It’s no wonder, then, that you’re asking hard questions.? So let me answer some of the most important questions that I’ve heard from members of Congress, and that I’ve read in letters that you’ve sent to me.
所以，毫不奇怪，你們提出了尖銳的問題。 那么就讓我來回答一些我從國(guó)會(huì)議員那里聽到和從你們給我的來信中讀到的最重要的問題。

First, many of you have asked, won’t this put us on a slippery slope to another war?? One man wrote to me that we are “still recovering from our involvement in Iraq.”? A veteran put it more bluntly:? “This nation is sick and tired of war.”
首先，你們?cè)S多人問，這樣做不是將導(dǎo)致我們跌入另一場(chǎng)戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)嗎？一位給我來信的人寫道，我們“還在從對(duì)伊拉克的介入的恢復(fù)中”。一位退伍軍人更直截了當(dāng)?shù)貙懙溃骸斑@個(gè)國(guó)家厭倦戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)?！?/div>

My answer is simple:? I will not put American boots on the ground in Syria.? I will not pursue an open-ended action like Iraq or Afghanistan.? I will not pursue a prolonged air campaign like Libya or Kosovo.? This would be a targeted strike to achieve a clear objective:? deterring the use of chemical weapons, and degrading Assad’s capabilities.
我的回答簡(jiǎn)單明了：我不會(huì)向敘利亞派遣美國(guó)地面軍隊(duì)。我不會(huì)開展像在伊拉克或阿富汗的那種無限期行動(dòng)。我不會(huì)進(jìn)行像在利比亞或科索沃那樣的長(zhǎng)期空中行動(dòng)。這將是為達(dá)到一個(gè)明確目標(biāo)而進(jìn)行的有針對(duì)性的打擊：防止使用化學(xué)武器，削弱阿薩德的能力。

Others have asked whether it’s worth acting if we don’t take out Assad.? As some members of Congress have said, there’s no point in simply doing a “pinprick” strike in Syria.
還有些人質(zhì)疑，如果我們不推翻阿薩德，這種行動(dòng)是否值得。正像一些國(guó)會(huì)成員所說，對(duì)敘利亞給予“輕扎”的一擊毫無意義。

Let me make something clear:? The United States military doesn’t do pinpricks.? Even a limited strike will send a message to Assad that no other nation can deliver.? I don’t think we should remove another dictator with force -- we learned from Iraq that doing so makes us responsible for all that comes next.? But a targeted strike can make Assad, or any other dictator, think twice before using chemical weapons.
請(qǐng)讓我明確一點(diǎn)：美國(guó)軍隊(duì)不作輕扎之舉。即使是有限打擊也將對(duì)阿薩德傳遞任何其他國(guó)家都無法傳遞的信息。我不認(rèn)為我們應(yīng)該用武力再去推翻一個(gè)獨(dú)裁者——我們從伊拉克懂得，這樣做意味著我們要承擔(dān)隨后的所有一切。但是，有限的打擊能夠讓阿薩德，或任何其他獨(dú)裁者，在動(dòng)用化學(xué)武器前三思。

Other questions involve the dangers of retaliation.? We don’t dismiss any threats, but the Assad regime does not have the ability to seriously threaten our military.? Any other retaliation they might seek is in line with threats that we face every day.? Neither Assad nor his allies have any interest in escalation that would lead to his demise.? And our ally, Israel, can defend itself with overwhelming force, as well as the unshakeable support of the United States of America.
其他一些提問涉及報(bào)復(fù)的危險(xiǎn)。我們不排除任何威脅，但是阿薩德政權(quán)沒有能力對(duì)我們的軍隊(duì)構(gòu)成嚴(yán)重威脅。 他們有可能圖謀的任何報(bào)復(fù)手段與我們每天面臨的威脅并無兩樣。阿薩德和他的同伙都不會(huì)希望加劇導(dǎo)致自身滅亡。我們的盟友以色列能夠依靠其壓倒性的軍事力量和美利堅(jiān)合眾國(guó)堅(jiān)定不移的支持實(shí)現(xiàn)自衛(wèi)。

Many of you have asked a broader question:? Why should we get involved at all in a place that’s so complicated, and where -- as one person wrote to me -- “those who come after Assad may be enemies of human rights?”
你們?cè)S多人提出了一個(gè)更宏觀的問題：我們到底為什么要介入一個(gè)如此復(fù)雜的地方，在那里——就像一位人士寫給我的——“接替阿薩德的人也許與人權(quán)為敵？”

