奥巴马总统每周电台演讲:向在伊拉克战争中做出贡献的人致敬
This week marked an historic moment in the life of our country and our military.
For nearly nine years, our nation has been at war in Iraq. More than 1.5 million Americans have served there with honor, skill, and bravery. Tens of thousands have been wounded. Military families have sacrificed greatly – none more so than the families of those nearly 4,500 Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice. All of them – our troops, veterans, and their families – will always have the thanks of a grateful nation.
On Thursday, the colors our Armed Forces fought under in Iraq were formally cased in a ceremony in Baghdad before beginning their journey back home. Our troops are now preparing to make their final march across the border and out of the country. Iraq’s future will be in the hands of its own people. Our war there will be over. All of our troops will be out of Iraq. And this holiday season, all of us can finally say: welcome home.
This is an extraordinary achievement – one made possible by the hard work and sacrifice of the men and women who had the courage to serve. And there’s a lesson to learn from that – a lesson about our character as a nation.
See, there’s a reason our military is the most respected institution in America. They don’t see themselves or each other as Democrats first or Republicans first. They see themselves as Americans first.
For all our differences and disagreements, they remind us that we are all a part of something bigger; that we are one nation and one people. And for all our challenges, they remind us that there is nothing we can’t do when we stick together.
They’re the finest our nation has to offer. Many will remain in the military and go on to the next mission. Others will take off the uniform and become veterans. But their commitment to service doesn’t end when they take off the uniform – in fact, I’m confident the story of their service to America is just beginning.
After years of rebuilding Iraq, it is time to enlist our veterans and all our people in the work of rebuilding America.
Folks like my grandfather came back from World War II to form the backbone of the largest middle class in history. And today’s generation of veterans – the 9/11 Generation of veterans – is armed with the skills, discipline, and leadership to attack the defining challenge of our time: rebuilding an economy where hard work pays off, where responsibility is rewarded, where anyone can make it if they try.
Now it is up to us to serve these brave men and women as well as they serve us. Every day, they meet their responsibilities to their families and their country. Now it’s time to meet ours – especially those of us who you sent to serve in Washington. This cannot be a country where division and discord stand in the way of our progress. This is a moment where we must come together to ensure that every American has the chance to work for a decent living, own their own home, send their kids to college, and secure a decent retirement.
This is a moment for us to build a country that lives up to the ideals that so many of our bravest Americans have fought and even died for. That is our highest obligation as citizens. That is the welcome home that our troops deserve.
Thank you.
对于我们的国家和军队来说，这一周标志着一个历史性的时刻。
我们的国家在伊拉克战争已经将近9年了。超过150万美国人有荣誉地并勇敢在那里服兵役。成千上万的人被打伤。军人家庭牺牲了很多——没有比那些近4500名美国人作出的牺牲更多的人。所有这些 ——我们的部队，退伍军人和他们的家庭 ——永远受到伟大祖国的感谢
上周四，在我们的武装部队回家之前，我国不对在伊拉克作战的颜色在巴格达举行的仪式中已经正式停止使用了。我们的部队正准备最后越过边境，撤出伊拉克。伊拉克的未来将在他们本国人民的手中。我们的战争将会结束。我们的军队将全部撤出伊拉克。这个假期，我们终于可以说：欢迎回家。
这是一个非凡的成就—— 那是许多英雄地在那里服役的人辛勤努力和牺牲的结果。从战争中我们学会了一课——知道了我们民族的性格。
看，军队在美国是最受尊敬的机构，这有其原因。他们首先看到的不是民主党或共和党，他们首先看到的是自己是美国人。
对于我们所有的差异和分歧，他们提醒了我们，我们是一个更大群体的一部分，我们是一个民族和同一种人。对于我们所有的挑战，这提醒我们，当我们团结在一起，没有什么是我们做不到的。
他们是我们国家中最优秀的。许多人会继续在军队中服役并执行下一个任务。其他人会脱下制服，成为老兵。但他们脱下制服是，他们对国家的共享并没有结束——事实上，我相信他们对国家的贡献才刚刚开始。
经过多年重建伊拉克，是时候让我们的退伍军人和全体人民参与重建美国的工作。
那些像我祖父一样的民众，从第二次世界大战中回到家园，形成了历史上规模最大的中产阶级的骨干。而今天的退伍军人代——9 / 11时代的退伍军人—— 有着出众的武装技能，纪律，和领导能力，他们能攻克时间界定的挑战：重建一个经济体，在其中辛勤工作的人会取得成功，责任会有回报，那里任何人如果想尝试都可以去做。
现在由我们来决定，我们要为这些勇敢的人服务，而他们也会为我们服务。每一天，他们对家庭和国家履行其职。现在是时候来满足我们的需要—— 尤其是我们那些派去在华盛顿服务的人。在我们前进的路上，不能有个国家的分裂和不和谐的立场挡道。这是一个时刻：我们必须团结起来，以确保每一个美国人都有机会工作并过体面的生活，拥有自己的家，能送孩子上大学，并获得一个体面的退休。
这个一个伟大的时刻：我们要建立许多勇敢美国人为之战斗战斗甚至牺牲的理想国家。这是我们作为公民的最高义务。那是我们的军队应得的“欢迎回家”。
谢谢！
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