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US military leaders have suggested for the first time that ground troops could become involved in combating Islamist militants in Iraq, despite repeated assurances to the contrary from President Barack Obama.
美国军方领导人首次表示，美军地面部队可能参与打击伊拉克境内的伊斯兰主义武装分子，尽管美国总统巴拉克•奥巴马(Barack Obama)一再作出相反保证。
General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, told Congress yesterday that US troops already in Iraq could play a “close combat advisory role” in fighting against forces from the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, or Isis.
美国参谋长联席会议主席马丁•邓普西(Martin Dempsey)上将昨日对美国国会表示，已经在伊拉克的美军可能在打击伊拉克和黎凡特伊斯兰国(ISIS)武装分子的战斗中扮演“近战顾问角色”。
“If we reach the point where I believe our advisers should accompany Iraqi troops on attacks against specific [Isis] targets, I’ll recommend that to the president,” he said.
他说：“如果到了我认为我们的顾问应该协同伊拉克部队对特定(ISIS)目标发动攻击的时候，我会向总统作出建议。”
The US has about 1,600 troops in Iraq, protecting US sites such as the embassy in Baghdad and serving as advisers to the Iraqi military on planning and co-ordination.
美军目前在伊拉克有大约1600名官兵，以保护美国的一些机构，比如巴格达美国大使馆，并在规划和协调方面担任伊拉克军队的顾问。
In a speech to the nation last week outlining his new strategy for taking on Isis, Mr Obama insisted there would be no US “boots on the ground” in Iraq or Syria. “This will be different from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.”
奥巴马上周对全国发表讲话，介绍他对ISIS的新战略，坚称美军“不会踏上（伊拉克或叙利亚）的地面”。他说：“这将与伊拉克战争和阿富汗战争不同。”
Although US public opinion appears to be behind air strikes against Isis, especially after the release of gruesome videos of the beheading of two journalists, the White House is worried about a backlash against any open-ended commitment that involves a return to Iraq for US troops.
虽然美国舆论似乎支持空袭ISIS，尤其在两名记者被斩首的可怕视频发布后，但白宫担心任何涉及美军重返伊拉克的无止境承诺都会招致反弹。
The US expanded the scope of its air strikes in Iraq on Monday when it came to the aid of Iraqi forces fighting Isis southwest of Baghdad. US air strikes over the past month have focused on preventing humanitarian disasters or halting attacks on key infrastructure projects.
美国在本周一扩大在伊拉克空袭的范围，帮助伊拉克部队迎击巴格达西南方向的ISIS武装力量。过去一个月里，美军的空中打击聚焦于防止人道主义灾难或挫败对关键基础设施的袭击。
