克政府施压，迫使其更快地发展自己的安全部队，并且在重要问题上达成政治和解。彼得雷乌斯将军对这种想法表示明确反对。

"This approach does not allow establishment of a set withdrawal timetable," he explained. "However, it does provide the flexibility¹² those of us on the ground need to preserve the still-fragile security gains our troopers have fought so hard and sacrificed so much to achieve."

他说：“我所建议的方法并不设定撤军时间表，但是它为我们这些在战场上的人提供了我们所需要的灵活性，我们需要这种灵活性来保持依然脆弱的安全成果，这些成果是我们的战士通过艰苦的战斗和巨大的牺牲才取得的。”

General Petraeus said the threat from Sunni militants¹³ of al-Qaida in Iraq has been significantly reduced, but the group is still lethal¹⁴. He also singled out Iran for playing what he called a "particularly damaging" role in Iraq by supporting and "directing" violent breakaway Shiite groups, which he called "the greatest long-term threat to the viability¹⁵ of a democratic Iraq."

彼得雷乌斯将军说，来自伊拉克境内基地组织逊尼派激进分子的威胁已经大大减低，但是该组织依然是致命的。他还特别指出，伊朗支持和“指导”激进什叶派分支组织在伊拉克扮演着“尤其具有破坏性”的角色，对伊拉克的生存和民主来说，这是最大的长期威胁。

At the same hearing, Ambassador Ryan Crocker said almost everything about Iraq is hard. But he said success is closer than it was last September, the last time he and General Petraeus testified.

在听证会上，美国驻伊拉克大使克罗克说，在伊拉克，几乎所有问题都很难解决。但是他说，同去年9月他和彼得雷乌斯将军上次作证时相比，成功已经更加接近了。

"Developments over the last seven months have strengthened my sense of a positive trend," he said. "Immense challenges remain and progress is uneven¹⁶ and often frustratingly¹⁷ slow. But there is progress. Sustaining that progress will require continuing U.S. resolve and commitment. What has been achieved is substantial, but it is also reversible."

他说：“过去7个月取得的进展使我更加相信，情况正朝好的方向发展。不过，依然存在诸多挑战，进步是不平均的，而且经常令人沮丧地缓慢。但是，还是有进展的。保持这种进展需要美国继续保持决心和承担义务。我们取得的进步是很大的，但它同时也是可逆转的。”

Ambassador Crocker warned skeptical¹⁸ members of Congress that the United States will be judged more by what happens in Iraq in the coming years, than by what has happened in the five years since the U.S.-led invasion. He said progress is "real," but "still fragile," and urged the Congress to "stay with" the "current course."

克罗克大使警告那些持怀疑态度的议员们说，同美国领导入侵伊拉克以后5年中发生的情况相比，人们更加会用未来几年内伊拉克的形势来对美国作出评判。他说，伊拉克的进步是“真实”但“依然是脆弱”的，他敦促美国国会坚持目前的方针。