奥巴马视察美国中央情报局
几天前，美国政府部门公布了前布什政府有关对恐怖份子嫌疑人使用严酷审讯手段的备忘录。备忘录对相关法律依据做了陈述，一度被列为机密。
The memos were graphic and troubling. The four documents - issued under the Bush administration - revealed details of interrogation techniques like simulated drowning that have been condemned around the world.
刚刚解密的那些备忘录，其中的一些细节非常令人不安。布什政府期间出台的这4份文件，详细列举了一些审讯手段，包括目前在全世界都受到谴责的模仿溺水的水刑。
President Obama banned the use of these techniques shortly after assuming office in January. He told CIA employees that it is time for the nation in general and the intelligence community in particular to move forward.
奥巴马总统今年1月份上任后不久即下令终止上述审讯方式。奥巴马星期一访问中央情报局总部时，对该部门的员工表示，对美国公众，尤其是情报部门来说，如今是向前看的时候了。
"We have to acknowledge potentially we have made some mistakes," said President Obama. "That is how we learn. But the fact that we are willing to acknowledge them and then move forward that is precisely why I am proud to be President of the United States and that is why you should be proud to be members of the CIA."
他说："我们必须要承认，我们可能犯了一些错误，只有这样，才能得到教训，引以为鉴。不过，我们能够勇于承认这些过错，然后继续迈步向前。这一点，让我作为美国总统，从内心感到骄傲；这一点，也应该让中央情报局的各位员工，从内心感到骄傲。"
In his brief remarks, Mr. Obama sought to explain his decision to release the memos and to lift the spirits of CIA employees.
奥巴马在简短的讲话中，解释了他为什么决定公布那些备忘录，以及弘扬中央情报局员工士气的重要性。
He said he acted because a court case was expected to force the release of the documents anyway and because much of the secret information had already been leaked to the news media.
他说，他做出上述决定，是因为即使他不这么做的话，法庭正在审理的一个案件也将迫使这些备忘录被公布于众，而且个中的机密内容，早些时候也已经被媒体曝光了。
