2006年VOA标准英语-Rice Defends Iraq Policy in Australia, Enc

By David Gollust
Sydney
16 March 2006
 
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has thanked Australia for its role in Iraq and predicted that democracy-building there will succeed. In Sydney, she encountered heckling by anti-war protesters in a forum¹ with university students.

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Though the Australian government has backed the United States with the deployment² of several-hundred troops in Iraq, opinion polls here indicate that a majority of Australians are concerned about the war and the direction of U.S. foreign policy. 

 

Protestors are blocked by mounted police out the Sydney Conservatorium of Music during an address by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Sydney Thursday, March 16, 2006  
  

The misgivings³ were evident at a public forum Secretary Rice held with students at the University of Sydney. Anti-war activists⁴ demonstrated outside the hall, while inside, the secretary's appearance was twice disrupted by a handful of protesters who shouted, before being escorted outside, that the she is a war criminal with blood on her hands.

Protester: "Iraqi blood is on your hands, and you can not wash that blood away!"
Rice: "I am very glad to see that democracy is well and alive here at the university. I am also especially glad to note that democracy will now also be alive and well at the university of Kabul and the university of Baghdad."

The secretary said she understood that many oppose the approach the Bush administration took after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and that criticism in a democracy is fair.

But she said it cannot be argued that the Middle East of 2001 was a better place than it is today, with what she called the "malignancy" of the region's politics producing the terrorism of al-Qaida, with Saddam Hussein still in power in Baghdad, while Syrian forces controlled Lebanon, and the Palestinian Authority was in the hands of Yasser Arafat.

"It is not as if the administration's policies have somehow upset a pristine⁵ and stable Middle East that was marching toward progress," she said. "In fact it has overturned 60 years of policies that turned a blind eye to the freedom gap in the Middle East, that turned a blind eye or responded weakly to terrorist attack, after terrorist attack, after terrorist attack. And I know that that is hard. But I believe that history will demonstrate that it was the right decision

Earlier at a meeting with Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, she expressed gratitude⁶ for the sacrifices of U.S. allies such as Australia, who were determined⁷, as she put it, "to see the Iraqi people of Iraq have this chance." She said despite daily headlines of violence, there is a very good chance that Iraqis, with the support of the U.S.-led military coalition⁸, will build a good foundation for a stable and secure country over the next couple of years.

Australia has about a thousand soldiers in Iraq, mainly in the southern part of the country, protecting non-combat Japanese soldiers involved in reconstruction⁹ projects.

Several hundred more Australians are in coalition support roles in the Middle East, and the country's defense¹⁰ minister, Brendan Nelson, said this week Australia will maintain its presence well into 2007.

1 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

2 deployment   

n. 部署,展开

参考例句：

• He has inquired out the deployment of the enemy troops. 他已查出敌军的兵力部署情况。
• Quality function deployment (QFD) is a widely used customer-driven quality, design and manufacturing management tool. 质量功能展开(quality function deployment,QFD)是一个广泛应用的顾客需求驱动的设计、制造和质量管理工具。

3 misgivings   

n.疑虑，担忧，害怕；疑虑，担心，恐惧( misgiving的名词复数 )；疑惧

参考例句：

• I had grave misgivings about making the trip. 对于这次旅行我有过极大的顾虑。
• Don't be overtaken by misgivings and fear. Just go full stream ahead! 不要瞻前顾后， 畏首畏尾。甩开膀子干吧！ 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 pristine   

adj.原来的，古时的，原始的，纯净的，无垢的

参考例句：

• He wiped his fingers on his pristine handkerchief.他用他那块洁净的手帕擦手指。
• He wasn't about to blemish that pristine record.他本不想去玷污那清白的过去。

6 gratitude   

adj.感激，感谢

参考例句：

• I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。
• She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。

7 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

8 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。

9 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。

10 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。