It’s true that some of Assad’s opponents are extremists.? But al Qaeda will only draw strength in a more chaotic Syria if people there see the world doing nothing to prevent innocent civilians from being gassed to death.? The majority of the Syrian people -- and the Syrian opposition we work with -- just want to live in peace, with dignity and freedom.? And the day after any military action, we would redouble our efforts to achieve a political solution that strengthens those who reject the forces of tyranny and extremism.
確實(shí)，在阿薩德的反對(duì)派中有些是極端主義分子。但是，如果人們看到世界對(duì)防止無辜平民遭毒氣殺害無動(dòng)于衷，那只會(huì)使“基地”組織（al Qaeda）在變得更加混亂的敘利亞得勢(shì)。大多數(shù)敘利亞人——以及我們與之合作的敘利亞反對(duì)派——僅希望過和平、有尊嚴(yán)和自由的生活。在任何軍事行動(dòng)過后，我們都將加倍努力實(shí)現(xiàn)政治解決，增強(qiáng)那些抵制暴政與極端主義的力量。

Finally, many of you have asked:? Why not leave this to other countries, or seek solutions short of force?? As several people wrote to me, “We should not be the world’s policeman.”
最后，你們很多人都問道：為什么不把這個(gè)問題留給其他國(guó)家，為什么不尋求不使用武力的解決方式？有些人致信給我時(shí)寫道：“我們不應(yīng)充當(dāng)世界警察。”

I agree, and I have a deeply held preference for peaceful solutions.? Over the last two years, my administration has tried diplomacy and sanctions, warning and negotiations -- but chemical weapons were still used by the Assad regime.
我對(duì)此表示贊同，而且我深信應(yīng)優(yōu)先考慮和平解決。兩年來，本屆政府采用過外交方式、實(shí)施過制裁、發(fā)出過警告并進(jìn)行過談判——但阿薩德政權(quán)卻依然使用了化學(xué)武器。

However, over the last few days, we’ve seen some encouraging signs.? In part because of the credible threat of U.S. military action, as well as constructive talks that I had with President Putin, the Russian government has indicated a willingness to join with the international community in pushing Assad to give up his chemical weapons.? The Assad regime has now admitted that it has these weapons, and even said they’d join the Chemical Weapons Convention, which prohibits their use.
不過，我們?cè)谧罱鼛滋炜吹搅艘恍┓e極跡象。在一定程度上由于美國(guó)要采取軍事行動(dòng)的有力威懾，以及我與普京總統(tǒng)進(jìn)行的建設(shè)性會(huì)談，俄羅斯政府已表示愿意加入國(guó)際社會(huì)的行列，迫使阿薩德放棄其化學(xué)武器。阿薩德政權(quán)現(xiàn)已承認(rèn)擁有這類武器，甚至表示要加入禁止使用這類武器的《禁止化學(xué)武器公約》。

It’s too early to tell whether this offer will succeed, and any agreement must verify that the Assad regime keeps its commitments.? But this initiative has the potential to remove the threat of chemical weapons without the use of force, particularly because Russia is one of Assad’s strongest allies.
確定這個(gè)方案是否可行現(xiàn)在還為時(shí)過早，而且任何一項(xiàng)協(xié)議都必須核實(shí)阿薩德政權(quán)遵守承諾的情況。但這項(xiàng)提案有可能在不使用武力的情況下消除化學(xué)武器的威脅，尤其是因?yàn)槎砹_斯是阿薩德最牢靠的盟友之一。

I have, therefore, asked the leaders of Congress to postpone a vote to authorize the use of force while we pursue this diplomatic path.? I’m sending Secretary of State John Kerry to meet his Russian counterpart on Thursday, and I will continue my own discussions with President Putin.? I’ve spoken to the leaders of two of our closest allies, France and the United Kingdom, and we will work together in consultation with Russia and China to put forward a resolution at the U.N. Security Council requiring Assad to give up his chemical weapons, and to ultimately destroy them under international control.? We’ll also give U.N. inspectors the opportunity to report their findings about what happened on August 21st.? And we will continue to rally support from allies from Europe to the Americas -- from Asia to the Middle East -- who agree on the need for action.
因此，在我們探求這個(gè)外交途徑的同時(shí)，我已要求國(guó)會(huì)領(lǐng)袖推遲就授權(quán)使用武力進(jìn)行投票。我將派國(guó)務(wù)卿約翰·克里于本周四同俄羅斯外長(zhǎng)見面，我也將繼續(xù)同普京總統(tǒng)進(jìn)行商談。我已同我們最親密的兩個(gè)盟國(guó)——法國(guó)和英國(guó)——的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人交談過，我們將與俄羅斯和中國(guó)磋商，共同努力在聯(lián)合國(guó)安理會(huì)提出一項(xiàng)決議，要求阿薩德必須放棄化學(xué)武器，并在國(guó)際監(jiān)控下最終銷毀它們。我們還將讓聯(lián)合國(guó)核查人員有機(jī)會(huì)報(bào)告他們對(duì)8月21日所發(fā)生的一切的調(diào)查結(jié)果。我們也將繼續(xù)爭(zhēng)取同樣認(rèn)為有必要采取行動(dòng)的盟友的支持——從歐洲到美洲、從亞洲到中東。

