2007年VOA标准英语-Bush Stands Firm in Opposing Iraq Timetable
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（单词翻译）
By Michael Bowman
Washington
23 April 2007
President Bush has restated his opposition2 to any timetable for a withdrawal3 of U.S. forces from Iraq, continuing a showdown with opposition Democrats4 over funding of the war. VOA's Michael Bowman reports from the White House, where Mr. Bush met with the top U.S. commander in Iraq Monday.
multinational1 force in Iraq" hspace="2" src="http://www.tingroom.com/upimg/allimg/070601/1029070.jpg" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" />
President Bush makes a statement on the war in Iraq in White House, 23 Apr 2007. With him is Gen. David Petraeus, commander of the multinational force in Iraq
With rhetoric5 growing more heated with every passing day, President Bush traded verbal barbs6 with Senate Majority Leader Harry7 Reid, who remains8 determined9 to send Mr. Bush a war funding bill with target dates for pulling most troops out of Iraq.
Reid released excerpts10 from a speech in which he accused the president of being in a state of denial over Iraq, and said the Democratic-led Congress will show him the way towards a new strategy for the country.
After meeting with the commander of the Iraq war, General David Petraeus, Mr. Bush fired back at the senator.
"I believe strongly that politicians in Washington should not be telling generals how to do their job," said Mr. Bush.
The President repeated his contention11 that setting a withdrawal date for U.S. military forces in Iraq would be disastrous12 for both nations.
"An artificial timetable of withdrawal would say to an enemy, 'just wait them out.' It would say to the Iraqis, 'do not do hard things necessary to achieve our objectives,' and it would be discouraging to our troops," he added.
Mr. Bush acknowledged that Iraq continues to be plagued by what he termed "horrific violence." But he insisted that the ongoing13 build-up of U.S. forces in Iraq is showing some signs of progress in alleviating14 sectarian strife15 and giving the Iraqi government, as he put it, "breathing space" to consolidate16 democratic rule.
That assertion is fiercely contested by many Democrats, who say the surge is merely deepening a strategy that has already failed. Democrats like Senator Reid say what Iraq desperately17 needs is a political solution among its warring factions18, but that the impetus19 for compromise is lessened20 if Iraqis believe U.S. forces will remain indefinitely.
President Bush has promised to veto any war funding bill that contains a withdrawal timetable. The Pentagon says it urgently needs an infusion21 of new funds to continue operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
