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美军将领为打击叙利亚制定目标

With destroyers and other assets positioned to strike Syria, U.S. military leaders have laid out their goals if there is an attack. Officials are weighing the scenarios¹ that could follow the first shot.

随着美国驱逐舰等各式装备进入状态，随时准备打击叙利亚，美国军方领导人提出了假如行动开始美军将要打击的目标。不过，有关官员正在分析打响第一枪后可能出现的各种情景。

The U.S. aim is to weaken Syria's defenses enough to eventually bring about the negotiated departure of Bashar al-Assad.

美国的目标是把叙利亚的防御能力削弱到足够程度，最终实现通过谈判赶走巴沙尔·阿萨德。

General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint² Chiefs of Staff, told senators the proportionate and limited strike that he would be in charge of would be a first step.

美国参谋长联席会议主席邓普西将军对参议员表示，他将指挥的有比例、有限度的打击行动将是第一步。

“To deter³, that is to say change the regime’s calculus⁴ about thee use of chemical weapons, and degrade his ability to do so,” he said.

邓普西将军说： “威慑，也是说要改变（阿萨德）政权有关其使用化学武器的盘算，并将其从事这种行动的能力削弱。”

To do that, the U.S. has Tomahawk missiles ready to hit Syrian government targets.  About 40 of the missiles are aboard each of four destroyers that are deployed⁵ to the eastern Mediterranean⁶.

为实现这个目标，美国已将“战斧”导弹准备就绪，打击叙利亚政府目标。四艘部署在地中海东部的驱逐舰上的每一艘都装有约40枚这样导弹。

The U.S. has doubled the number of vessels⁷ in the region. The Nimitz aircraft carrier group is nearby in the Red Sea, ready to be called into action.

美国已将在该地区的舰船数量增加了一倍。美国“圣安东尼奥”号两栖运输舰也被调往该地区。  另外，“尼米兹号”航母战斗群也在红海附近，随时准备奉命参加行动。

The administration rules out wider action for now.  But observers say, once the United States fires the first missile, Washington becomes a participant in Syria's civil war, and a promise to stay out of the conflict becomes difficult to keep.

奥巴马政府目前排除采取更大范围行动的可能性。不过观察人士说，一旦美国发射第一枚导弹，华盛顿就将成为叙利亚内战的一个参与方，置身冲突之外的保证将很难恪守。

“Right now we are denying that we want to overthrow⁸ the regime, but the fact is when you are bombing targets, government targets in Syria, and there are rebels trying to overthrow the government, you are, whether you say it or not, trying to overthrow the government. But you're only doing it a little bit,” said Cato analyst⁹ Benjamin Friedman.

If Syria's chemical weapons were to fall into the hands of militants¹¹ or if there were complete chaos¹², Secretary of State John Kerry told Senators he would want the president to have the option of putting U.S. troops on the ground, but he added, quickly, that was only a hypothetical statement.

国务卿克里对参议员表示，假如叙利亚的化学武器落入极端分子手中，或者局势彻底混乱，他将希望总统拥有部署美国地面部队的选项，不过克里很快补充说，这只是一种假设性说法。

A strike could last a few hours or a few days, but Pentagon planners are ready for possible wider consequences.

军事打击有可能持续几个小时，或者几天。不过五角大楼策划人员正在做好应对后果可能扩大的准备。

U.S. forces have little to expect in terms of a response from Syria's comparatively weak military.  They would watch for a possible retaliation¹³ by Iran-backed Hezbollah and other militant¹⁰ groups that could launch attacks against Israel and other U.S. allies in the region.

美国军队并不预计相对弱势的叙利亚军队将会回击。不过美国军队将密切注视伊朗支持的真主党等极端组织对以色列和其它美国在本地区的盟友可能采取的袭击行动。