当地时间8月31日晚8时，美国总统奥巴马在白宫发表讲话，正式宣布美国在伊拉克的7年作战任务结束。以下为奥巴马讲话原文(中英文对照)：

　　英：Good evening. Tonight, I’d like to talk to you about the end of our combat mission in Iraq, the ongoing security challenges we face, and the need to rebuild our nation here at home。

　　中：晚上好。今晚，我想对你们谈一谈我们在伊拉克作战任务的结束，我们当前面临的安全挑战，以及我们重建美国经济的必要性。

　　英：I know this historic moment comes at a time of great uncertainty for many Americans. We have now been through nearly a decade of war. We have endured a long and painful recession. And sometimes in the midst of these storms, the future that we are trying to build for our nation — a future of lasting peace and long-term prosperity may seem beyond our reach。

　　中：我明白，对于许多美国人而言，这一历史性时刻的来临恰逢存有太多不确定性之时。现在，我们经历了一场近十年的战争。我们经历了漫长而痛苦的经济衰退。在这些暴风雨中的某些时候，我们试图为国家打造的未来——一个有着持久和平和长期繁荣的未来——似乎显得遥不可及。

　　英：But this milestone should serve as a reminder to all Americans that the future is ours to shape if we move forward with confidence and commitment. It should also serve as a message to the world that the United States of America intends to sustain and strengthen our leadership in this young century。

　　中：不过，这个具有里程碑意义的重要事件应该提醒所有美国人，如果我们带着自信和承诺继续前进，未来就会由我们塑造。它也应该向世界传达一个信息，在这个新的世纪里，美国人打算维持并加强我们的领导地位。

　　英：From this desk, seven and a half years ago, President Bush announced the beginning of military operations in Iraq. Much has changed since that night. A war to disarm a state became a fight against an insurgency. Terrorism and sectarian warfare threatened to tear Iraq apart. Thousands of Americans gave their lives; tens of thousands have been wounded. Our relations abroad were strained. Our unity at home was tested。

　　中：七年半前，在这张办公桌前，布什总统宣布我们在伊拉克的军事行动开始。自那天晚上以来，情况发生了许多变化。一场解除国家武装的战争已经变成了一场打击叛乱的战争。恐怖主义和宗派战争威胁称要将伊拉克撕裂。上千美国人牺牲了自己的生命，上万美国人在战争中受伤。我们的对外关系面临困扰。我们的国内团结受到了挑战。

　　英：These are the rough waters encountered during the course of one of America’s longest wars. Yet there has been one constant amidst those shifting tides. At every turn, America’s men and women in uniform have served with courage and resolve. As commander in chief, I am proud of their service. Like all Americans, I am awed by their sacrifice, and by the sacrifices of their families。

　　中：伊拉克战争是美国经历过的耗时最长的战争之一，而这些都是我们在此期间遭遇到的风浪。然而，在这些不断转变的浪潮中，却有一个始终未变的主题。无论何时，美国的士兵们都满怀勇气和决心在服役。作为总司令，我为他们感到自豪。就像所有美国人一样，他们的牺牲，他们家人的牺牲，令我心生敬仰之情。

　　英：The Americans who have served in Iraq completed every mission they were given. They defeated a regime that had terrorized its people. Together with Iraqis and coalition partners who made huge sacrifices of their own, our troops fought block by block to help Iraq seize the chance for a better future. They shifted tactics to protect the Iraqi people; trained Iraqi security forces; and took out terrorist leaders. Because of our troops and civilians — and because of the resilience of the Iraqi people — Iraq has the opportunity to embrace a new destiny, even though many challenges remain。

　　中：在伊拉克服役的美国人完成了他们被赋予的每一个任务。他们瓦解了一个对国民实施恐怖统治的政权。与同样作出巨大牺牲的伊拉克和盟国伙伴一起，我们的军人打下了一个又一个地区，帮助伊拉克人抓住了创造美好未来的机会。他们转变战术以保护伊拉克人民，训练伊拉克安全部队，抓捕恐怖组织领导人。因为我们的军人和人民、因为伊拉克人民坚韧不拔的精神，伊拉克得到了拥抱新命运的机会，尽管前面的路仍有诸多挑战。