Meanwhile, I’ve ordered our military to maintain their current posture to keep the pressure on Assad, and to be in a position to respond if diplomacy fails.? And tonight, I give thanks again to our military and their families for their incredible strength and sacrifices.
與此同時(shí)，我已命令我軍保持他們目前的態(tài)勢(shì)，以便繼續(xù)向阿薩德施壓，并在外交失效的情況下能夠作出應(yīng)對(duì)。今晚，我再次感謝我軍軍人及其家屬的無比堅(jiān)強(qiáng)以及他們付出的巨大犧牲。

My fellow Americans, for nearly seven decades, the United States has been the anchor of global security.? This has meant doing more than forging international agreements -- it has meant enforcing them.? The burdens of leadership are often heavy, but the world is a better place because we have borne them.
我的美國(guó)同胞們，近70年來，美國(guó)一直是全球安全的支柱。這不僅意味著締結(jié)國(guó)際協(xié)定——而且意味著嚴(yán)格執(zhí)行國(guó)際協(xié)定。發(fā)揮領(lǐng)導(dǎo)作用的擔(dān)子往往是沉重的，但正因?yàn)槲覀円殉袚?dān)起這個(gè)重?fù)?dān)，這個(gè)世界才變得更加美好。

And so, to my friends on the right, I ask you to reconcile your commitment to America’s military might with a failure to act when a cause is so plainly just.? To my friends on the left, I ask you to reconcile your belief in freedom and dignity for all people with those images of children writhing in pain, and going still on a cold hospital floor.? For sometimes resolutions and statements of condemnation are simply not enough.
因此，我要請(qǐng)右翼的朋友們想一想，以你們對(duì)美國(guó)強(qiáng)大軍力的承諾，能否容許不為如此顯而易見的正義事業(yè)采取行動(dòng)。我要請(qǐng)左翼的朋友們想一想，以你們對(duì)所有人民的自由和尊嚴(yán)的信念，能否對(duì)那些痛苦掙扎的兒童在醫(yī)院冰冷的地板上奄奄一息的畫面無動(dòng)于衷。有時(shí)僅僅拿出決議及發(fā)表譴責(zé)聲明是遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)不夠的。

Indeed, I’d ask every member of Congress, and those of you watching at home tonight, to view those videos of the attack, and then ask:? What kind of world will we live in if the United States of America sees a dictator brazenly violate international law with poison gas, and we choose to look the other way?
是的，我要請(qǐng)每一位國(guó)會(huì)議員以及今晚在家中收看講話的每一個(gè)人都去看一看有關(guān)那次襲擊的視頻并捫心自問：如果美國(guó)看到一名獨(dú)裁者動(dòng)用毒氣肆無忌憚地踐踏國(guó)際法卻視而不見，那我們的這個(gè)世界會(huì)變成什么樣子？

Franklin Roosevelt once said, “Our national determination to keep free of foreign wars and foreign entanglements cannot prevent us from feeling deep concern when ideals and principles that we have cherished are challenged.”? Our ideals and principles, as well as our national security, are at stake in Syria, along with our leadership of a world where we seek to ensure that the worst weapons will never be used.
富蘭克林·羅斯福曾說：“我國(guó)不介入國(guó)外戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)和國(guó)外糾葛的決心不能阻止我們?cè)谖覀兯湟暤睦砟詈驮瓌t受到挑戰(zhàn)的時(shí)候深深地感到關(guān)切?！?我們的理念和原則，以及我們的國(guó)家安全，都在敘利亞問題上面臨利害攸關(guān)的時(shí)刻，此外還有我們?cè)谌澜鐬榇_保最殘酷的武器絕不被使用而發(fā)揮的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)作用。

America is not the world’s policeman.? Terrible things happen across the globe, and it is beyond our means to right every wrong.? But when, with modest effort and risk, we can stop children from being gassed to death, and thereby make our own children safer over the long run, I believe we should act.? That’s what makes America different.? That’s what makes us exceptional.? With humility, but with resolve, let us never lose sight of that essential truth.
美國(guó)不是世界警察。全球到處都有可怕的事情發(fā)生，我們沒有能力去糾正每一樁惡行。但當(dāng)我們付出適度的努力并承擔(dān)適度的風(fēng)險(xiǎn)就能阻止用毒氣殺害兒童的行徑，并從長(zhǎng)遠(yuǎn)來看能以此進(jìn)一步保障我們本國(guó)兒童的安全，我便堅(jiān)信我們應(yīng)當(dāng)采取行動(dòng)。正是這一點(diǎn)讓美國(guó)獨(dú)樹一幟。正是這一點(diǎn)讓我們出類拔萃。讓我們以謙和為懷，同時(shí)下定決心，永遠(yuǎn)牢記這個(gè)至關(guān)重要的真理。

Thank you.? God bless you.? And God bless the United States of America.
謝謝你們。愿上帝保佑你們。愿上帝保佑美利堅(jiān)合眾國(guó)。