华盛顿——美国总统唐纳德·特朗普利用11月11日的美国退伍军人节纪念活动，为对伊朗的战争进行辩护。这场战争日益不得人心，并助推民主党在上周的中期选举中接管国会。
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump used a US Veterans Day commemoration on Nov 11 to defend the war against Iran – an increasingly unpopular conflict that helped trigger a Democratic takeover of Congress in last week’s midterm elections.
特朗普在华盛顿郊外的阿灵顿国家公墓发表讲话说：“我们了不起的美国战士展现出的勇敢和技能绝对令人惊叹。”
“The bravery and skill of our amazing American warriors has absolutely been incredible,” Trump said, in an address at Arlington National Cemetery just outside Washington.
“当这场冲突结束时——它很快就会结束——整个世界将变得更加安全和美好，更加和平，不再有我们不得不承受的那种危险。”据五角大楼最新数据，这场战争于2月28日以美国和以色列对伊朗的打击开始，迄今已造成23名美国军人丧生，另有数百人受伤。
“When this conflict is over, and it will be soon, the entire world will be a much safer and better place, more peaceful place, and a place without the kind of danger that we had to suffer.”The war, which began on Feb 28 with US and Israeli strikes against Iran, has so far cost the lives of 23 US service members and wounded several hundred more, according to the latest Pentagon figures.
特朗普在讲话中表示，这场冲突不是由华盛顿挑起的，而是由德黑兰挑起的，伊朗“自1979年以来一直在对美国发动战争”。他强调，美军采取行动是为了阻止伊朗制造核武器的能力。
Trump said in his remarks that the conflict was started not by Washington but by Tehran, which “has been waging war on America since 1979.”He stressed that US forces were acting in order to halt Iran’s capacity to build a nuclear weapon.
在向部队、退伍军人及其政府高层官员发表的讲话中，特朗普点名了出席活动的国防部长皮特·赫格塞思，称他“干得非常出色”。11月10日，美国众议院共和党人阻止了一名即将离任的共和党议员发起的弹劾赫格塞思的努力。该议员指控赫格塞思在未经国会授权的情况下发动战争，并滥用其五角大楼负责人的权力。
During his speech before troops, veterans and top officials in his administration, Trump namechecked Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who was in attendance, saying he had “done a fantastic job.”Republicans in the US House of Representatives on Nov 10 blocked an effort – launched by an outgoing Republican lawmaker – to impeach Hegseth for allegedly waging war without congressional authorisation and abusing his powers as Pentagon chief.
80岁的特朗普出席了公墓无名战士墓的献花圈仪式。无名战士墓是美国阵亡军人的神圣象征。
Trump, 80, attended a wreath-laying ceremony at the cemetery’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a sacred symbol for America’s lost service members.
特朗普在讲话中提到了他希望就在公墓外建造的那座高250英尺（76米）的凯旋门，称它“很快”就会落成。11月10日，约翰·F·肯尼迪的家人请求法院阻止其建造，理由是这座巨型建筑会遮挡视线，并在这位遇刺总统及其他安葬于阿灵顿国家公墓的肯尼迪家族成员墓地上投下阴影。该项目还面临一群退伍军人、华盛顿市和弗吉尼亚州的诉讼。
During his remarks, Trump brought up the issue of the 250-foot-tall (76m) triumphal arch he hopes to build just outside the cemetery, saying it would be dedicated “soon.”On Nov 10, the family of John F. Kennedy asked a court to prevent its construction, arguing the massive structure would block views of and cast shadows over the gravesites of the slain president and other Kennedy relatives buried at Arlington National Cemetery. The project also faces lawsuits from a group of veterans, the city of Washington and the state of Virginia.