Talabani Wants US to Keep 10,000 Troops in Iraq Long-Term

塔拉巴尼盼一万美军长驻伊拉克

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani says he wants U.S. forces to remain in Iraq for a long time to prevent what he describes as "foreign interference" in the country.

Mr. Talabani tells the Washington Post newspaper that he would like the U.S. to keep at least two air bases and 10-thousand troops in Iraq in the long term. There are currently 147-thousand U.S. troops in Iraq.

Mr. Talabani, who is an Iraqi Kurd, says the U.S. would be welcome to establish long-term bases in the Kurdistan autonomous region of northern Iraq.

He also says that in some parts of Iraq, Sunni Muslims want the Americans to stay, because they fear the influence of Iran, a majority Shi'ite country.

伊拉克总统塔拉巴尼说，他希望美国军队在伊拉克长期驻守下去，以阻止“外国势力对伊拉克的干涉”。

塔拉巴尼接受美国华盛顿邮报采访时说，他希望美国能够在伊拉克长期保留至少两个空军基地和一万名军人。目前美国有14万7千名军人驻扎在伊拉克。

塔拉巴尼是伊拉克库尔德人。他说，伊拉克欢迎美国在伊拉克北部库尔德斯坦自治区建立长期的基地。

塔拉巴尼还表示，在伊拉克一些地区，逊尼派穆斯林希望美国人留下来，因为他们担心伊朗这个以什叶派穆斯林为主的国家的影响。