經(jīng)典2分鐘英語演講稿——奧巴馬西點軍校2014年畢業(yè)演講

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you, General Caslen, for that introduction. General Trainor, General Clarke, faculty and staff at West Point, you have been outstanding stewards of this proud institution and outstanding mentors for the newest officers in the United States Army.

美國總統(tǒng)奧巴馬：謝謝!非常感謝!謝謝!謝謝卡斯蘭將軍的介紹!特雷納將軍、克拉克將軍、西點軍校的教職工們，你們一直以來都是這所令人自豪的學(xué)府的優(yōu)秀管理者，也是美國陸軍新晉軍官的杰出導(dǎo)師。

I’d like to acknowledge the Army’s leadership -- General McHugh -- Secretary McHugh, General Odierno, as well as Senator Jack Reed who is here and a proud graduate of West Point himself. To the class of 2014, I congratulate you on taking your place on the Long Gray Line.

我要向陸軍領(lǐng)導(dǎo)層表示感謝，包括陸軍部長麥克休將軍以及參謀長奧迪耶諾將軍，同時也要感謝到場的杰克-里德參議員，他是西點軍校引以為榮的畢業(yè)生之一。2014級的畢業(yè)生們，祝賀你們承接了西點軍魂的使命。

Among you is the first all-female command team: Erin Mauldin and Austen Boroff. In Calla Glavin, you have a Rhodes Scholar, and Josh Herbeck proves that West Point accuracy extends beyond the three point line. (Laughter.)

在你們當(dāng)中，有美國首支女子指揮團隊，包括艾琳-墨登和奧斯丁-波洛夫。卡拉-格萊文展現(xiàn)了一位羅茲學(xué)者的風(fēng)采，而喬希-赫貝克則證明了西點的精準度遠在三分線之外。(笑聲)

To the entire class, let me reassure you in these final hours at West Point, as commander in chief, I hereby absolve all cadets who are on restriction for minor conduct offenses. (Laughter, applause.)

全體學(xué)員們，請安心度過你們在西點的最后時光，我以最高統(tǒng)帥的名義在此赦免所有因犯輕罪而關(guān)禁閉的學(xué)員。(笑聲、掌聲)

Let me just say that nobody ever did that for me when I was in school.

容我說一句，我當(dāng)學(xué)生的時候，可從未有人這么做過。

I know you join me in extending a word of thanks to your families. Joe DeMoss, whose son James is graduating, spoke for a whole lot of parents when he wrote me a letter about the sacrifices you’ve made. “Deep inside,” he wrote, “we want to explode with pride at what they are committing to do in the service of our country.” Like several graduates, James is a combat veteran, and I would ask all of us here today to stand and pay tribute not only to the veterans among us, but to the more than 2.5 million Americans who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as their families. (Applause.)

我知道，你們和我一樣都要向自己的家人表示感謝。喬-狄摩斯是本屆畢業(yè)生詹姆斯的父親，他給我來信講訴你們所作出的犧牲，也道出了許多父母的心聲。他寫道： “在我們的內(nèi)心深處，我們?yōu)樗麄兞⒅緢笮叶械綗o比自豪。”和多位畢業(yè)生一樣，詹姆斯也是位戰(zhàn)場老兵。我請今天在座的各位起立，向我們當(dāng)中的老兵，也向250多萬曾在伊拉克和阿富汗服役的美國人及其家屬致敬。(掌聲)

It is a particularly useful time for America to reflect on those who’ve sacrificed so much for our freedom, a few days after Memorial Day. You are the first class to graduate since 9/11 who may not be sent into combat in Iraq or Afghanistan. (Cheers, applause.)

這是繼數(shù)天前陣亡將士紀念日后的又一個極有意義的時刻，讓美國人民得以回想那些為我們的自由作出巨大犧牲的英雄。你們將是自911恐怖襲擊以來，第一屆不會被派到伊拉克或阿富汗參戰(zhàn)的畢業(yè)生。(歡呼聲、掌聲)

When I first spoke at West Point in 2009, we still had more than 100,000 troops in Iraq. We were preparing to surge in Afghanistan. Our counterterrorism efforts were focused on al-Qaida’s core leadership -- those who had carried out the 9/11 attacks. And our nation was just beginning a long climb out of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

2009年，我首次在西點發(fā)表演講時，我們?nèi)杂?0萬多名士兵駐扎在伊拉克，也正準備增兵阿富汗。而我們的反恐重心則是基地組織的核心頭目——正是他們發(fā)動了911恐怖襲擊。此外，我們的國家正開始一段擺脫大蕭條以來最嚴重經(jīng)濟危機的漫長歷程。

Four and a half years later, as you graduate, the landscape has changed. We have removed our troops from Iraq. We are winding down our war in Afghanistan. Al-Qaida’s leadership on the border region between Pakistan and Afghanistan has been decimated, and Osama bin Laden is no more. (Cheers, applause.) And through it all, we’ve refocused our investments in what has always been a key source of American strength: a growing economy that can provide opportunity for everybody who’s willing to work hard and take responsibility here at home.

四年半以后，就在你們畢業(yè)之際，情況已發(fā)生了轉(zhuǎn)變。我們已從伊拉克撤軍，正逐步結(jié)束阿富汗的戰(zhàn)爭。潛伏在巴基斯坦和阿富汗邊境地區(qū)的基地組織頭目已被斬草除根，而奧薩馬-本-拉登也早已命喪黃泉。(歡呼聲、掌聲)在經(jīng)歷了這一切之后，我們又將關(guān)注重心調(diào)整到美國實力的重要源頭上來，這個源頭就是不斷發(fā)展的經(jīng)濟，為每一個愿意努力工作并愿意承擔(dān)起家國責(zé)任的人提供機會。

In fact, by most measures America has rarely been stronger relative to the rest of the world. Those who argue otherwise -- who suggest that America is in decline or has seen its global leadership slip away -- are either misreading history or engaged in partisan politics.

事實上，與世界上其他國家相比，美國在很多方面都處于強勢地位。有些人持不同觀點，他們認為美國正在衰弱或正失去世界的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)地位，這些人不是對歷史存在誤讀，就是陷入了黨派政治的泥潭.