2003年，由美军领导的多国部队一直驻扎在伊拉克。9月30日，他们完成了撤离。伊拉克是否真的已经成为名副其实的独立统一国家？还是会再次陷入混乱？不幸的是，我远不持乐观态度。
On Sept. 30, multinational forces led by U.S. troops, who had been stationed in Iraq since 2003, completed their withdrawal. Has Iraq truly become an independent and unified nation, in both name and reality? Or will it once again be swept into chaos? Unfortunately, I am far from optimistic.A close examination of the power vacuums that have emerged in the Middle East and Persian Gulf, particularly in Iraq, suggests that the third major vacuum to arise in Iraq in the 21st century, following the complete withdrawal of coalition forces, could once again destabilize the country.
仔细审视中东和波斯湾地区出现的权力真空，特别是伊拉克的情况，可以发现，在联军完全撤出之后，伊拉克在21世纪可能再次出现第三次重大权力真空，这可能再次使该国陷入不稳定。历史提供了充分的担忧理由。
History offers ample reason for concern.
自21世纪初以来，伊拉克已经经历了两次重大权力真空。第一次发生在2003年伊拉克战争之后。随着萨达姆·侯赛因政权的崩溃，出现了一个真空，最初由美军领导的联军部队填补。伊拉克的民主化进程随后在美国军事行政管理下进行。
Since the beginning of the 21st century, Iraq has experienced two major power vacuums. The first followed the 2003 Iraq War. With the collapse of Saddam Hussein’s regime, a vacuum emerged that was initially filled by U.S.-led coalition forces. Iraq’s democratization then proceeded under a U.S. military administration.