　　英：So tonight, I am announcing that the American combat mission in Iraq has ended. Operation Iraqi Freedom is over, and the Iraqi people now have lead responsibility for the security of their country。

　　中：所以，今晚，我宣布，美国在伊拉克的作战使命已经结束。伊拉克自由行动结束了，现在伊拉克人民将承担其国家安全的主要责任。

　　英：This was my pledge to the American people as a candidate for this office. Last February, I announced a plan that would bring our combat brigades out of Iraq, while redoubling our efforts to strengthen Iraq’s security forces and support its government and people. That is what we have done. We have removed nearly 100,000 U.S. troops from Iraq. We have closed or transferred hundreds of bases to the Iraqis. And we have moved millions of pieces of equipment out of Iraq。

　　中：这是我身为总统候选人时对美国人民做出的承诺。去年2月，我宣布了一项计划，把我们的战斗旅撤出伊拉克，同时加倍努力强化伊拉克安全部队，支持伊拉克政府和人民。这就是我们所做的事情。我们已经从伊拉克撤离了近10万美国士兵。我们已关闭或向伊拉克移交了数百个基地，我们已经把数以百万计的装备撤离了伊拉克。

　　英：This completes a transition to Iraqi responsibility for their own security. U.S. troops pulled out of Iraq’s cities last summer, and Iraqi forces have moved into the lead with considerable skill and commitment to their fellow citizens. Even as Iraq continues to suffer terrorist attacks, security incidents have been near the lowest on record since the war began. And Iraqi forces have taken the fight to Al Qaeda, removing much of its leadership in Iraqi-led operations。

　　中：这就完成了一个让伊拉克为自己的安全负责的转变。去年夏天，美国士兵撤出了伊拉克的城市，而伊拉克军队则身怀出色技术及对同胞们的承诺，进驻了伊拉克城市。即使是在伊拉克继续遭受恐怖袭击的时候，这里的安全事故也已接近了自战争开始以来的最低记录。伊拉克军队已经开始打击基地组织，在伊拉克领导的行动中，许多基地组织领导人被消灭。

　　英：This year also saw Iraq hold credible elections that drew a strong turnout. A caretaker administration is in place as Iraqis form a government based on the results of that election. Tonight, I encourage Iraq’s leaders to move forward with a sense of urgency to form an inclusive government that is just, representative, and accountable to the Iraqi people. And when that government is in place, there should be no doubt: the Iraqi people will have a strong partner in the United States. Our combat mission is ending, but our commitment to Iraq’s future is not。

　　今年，伊拉克还举行了一次众人踊跃参加的公平选举。伊拉克根据选举的结果，组建了临时政府。今晚，我鼓励伊拉克领导人心怀紧迫感，组建一个公正、具有代表性、对伊拉克人负责的包容性政府。当这个政府成形的时候，毫无疑问，美国将成为伊拉克人民的强大合作伙伴。我们的作战使命正在结束，但我们对伊拉克未来的承诺并未结束。

　　英：Going forward, a transitional force of U.S. troops will remain in Iraq with a different mission: advising and assisting Iraq’s security forces; supporting Iraqi troops in targeted counterterrorism missions; and protecting our civilians. Consistent with our agreement with the Iraqi government, all U.S. troops will leave by the end of next year. As our military draws down, our dedicated civilians — diplomats, aid workers, and advisers — are moving into the lead to support Iraq as it strengthens its government, resolves political disputes, resettles those displaced by war, and builds ties with the region and the world. And that is a message that Vice President Biden is delivering to the Iraqi people through his visit there today。

　　中：展望未来，一支肩负不同任务的过渡性美军部队仍将留在伊拉克：为伊拉克安全部队提供建议和协助；在针对性反恐任务中为伊拉克军队提供支持；保护我们的平民。遵照我们与伊拉克政府缔结的协议，所有美军将于明年底撤离。随着我们军队的撤离，我们的非军职人员，外交官、救援人员以及顾问将在伊拉克巩固政府、解决政治纠纷、安置因战争流离失所的人们以及建立与地区和世界的关系中，起到关键的支持性作用。今天副总统拜登访问伊拉克的时候，他将向伊拉克人民传达这一信息。

