VOA慢速英语2011--Iraq War Ends, an Uncertain Future Begins

IN THE NEWS - Iraq War Ends, an Uncertain Future Begins

 

新闻报道 - 伊拉克战争结束，伊拉克前途未卜

This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

这里是美国之音慢速英语新闻报道。

This week, the war in Iraq officially ended.

本周，伊拉克战争正式结束。

American troops lowered their command's flag on Thursday in a ceremonial close to nearly nine years of conflict. Defense¹ Secretary Leon Panetta spoke² at the ceremony at a heavily protected area of an airport in Baghdad.

美国军队在近9年冲突的结束仪式上降下了军旗。仪式在巴格达机场一片严密保护的区域进行，美国国防部长帕内塔在仪式上发言。

LEON PANETTA: "To be sure, the cost was high -- the blood and treasure of the United States and also for the Iraqi people. But those lives have not been lost in vain. They gave birth to an independent, free and sovereign Iraq."

帕内塔：“可以肯定的是，这场战争代价巨大，美国付出了生命和金钱的代价，伊拉克人民也是如此。但这些生命没有白白牺牲。他们带来了一个独立、自由和具有主权的伊拉克。”

Tens of thousands of Iraqis died in the military campaign known as Operation New Dawn. So did more than four thousand Americans. The American-led invasion quickly ousted³ Iraqi ruler Saddam Hussein. But violence between competing groups grew and pushed Iraq toward civil war. The violence has decreased sharply. But insurgents⁴, some of them operating with Iranian support, continue attacks.

在这次被称为“新黎明行动”的军事行动中，数以万计的伊拉克人死亡，还包括4千多名美国人死亡。美国领导的入侵行动很快把伊拉克统治者萨达姆赶下了台。但各方之间的暴力增加，并将伊拉克推向内战。暴力事件已经急剧下降。但一些叛乱分子在伊朗的支持下继续发动袭击。

Some American officials wanted to keep several thousand troops in Iraq after December thirty-first. The two countries agreed to that withdrawal⁵ date three years ago, when George W. Bush was still president. But the Obama administration failed to reach an agreement with Iraq on legal protection for American troops. A small number of troops will remain, mainly to protect diplomats⁶.

一些美国官员希望12月31日后在伊拉克保留数千名美军。三年前，美伊两国达成了这一撤军日期，当时小布什仍是总统。但奥巴马政府未能与伊拉克就美军的法律保护达成协议。少量美军仍将留在伊拉克，主要是为了保护外交官。

United States Army soldiers load trucks as they begin their journey home to their base in Texas.

This week, some Iraqis celebrated⁷ the withdrawal of American troops. Others expressed worry, including Mohhamed Abbad Hussein, who is recovering from a bomb explosion.

本周，一些伊拉克人庆祝美军撤离。另一些人则表示担心，其中就包括刚从炸弹爆炸中康复的Mohhamed Abbad Hussein。

ABBAD HUSSEIN (IN ARABIC): "It's never going to end. People are going to continue to suffer. As long as there is a political crisis, it's never going to end."

ABBAD HUSSEIN（阿拉伯语）：“这永远不会结束，人们还将继续受罪。只要政治危机不解决，这一切就不会结束。”

Murtadha Homadi, a guard with a local security company, had mixed feelings about the war.

当地一家保安公司的警卫Murtadha Homadi对这场战争感情复杂。

MURTADHA HOMADI (IN ARABIC): "We were really happy that Saddam Hussein fell. But, after that, many bad things happened, especially when al-Qaida started setting off bomb."

MURTADHA HOMADI（阿拉伯文）：“我们对萨达姆下台真的非常高兴。但是在这之后发生了许多不好的事情，尤其是当基地组织开始引爆炸弹。”

Eleven-year-old Gohfran Yassir of Baghdad says she is always afraid.

巴格达地区11岁的Gohfran Yassir说她总是害怕。

GOHFRAN YASSIR: "I am scared that a bomb will go off, explosions and we will die, or we will be kidnapped or killed."

Gohfran Yassir：“我担心炸弹会爆炸，我们会被炸死，或者会被绑架或杀害。”

Many Iraqis worry that their country will fail if it is controlled only by politicians and religious militias⁸. Human rights activist⁹ Sundus Abass says Iraq's future may depend more on the will of its people.

许多伊拉克人担心如果国家由政客和宗教组织控制，伊拉克将会失败。人权活动家Sundus Abass表示，伊拉克的未来可能更多取决于人民的意愿。

SUNDUS ABASS: "I am like other Iraqis, I am worried about this. I am worried. Honestly yes, I am worried. Because there is no, nothing who can tell us that it will be fine after the Americans troops withdraw from Iraq. I think yes there will be more violence in Iraq."

SUNDUS ABASS：“我像其他伊拉克人一样担心这些。因为没有任何人可以告诉我们，美军从伊拉克撤离后一切都会没事。是的，我认为伊拉克会发生更多暴力。”

The invasion took place in March of two thousand three. Soldiers from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, were among the first to enter Iraq. They also helped lead the troop increase in two thousand seven. This week, President Obama visited Fort Bragg to thank returning troops.

入侵行动始于2003年3月。来自北卡罗莱纳州布拉格堡（军事基地）的士兵是率先进入伊拉克人员的一部分。2007年他们还协助负责了增兵。本周，奥巴马总统访问布拉格堡向回撤中的部队致谢。

BARACK OBAMA: "So as your commander in chief, and on behalf of a grateful nation, I am proud to finally say these two words, and I know your families agree: Welcome home. [Cheers] "

奥巴马：“我作为三军总司令，也代表一个对你们充满感恩的国家，骄傲地终于向你们说出你们家人也会有同感的话：欢迎回家。[欢呼声]”

Mr. Obama spoke of the sacrifices made by service members.

奥巴马先生谈到了服役人员所做出的牺牲。

BARACK OBAMA: "More than 1.5 million Americans have served in Iraq -- 1.5 million. Over thirty thousand Americans have been wounded. Those are only the wounds that show. Nearly forty-five hundred Americans made the ultimate sacrifice."

奥巴马：“超过150万美国人曾在伊拉克服役，超过3万美国人受伤。这还只是受伤的，近4500名美国人作出了最大的牺牲（即献出了生命）。”

Mr. Obama called the results of the war "an extraordinary achievement."

奥巴马先生称这一战争结局为“非凡成就。”

BARACK OBAMA: "Iraq is not a perfect place. It has many challenges ahead. But we are leaving behind a sovereign, stable and self-reliant Iraq, with a representative government that was elected by its people."

奥巴马：“伊拉克还不尽完美，它面临着诸多挑战。但我们留下了一个具有主权，稳定和自力更生的伊拉克，以及一个人民自己选出来的代议制政府。”

And that's IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. I'm Steve Ember.
___

Contributing: Carla Babb, Sharon Behn, Kent Klein and Luis Ramirez

1 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。

2 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

3 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

4 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

5 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

6 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

8 militias   

n.民兵组织，民兵( militia的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias. 部队并不打算解除战斗中的民兵武装。 来自辞典例句
• The neighborhood was a battleground for Shiite and Sunni militias. 那里曾是什叶派和逊尼派武装分子的战场。 来自互联网

9 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。