在波士顿举行的民主党全国代表大会的第三天里，外交政策问题，包括伊拉克的局势问题，成为代表们讲话的重要内容。

　　Political conventions have for decades provided politicians and others an opportunity to voice their feelings about a range of issues, domestic and foreign. However, foreign policy plays a particularly prominent role this year, because national security has become unusually important in American politics in the aftermath of the 2001 terrorist attacks.

　　多年来，全国政党大会为政治家和其他人提供了一个可以表达他们对各种问题看法的机会，不论是国内问题，还是国际问题。然而今年，外交政策占有明显的地位，因为在九一一恐怖袭击后，国家的安全问题成为美国政治的一个重要问题。

　　From the continuing military and security struggles in Iraq, to the situation in Sudan, many have tried to highlight issues that otherwise might be submerged amid talk about the economy, health care, education and other things.

　　从伊拉克持续进行的军事与安全方面的斗争，到苏丹的形势，许多代表都在努力强调这些问题，不然的话这些话题就会在谈及经济、医疗保险和教育等问题时被忽略了。

　　Iraq continues to feature prominently as the convention moves toward its climax.

　　在大会接近高潮的时候，伊拉克继续成为问题的焦点。

　　Addressing the convention Wednesday, Congressman Ike Skelton, top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, had this indirect criticism of Bush administration support for U.S. troops in Iraq.

　　星期三，众议院军事委员会的民主党领袖艾克·斯凯尔顿在大会发言中在驻伊美军问题上对布什政府进行了间接批评。

　　"In a foxhole there are no political parties. It is a mistake to assume that military votes are Republican votes," he said. "The bulk of the [U.S.] enlisted military comes from inner cities and rural areas that form the Democratic core. Military personnel don't like being used as props for political purposes. We need to honor their service. Don't deploy them wantonly. Give them the compensation, the recognition and the tools they need and above all, don't patronize them."

　　他说“在防弹坑里是没有政党可言的。认为对军事行动的投票就是对共和党的投票那就错了。美国大部份兵员来自市中心的贫民区和农村地区这些民主党的核心地带。参军的人不愿把自己作为政治工具。我们应当尊重他们为国服役。不要随便的使用他们。对他们要给予补偿，给予重视，给予必要的工具，尤其是不要用居高临下、神气十足地态度对待他们。”

　　Senator Kerry has pledged a range of steps to strengthen the U.S. and has received the endorsement of many veterans groups. At a campaign event Wednesday here in Boston, a dozen former U.S. generals and admirals endorsed Mr. Kerry for president.

　　参议员克里发誓要采取一系列的措施来加强美国，并且得到许多退伍军人的支持。在波士顿星期三的竞选活动中，有十多名退伍的将军支持克里成为美国总统。

　　The subject of Sudan, where government-supported militias have killed, injured and displaced thousands, made it to the floor of the Democratic convention.

　　另外，苏丹问题也得到大会的关注。苏丹政府支持的民兵在那里进行杀害和迫害行动，使上万的人无家可归。

　　Congressman Joe Hoeffel, who is running for a key Senate seat in the [Eastern] state of Pennsylvania, listed bloodshed and human rights violations in Sudan among issues he says a Kerry administration can be expected to aggressively deal with: "The fierce urgency of now, demands that we respond to the genocide, rape and murder in the Sudan," he said.

　　正在竞选宾州一个重要参议员席位的荷福尔议员谈到苏丹的流血和人权问题，并表示克里当政后会采取更积极的办法。他说，“苏丹发生的紧急情况，要求我们对种族清洗，强奸和杀戮作出反应。”

　　One of the Democratic party foreign policy platforms is a pledge to exert more American leadership on situations such as that in Sudan's Western Darfur region.

　　民主党外交政策的重点之一就是，在苏丹达尔富尔等地区的局势上更多地发挥美国的领导力量。

　　However, most of the attention in the party platform is devoted to Iraq, and reflects Senator Kerry's view that the United States must remain engaged to create a stable and secure environment there, while seeking to internationalize military operations.

　　当然大会的议题还是集中在伊拉克问题上。大会反映了克里的观点，就是美国必须继续努力，在伊拉克创造一个稳定、安全的环境，同时要争取伊拉克军事行动国际化。

　　Senator Kerry, who voted for a congressional resolution authorizing military action in Iraq, is expected to address these issues again on Thursday as he accepts the Democratic nomination for President.

　　曾在国会投票赞成对伊拉克采取军事行动的克里参议员将在星期四对这些问题作出反应，同时他还将接受民主党大会的总统候选人提名。