War clouds hover over Tripoli

 

    TRIPOLI, March 20 (Xinhua) -- War clouds are gathering¹ over here as Western forces have started launched air strikes against Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's forces after a no-fly zone is imposed on Libya.
    At around 02:30 a.m. local time (00:30 GMT) on Sunday, missiles（导弹） whistling　from the sea hit the Tajura area near Tripoli and the ensuing huge explosions sounded over the Libyan capital of Tripoli.
    The air-defense² forces loyal to Gaddafi immediately fought back with anti-craft guns, misbelieving Western warplanes were coming to attack. The traces of anti-aircraft gun shots could been seen in the night sky over Tripoli.
    Intensive anti-aircraft guns lasted about 10 minutes in the southern and southwestern part of the city.
    Soon in the early Sunday morning, some angry local residents rushed to a hotel in Tripoli, where foreign journalists stay, to protest the air assaults carried out by the Western forces.
    The world's major powers, Britain, the United States and France, Saturday started to launch strikes from the air and sea against Gaddafi's forces after the UN Security Council had passed a resolution to impose a no-fly zone on Libya and protect civilians⁴ in Libya.
    France carried out initial four air strikes, while the U.S. military said 112 Tomahawk cruise missiles were fired from American and British ships and submarines at more than 20 Libyan coastal⁵ targets.
    French warplanes Saturday night attacked an air defense site in Tajura, about 10 km east of Tripoli, and destroyed several armored vehicles of the Libyan government troops near Benghazi, the last stronghold of Libyan rebels.
    Libyan Parliament Speaker Mohammed Abul-Qassim al-Zwai told a press conference that foreign fighter jets hit Tripoli and Misurata, which caused many casualties.
    Sixty-four people have been killed and 150 others wounded in the air strikes since Saturday, Libya's health officials said on Sunday.
    Western warplanes have bombed civilian³ targets in Tripoli, causing the casualties（伤亡人数）, and several fuel tanks were also hit, Libya's state television reported.
    In a brief audio message carried out by Libya's state television hours after the air strike, Gaddafi called the Western attacks as "a crusader war" against the Libyan people, saying that the air strikes were designed to "terrify the Libyan people" and were "terrorist means."Gaddafi vowed⁶ to snatch a victory over Western forces, saying the western forces would be defeated.
    All the Libyan people were united and have been given weapons, "ready for a long war" in the country, he said.
    U.S. Chairman of the Joint⁷ Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen said on Sunday that the initial stage of an international operation to set up a no-fly zone over Libya "has been successful."Speaking to ABC's "This Week" news program, Mullen said the Libyan government forces' advance on rebel stronghold Benghazi has been stopped, adding the operation has "limited goals," and isn't aimed at regime change in Libya.
    The UN Security Council Thursday adopted a resolution to impose a no-fly zone on Libya and authorize⁸ "all necessary measures," excluding ground troops, to protect civilians in the embattled country.
    On Saturday afternoon, French President Nicolas Sarkozy invited leaders from some Arab countries and main Western powers to attend an emergency summit held at the Elysee Palace on the implementation⁹ on the UN resolution on imposing¹⁰ a no-fly zone on Libya.
    After the emergency summit, Sarkozy said France had already taken military action against Libya, noting "our determination is total."Earlier Saturday, several French reconnaissance planes were flying over Libya. French warplanes also fired the first shots Saturday, destroying tanks and armored vehicles near Benghazi.
    Denmark dispatched six F-16 jet fighters to the U.S. base in Sicilia, Italy, preparing to participate in action against the Libyan government forces.
    In addition, British and Canadian warplanes are on their way to join their NATO allies' operations against Gaddafi. Italy has agreed to open seven military bases for the operations.
    On Saturday afternoon before Western forces started the air strikes, the Libyan government invited a group of foreign journalists to visit a camp in Tripoli where Gaddafi reportedly resides in. Thousands of people, including many women and children were gathering there to protest any air strikes by western countries.
    On Sunday morning, more Libyans joined the protests in Tripoli against Western forces amid fresh waves of air assaults by Western warplanes.(本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)

1 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

2 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

3 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

4 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

5 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

6 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

7 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

8 authorize   

v.授权，委任；批准，认可

参考例句：

• He said that he needed to get his supervisor to authorize my refund.他说必须让主管人员批准我的退款。
• Only the President could authorize the use of the atomic bomb.只有总统才能授权使用原子弹。

9 implementation   

n.实施，贯彻

参考例句：

• Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。

10 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。