2006年VOA标准英语-Bush Says Iraq Troop Withdrawal Would Enda

By Scott Stearns
Washington
03 February 2006

President Bush says a premature¹ withdrawal² of U.S. troops from Iraq would make America less secure. 

 
President Bush in New Mexico
  
President Bush says he understands that some Americans are anxious about the future, with a changing job market at home and U.S. troops continuing to die in Iraq.

Mr. Bush said there is a tendency in American economic and foreign policy to pull-back in times of uncertainty³, with some people asking why Washington should try to compete or spread freedom when the world is a dangerous place.

The president said that it would be a missed opportunity to lay the foundation of peace for generations to come.

"See, part of my foreign policy is this," Mr. Bush said.  I believe that there is an Almighty⁴, and I believe that the Almighty's gift to everybody on the face of the earth, regardless of where they live, or regardless of their religion, is freedom.  And I believe, deep in everybody's soul, is the deep desire to live in freedom.  And I believe that this country, if it were to retreat, would miss an opportunity to help others realize their dream.  And I also know that history has proven that free societies yield the peace that we all want."

President Bush continued to follow-up on many of the themes from Tuesday's State of the Union address, during a Friday panel discussion in the southwest state of New Mexico about increasing American competitiveness.

 
tech jobs outsourced to India 
  
Mr. Bush said he recognizes there is anxiety in the nation about increased competition for jobs from China and India, but he said the world is going to be competitive, whether America is in the mix or not.  If U.S. children do not learn the skills to compete for more high-tech⁵ jobs, Mr. Bush said those jobs are not going to go away, they are going to go overseas.

He is pushing Congress for more funding for math and science education and greater federal spending on research and development.

Militarily, the president rejected calls by some Congressional Democrats⁶ for a more detailed⁷ breakdown⁸ of what needs to happen in Iraq before U.S. troop levels there decrease.

He said those decisions will be made by commanders on the ground, not by politicians in Washington.

1 premature   

adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的

参考例句：

• It is yet premature to predict the possible outcome of the dialogue.预言这次对话可能有什么结果为时尚早。
• The premature baby is doing well.那个早产的婴儿很健康。

2 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。

3 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

4 almighty   

adj.全能的，万能的；很大的，很强的

参考例句：

• Those rebels did not really challenge Gods almighty power.这些叛徒没有对上帝的全能力量表示怀疑。
• It's almighty cold outside.外面冷得要命。

5 high-tech   

adj.高科技的

参考例句：

• The economy is in the upswing which makes high-tech services in more demand too.经济在蓬勃发展，这就使对高科技服务的需求量也在加大。
• The quest of a cure for disease with high-tech has never ceased. 人们希望运用高科技治疗疾病的追求从未停止过。

6 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

8 breakdown   

n.垮，衰竭；损坏，故障，倒塌

参考例句：

• She suffered a nervous breakdown.她患神经衰弱。
• The plane had a breakdown in the air,but it was fortunately removed by the ace pilot.飞机在空中发生了故障，但幸运的是被王牌驾驶员排除了。