　　英：This new approach reflects our long-term partnership with Iraq — one based upon mutual interests, and mutual respect. Of course, violence will not end with our combat mission. Extremists will continue to set off bombs, attack Iraqi civilians and try to spark sectarian strife. But ultimately, these terrorists will fail to achieve their goals. Iraqis are a proud people. They have rejected sectarian war, and they have no interest in endless destruction. They understand that, in the end, only Iraqis can resolve their differences and police their streets. Only Iraqis can build a democracy within their borders. What America can do, and will do, is provide support for the Iraqi people as both a friend and a partner。

　　中：这一新办法体现了我们与伊拉克的长期伙伴关系，以共同利益、相互尊重为基础的伙伴关系。当然，暴力不会随着我们的撤离而结束。极端分子仍会继续引爆炸弹、攻击伊拉克平民，并试图引发宗派冲突。不过，最后，这些恐怖分子终将不能达成其目标。伊拉克是一个值得骄傲的民族。他们已经拒绝了教派战争，他们对无休止的破坏不感兴趣。他们很清楚，到最后，只有伊拉克人能够解决他们的分歧，维护他们的街道治安。只有伊拉克人能够在其境内建立一个民主国家。美国能够做的，将要做的，就是作为一个朋友，一个合作伙伴，为伊拉克提供支持。

　　英：Ending this war is not only in Iraq’s interest — it is in our own. The United States has paid a huge price to put the future of Iraq in the hands of its people. We have sent our young men and women to make enormous sacrifices in Iraq, and spent vast resources abroad at a time of tight budgets at home. We have persevered because of a belief we share with the Iraqi people — a belief that out of the ashes of war, a new beginning could be born in this cradle of civilization. Through this remarkable chapter in the history of the United States and Iraq, we have met our responsibility. Now, it is time to turn the page。

　　中：结束这场战争不仅符合伊拉克的利益，也符合我们的利益。美国已经为使伊拉克人能担负自己的未来而付出了巨大代价。我们派往伊拉克的年轻士兵们作出了巨大牺牲，我们在国内预算紧张的情况下在国外投入了大量资源。我们坚持不懈，因为我们与伊拉克人民有共同的信念，走出战争废墟的信念，相信这个曾经的文明的摇篮会有新的开始。在美国和伊拉克历史的辉煌篇章中，我们已经履行了我们的义务，现在是时候翻开新的一页了。

　　英：As we do, I am mindful that the Iraq war has been a contentious issue at home. Here, too, it is time to turn the page. This afternoon, I spoke to former President George W. Bush. It’s well known that he and I disagreed about the war from its outset. Yet no one could doubt President Bush’s support for our troops, or his love of country and commitment to our security. As I have said, there were patriots who supported this war, and patriots who opposed it. And all of us are united in appreciation for our servicemen and women, and our hope for Iraq’s future。

　　中：当我们这样做的时候，我很清楚，伊拉克战争在国内一直是一个有争议的话题。这里，也是时候翻开新的一页了。今天下午，我与前总统布什进行了对话。众所周知，我与他在战争开始时就意见相左。但没人能够怀疑布什总统对我们军队的支持，以及他对国家的热爱和对我们安全做出的努力。就像我所说的，支持这场战争与反对这场战争的人都是爱国者。在感谢我们的士兵，希冀伊拉克未来希望方面，我们是一致的。

　　英：The greatness of our democracy is grounded in our ability to move beyond our differences, and to learn from our experience as we confront the many challenges ahead. And no challenge is more essential to our security than our fight against Al Qaeda。

　　中：我们民主的伟大性就在于我们有能力摒弃分歧，并在将要遇到挑战之前汲取经验和教训。对于我们的国家安全而言，没有比与基地组织斗争更重大的挑战了。

　　英：Americans across the political spectrum supported the use of force against those who attacked us on 9/11. Now, as we approach our 10th year of combat in Afghanistan, there are those who are understandably asking tough questions about our mission there. But we must never lose sight of what’s at stake. As we speak, Al Qaeda continues to plot against us, and its leadership remains anchored in the border region of Afghanistan and Pakistan. We will disrupt, dismantle, and defeat Al Qaeda, while preventing Afghanistan from again serving as a base for terrorists. And because of our drawdown in Iraq, we are now able to apply the resources necessary to go on offense. In fact, over the last 19 months, nearly a dozen Al Qaeda leaders — and hundreds of Al Qaeda’s extremist allies — have been killed or captured around the world。

