Some members of Congress reacted Monday to the news that the U.S. military death toll in Iraq has reached 4,000, with majority Democrats mixing messages of respect for the sacrifices of the military, with more criticism of President Bush.
美国国会一些议员星期一对美军在伊拉克死亡人数达到4千人做出回应。多数民主党人对军队付出的牺牲表示了多种形式的敬意，但是表达更多的是对布什总统的批评。
Speaking for Democrats, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the 4,000-death mark a grim reminder of the enormous human cost of war in Iraq for the best and bravest in the military and their families.
代表民主党发言的国会众议院议长佩洛西说，4千死亡数字对军队里最优秀和勇敢的人以及他们的家属来说是个带有严酷意义的提醒，让他们不要忘记伊拉克战争带来的巨大人类生命代价。
Pelosi also referred to the thousands of injured in Iraq, many permanently, adding that Americans are asking, "how much longer U.S. forces must continue to sacrifice for the sake of an Iraqi government that is unwilling or unable to secure its own future."
佩洛西还提到数以千计在伊拉克受伤的人，他们中有许多人的创伤是永久的。佩洛西补充说，美国人民现在要问的--用她的话来说--就是“美国军队还要为一个不愿意或没有能力稳固未来的伊拉克政府继续牺牲多久”。
Missouri Democrat and House Armed Services Committee chairman Ike Skelton said, "my heart is broken 4,000 times over", adding that "when the history of the Middle East is written, I hope it will have been worth it."
密苏里州民主党人、担任众议院军事委员会主席的斯凯尔顿说：“我的已经心碎了4000次。”他补充说，“如果要写中东历史，我希望这个死亡数字值得记下。”
There was no formal statement issued by the offices of either the House or Senate Republican leaderships. The House Republican leader John Boehner was traveling overseas.
共和党在众议院和参议院的领导层办公室还没有发表正式声明。众议院共和党领袖博纳正在海外旅行。
Historical perspective was also on the mind of President Bush who appeared Monday at the State Department with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
布什总统也想到历史问题。他在星期一和赖斯国务卿出现在国务院。布什总统向在伊拉克战死的文职人员和军事人员的家属表示最深切的同情。
Offering deepest sympathies to the families of civilian and military personnel killed in Iraq, the president referred to what he hopes will be history's positive assessment of the Iraq war and his decision to wage it.
布什提到他希望历史对伊拉克战争和他发动这场战争给予积极评价。
"One day people will look back at this moment in history and say thank God there were courageous people willing to serve because they laid the foundations for peace for generations to come [and] I have vowed in the past and I will vow so long as I am president to make sure that those lives were not lost in vain," he said.
布什说：“有一天，人们会回顾历史的这一刻，说感谢上帝，有勇敢的人民愿意参军因为他们为后代奠定了和平基础。我过去说过、而且我还会说，只要我是总统，我保证让死去的人不会白白浪费。”
Earlier, White House press secretary Dana Perino said President Bush bears the responsibility for the decisions he made to go to war in Iraq and grieves for the families of those killed, but also bears the responsibility to continue focusing on success.
The two Democrats vying for their party's presidential nomination marked the 4,000 death toll Monday, both pledging that, if elected, they will begin to bring the bulk of troops home.
两位角逐民主党总统候选人提名的参议员星期一也为纪念4千名军人丧生发表讲话，他们保证，如果当选总统，他们将开始把大部分军队撤回国。
Referring to those killed and wounded, Senator Hillary Clinton repeated her pledge to bring U.S. troops home as quickly and responsibly as possible.
In a written statement, Senator Barack Obama called every death a tragedy, and added that Iraqi government leaders should be pushed to take responsibility for their future.
By late Monday, Republican presidential nominee, Senator John McCain did not make any formal statement on the 4,000 U.S. death figure, but he has been consistent in rejecting any quick U.S. withdrawal from Iraq.
When lawmakers return to work next week, they will be looking ahead to testimony on Capitol Hill on April 8 and 9 by U.S. Iraq commander General David Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker.
The last time both appeared before House and Senate committees, in September of last year, they urged patience saying that more time was needed to assess the impact of the 30,000-strong U.S. troop surge ordered by President Bush last year.
This time, there is speculation that Petraeus may recommend that the gradual draw down of U.S. forces, which would leave troop levels at roughly pre-surge levels in the final months of President Bush's final term in office, should be paused at some point later this year. |