2006年VOA标准英语-Bush to Meet with National Security Team on Ira

By Paula Wolfson
White House
27 December 2006

President Bush holds private consultations¹ Thursday at his Texas ranch² with members of his national security team. VOA's Paula Wolfson reports from the White House that Mr. Bush is expected to announce a revised Iraq strategy in early 2007.

 
George W. Bush
The president will confer with his top advisers⁴ in seclusion⁵ on the grounds of his ranch in Crawford, Texas.

Aides say he will make a few brief public comments when the meeting is over, but they stress this is not a decision-making session.

White House spokesman Scott Stanzel says it is an opportunity for Mr. Bush to review options, and ask more questions.

"This is a time for the president to be talking with his advisers about all the potential options, making sure that due consideration is given to the next steps, making sure that we are thinking through the new way forward in Iraq to take into account all the differing views," he said.

At a briefing for reporters near the Bush ranch, Stanzel said the meeting is likely to begin fairly early Thursday.

He said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense⁷ Secretary Robert Gates would arrive on Wednesday, and the remaining participants would follow first thing in the morning. They include the nation's top military officer, General Peter Pace, and White House National Security Adviser³ Stephen Hadley.

 
Saddam Hussein sits in court in Baghdad, 19 Dec 2006
Stanzel was then asked about the potential for increased violence in Iraq when the death sentence handed down on ousted⁸ President Saddam Hussein is finally carried out.

He said terrorists and Saddam's supporters have always been willing to seize on any opportunity to promote violence. He indicated Iraqi and coalition⁹ security forces are well aware of the potential.

"We have seen in the past that the enemies have worked to use any excuse to foment¹⁰ violence and that is something that we are monitoring," he said.

Stanzel was also asked if the funeral of former U.S. President Gerald Ford⁶ might prompt the president to delay any announcement on Iraq. The White House spokesman said that would not be the case, adding the president still intends to unveil his revised strategy in January.

1 consultations   

n.磋商（会议）( consultation的名词复数 )；商讨会；协商会；查找

参考例句：

• Consultations can be arranged at other times by appointment. 磋商可以通过预约安排在其他时间。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Consultations are under way. 正在进行磋商。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

2 ranch   

n.大牧场，大农场

参考例句：

• He went to work on a ranch.他去一个大农场干活。
• The ranch is in the middle of a large plateau.该牧场位于一个辽阔高原的中部。

3 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

4 advisers   

顾问，劝告者( adviser的名词复数 )； （指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• a member of the President's favoured circle of advisers 总统宠爱的顾问班子中的一员
• She withdrew to confer with her advisers before announcing a decision. 她先去请教顾问然后再宣布决定。

5 seclusion   

n.隐遁，隔离

参考例句：

• She liked to sunbathe in the seclusion of her own garden.她喜欢在自己僻静的花园里晒日光浴。
• I live very much in seclusion these days.这些天我过着几乎与世隔绝的生活。

6 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

7 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。

8 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。

9 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

10 foment   

v.煽动，助长

参考例句：

• The rebels know the truth and seek to foment revolution.那些叛乱者知道真相，并且想办法来挑起革命。
• That's an attempt to foment discord.这是挑拨。