　　中：美国的全体政界人士都支持使用武力打击发动9·11袭击的恐怖分子。现在我们在阿富汗的战争接近第10个年头，有人质疑我们在那里的使命，这一点可以理解。但我们绝对不能忽视所面临的危险。正如我们所说的，基地组织继续对我们图谋不轨，而且其领导人仍藏身在阿富汗和巴基斯坦交界地区。我们将扰乱、驱散并击败基地组织，同时阻止阿富汗再次成为恐怖分子的基地。由于我们从伊拉克撤军，我们现在能够提供进攻所需的资源。实际上，在过去19个月中，全世界已有十几名基地组织头目、数百名基地组织极端分子盟友已被击毙或俘虏。

　　英：Within Afghanistan, I have ordered the deployment of additional troops who — under the command of General David Petraeus — are fighting to break the Taliban’s momentum. As with the surge in Iraq, these forces will be in place for a limited time to provide space for the Afghans to build their capacity and secure their own future. But, as was the case in Iraq, we cannot do for Afghans what they must ultimately do for themselves. That’s why we are training Afghan security forces and supporting a political resolution to Afghanistan’s problems. And, next July, we will begin a transition to Afghan responsibility. The pace of our troop reductions will be determined by conditions on the ground, and our support for Afghanistan will endure. But make no mistake: this transition will begin — because open-ended war serves neither our interests nor the Afghan people’s。

　　中：在阿富汗境内，我已经命令增加军队部署，由戴维·彼得雷乌斯将军指挥，打击并粉碎塔利班的势头。与在伊拉克一样，这些部队在一段时间内仍将存在，并为阿富汗提供空间以增长其能力并确保自己的未来。但也与伊拉克一样，我们并不能替代阿富汗做他们最终要为自己做的事。这就是我们训练阿富汗安全部队并支持通过政治途径解决阿富汗问题的原因。而且，明年8月(美军应为7月从阿富汗撤军，此处为奥巴马口误)，我们将开始将责任逐步转交给阿富汗。我们部队撤军的步伐将根据当地的情况而定，而且，我们对阿富汗的支持也会是长期的。但不要弄错：这种转交将会开始，因为无限期的战争既不符合我们的利益也不符合阿富汗人民的利益。

　　英：Indeed, one of the lessons of our effort in Iraq is that American influence around the world is not a function of military force alone. We must use all elements of our power — including our diplomacy, our economic strength, and the power of America’s example — to secure our interests and stand by our allies. And we must project a vision of the future that is based not just on our fears, but also on our hopes — a vision that recognizes the real dangers that exist around the world, but also the limitless possibility of our time。

　　中：实际上，我们在伊拉克的努力得到的教训之一就是，美国对全世界的影响并不仅是军力影响。我们必须全方位使用我们的力量，包括我们的外交、我们的经济力量以及美国榜样的力量，来确保我们的利益并支持我们的盟国。而且我们必须基于我们的担忧以及希望两方面来展望未来，这种展望既承认全世界存在危险，也必须承认我们的时代有无限的可能。

　　英：Today, old adversaries are at peace, and emerging democracies are potential partners. New markets for our goods stretch from Asia to the Americas. A new push for peace in the Middle East will begin here tomorrow. Billions of young people want to move beyond the shackles of poverty and conflict. As the leader of the free world, America will do more than just defeat on the battlefield those who offer hatred and destruction — we will also lead among those who are willing to work together to expand freedom and opportunity for all people。

　　中：今天，老对手处于和平状态，新兴民主国家是我们的潜在合作伙伴。我们商品的新市场从亚洲延伸到美洲。推进中东地区和平的新努力将于明天从这里开始。亿万年轻人都想努力挣脱贫穷和冲突的桎梏。作为自由世界的领导者，美国不仅要在战场上打败那些给人们带来仇恨和破坏的敌人，还要领导那些愿意共同努力为所有人争取自由和机遇的人们。

　　英：That effort must begin within our own borders. Throughout our history, America has been willing to bear the burden of promoting liberty and human dignity overseas, understanding its link to our own liberty and security. But we have also understood that our nation’s strength and influence abroad must be firmly anchored in our prosperity at home. And the bedrock of that prosperity must be a growing middle class。

　　中：这种努力必须从我们自己的疆域内开始。纵观历史，美国一直愿意承担推动海外自由和人类尊严的责任，因为这与我们自己的自由和安全息息相关。不过，我们也要理解，我们国家在国外的力量和影响力，必须牢牢地植根于国内的繁荣。而且，这种繁荣的基础必定是不断壮大的中产阶级。

　　英：Unfortunately, over the last decade, we have not done what is necessary to shore up the foundation of our own prosperity. We have spent over a trillion dollars at war, often financed by borrowing from overseas. This, in turn, has shortchanged investments in our own people, and contributed to record deficits. For too long, we have put off tough decisions on everything from our manufacturing base to our energy policy to education reform. As a result, too many middle class families find themselves working harder for less, while our nation’s long-term competitiveness is put at risk。

　　中：遗憾地是，在过去的十年里，我们并没有为巩固我国繁荣的基础做过什么。在战争中，我们消耗了万亿美元资产，而资金往往来自海外借贷。这反过来又减少了我们对自己国民的投资，并催生了破纪录财政赤字的诞生。长久以来，我们一直推迟在从制造业基础到能源政策再到教育改革等所有领域的重大决定。结果，太多的中产阶级家庭发现他们的工作更辛苦，但挣的却更少，而我国的长期竞争力也处在危险中。

　　英：And so at this moment, as we wind down the war in Iraq, we must tackle those challenges at home with as much energy, and grit, and sense of common purpose as our men and women in uniform who have served abroad. They have met every test that they faced. Now, it is our turn. Now, it is our responsibility to honor them by coming together, all of us, and working to secure the dream that so many generations have fought for — the dream that a better life awaits anyone who is willing to work for it and reach for it。

　　中：因此，在这个时刻，当我们逐渐结束伊拉克战争的时候，我们必需拿出更多的精力、勇气和共同追求感，应对国内挑战，就像我们的士兵在国外所表现一样。他们经历了自己遇到的每一个考验。现在，轮到我们了。现在，我们有责任团结起来，通过努力争取我们世代为之努力奋斗的梦想向他们致敬，美好的生活等着每一个愿意为之努力、为之奋斗的人。

　　英：Our most urgent task is to restore our economy, and put the millions of Americans who have lost their jobs back to work. To strengthen our middle class, we must give all our children the education they deserve, and all our workers the skills that they need to compete in a global economy. We must jump-start industries that create jobs, and end our dependence on foreign oil. We must unleash the innovation that allows new products to roll off our assembly lines, and nurture the ideas that spring from our entrepreneurs. This will be difficult. But in the days to come, it must be our central mission as a people, and my central responsibility as president。

　　中：我们最紧迫的任务是重振我们的经济，让数百万失去工作的美国人重新上岗。为了壮大我们的中产阶级，我们必须让孩子们享受他们应该得到的教育，让我们的工人拥有足以在全球经济中竞争的技能。我们必须推动可创造就业机会、摆脱对石油依赖的产业。我们必须改革创新，让新产品走下组装生产线，并鼓励企业家提出新理念。这将很困难，不过，在未来的日子里，作为一个公民，以及我身为美国总统的主要责任，这必将成为我们的中心任务。

　　英：Part of that responsibility is making sure that we honor our commitments to those who have served our country with such valor. As long as I am president, we will maintain the finest fighting force that the world has ever known, and do whatever it takes to serve our veterans as well as they have served us. This is a sacred trust. That is why we have already made one of the largest increases in funding for veterans in decades. We are treating the signature wounds of today’s wars post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury, while providing the health care and benefits that all of our veterans have earned. And we are funding a post-9/11 G.I. bill that helps our veterans and their families pursue the dream of a college education. Just as the G.I. Bill helped those who fought World War II — including my grandfather — become the backbone of our middle class, so today’s servicemen and women must have the chance to apply their gifts to expand the American economy. Because part of ending a war responsibly is standing by those who have fought it。

　　中：这种责任的一部分就是，确保兑现我们对怀着这种勇气为我们国家服务的人的承诺。只要我还是总统，我们就会维持世界所知的最精良的战队，尽我们所能为退伍军人服务，就像他们为我们所做的一样，这是一种神圣的信任。这就是为什么数十年来我们一直最大程度增加对退伍军人资助的原因。我们正在治疗他们经历战争后的精神损伤，同时为我们的退伍军人提供保健和给予他们应得的利益。而且我们正在提供资金实施《后9-11士兵福利法案》，帮助我们的老兵和他们的家庭继续他们的大学教育梦想。就像《士兵福利法案》帮助那些二战老兵、包括我祖父，成为了我们中产阶级的支柱一样，今天的士兵必须有机会施展他们的才能，以增强美国的经济。因为，负责任地结束一场战争是与那些曾经为之战斗的人们相伴相生的。

　　英：Two weeks ago, America’s final combat brigade in Iraq — the Army’s Fourth Stryker Brigade — journeyed home in the predawn darkness. Thousands of soldiers and hundreds of vehicles made the trip from Baghdad, the last of them passing into Kuwait in the early morning hours. Over seven years before, American troops and coalition partners had fought their way across similar highways, but this time no shots were fired. It was just a convoy of brave Americans, making their way home。

　　中：两周前，美国驻伊拉克的最后一个战斗旅、陆军第四斯瑞克装甲旅已在黎明前的黑暗中踏上归途。数千名士兵以及数百辆车辆离开巴格达，并在清早时分进入科威特境内。大约7年前，美国军队与联盟伙伴沿着相似的道路打开了出路，但这一次我们并未发射子弹。这一次仅仅是为了护卫勇敢的美国人，让他们安心地返回家园。

　　英：Of course, the soldiers left much behind. Some were teenagers when the war began. Many have served multiple tours of duty, far from their families who bore a heroic burden of their own, enduring the absence of a husband’s embrace or a mother’s kiss. Most painfully, since the war began 55 members of the Fourth Stryker Brigade made the ultimate sacrifice — part of over 4,400 Americans who have given their lives in Iraq. As one staff sergeant said, “I know that to my brothers in arms who fought and died, this day would probably mean a lot。”

　　中：当然，这些士兵身后留下了许多东西。战争爆发时，他们之中的一些人仅仅只是十几岁的青少年。许多士兵都曾多次服役，在遥远的家乡，他们的家人也肩负着崇高的使命，忍受缺乏丈夫的拥抱或母亲拥吻的日子。最令人痛心的是，自战争爆发以来，第四斯瑞克装甲旅已有55名士兵做出了最大的牺牲，他们是为伊拉克贡献出生命的4400多名美国人中的一份子。就像一名上士所说的那样：“我知道对于那些战斗并牺牲的战友来说，这一天可能非常重要。”

　　英：Those Americans gave their lives for the values that have lived in the hearts of our people for over two centuries. Along with nearly 1.5 million Americans who have served in Iraq, they fought in a faraway place for people they never knew. They stared into the darkest of human creations — war — and helped the Iraqi people seek the light of peace。

　　中：那些美国人为了已在国人心中坚守了200多年的价值付出了宝贵的生命。同近150万在伊拉克服役的美国人一道，他们在遥远的陌生国度奋战。他们正视着人类创造的最黑暗的事物——战争，帮助伊拉克人民寻找和平之光。

　　英：In an age without surrender ceremonies, we must earn victory through the success of our partners and the strength of our own nation. Every American who serves joins an unbroken line of heroes that stretches from Lexington to Gettysburg; from Iwo Jima to Inchon; from Khe Sanh to Kandahar — Americans who have fought to see that the lives of our children are better than our own. Our troops are the steel in our ship of state. And though our nation may be travelling through rough waters, they give us confidence that our course is true, and that beyond the predawn darkness, better days lie ahead。

　　中：在没有投降仪式的时代里，我们必须凭借合作伙伴及本国实力所取得成功来赢得胜利。在为国效力的美国人中，总会前赴后继地出现大量英雄，从莱克星顿到葛底斯堡，从硫磺岛到仁川，从溪山到坎大哈，不断奋战的美国人相信，孩子们的生命重于自己的生命。军队是我们这个国家的钢铁护卫。虽然我们或许会遭遇汹涌的海浪，但他们使我们确信自己的航线是正确的，而且突破黎明前的黑暗后，前方必定是更美好的日子。

　　英：Thank you. May God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America, and all who serve her。

　　中：谢谢。愿上帝保佑你。愿上帝保佑美利坚合众国，保佑她的子民。