2006年VOA标准英语-Bush: Iraq War Justified

By Scott Stearns
White House
18 March 2006

 
George Bush 
  
President Bush says U.S. troops are making progress in Iraq, three years after the start of fighting there.  Two-thirds of Americans say they disapprove¹ of the way the president is handling Iraq.

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With falling public support for the war, President Bush says he understands that Americans are skeptical² about how things are going there, amid what he calls horrific images of reprisal³ killings⁴, car bombings and kidnapping.

"Amid continued reports about the tense situation in parts of that country, it may seem difficult at times to understand how we can say that progress is being made," said Mr. Bush.  "But, the reaction to the recent violence by Iraq's leaders is a clear sign of Iraq's commitment to democracy."

In his weekly radio address, the president said he is encouraged that Iraqi politicians are making good progress toward forming a government of national unity⁵. He says the recent violence has given those leaders a new sense of urgency to put aside their political, religious and sectarian differences.

Only then, Mr. Bush says, can they confront terrorist threats and earn the confidence of the Iraqi people.

Coinciding with the third anniversary Sunday of the U.S.-led invasion, the president is giving a series of speeches meant to convince Americans that he has a strategy for victory in Iraq.

U.S. public opinion polls show nearly four-of-five Americans, and 70 percent of the president's own Republican Party, believe Iraq will collapse⁶ into civil war.

President Bush says he understands that many Americans are now wondering if the entire mission in Iraq was worth it. He says toppling Saddam Hussein is an achievement Americans can be proud of, because the world is better off without him in power.

Three years into that war, opposition⁷ Democrats⁸ say U.S. forces are fighting a growing insurgency⁹. In the Democratic radio address, California Senator Diane Feinstein says there has been little progress in improving Iraqi politics, security or reconstruction¹⁰.

"It didn't have to be this way, but the administration's dangerous incompetence¹¹ has made the job harder. And, now that Iraq is on the brink¹² of a civil war, it is more important than ever to do it right," she said.  "The political leaders who cherry-picked pre-war intelligence, who failed to plan to win the peace, who sent our troops into battle without body armor must now show the American people they have learned from their mistakes."

If success in Iraq were solely¹³ up to the U.S. military, Senator Feinstein says, there would be no doubt about the outcome. But, she says, success depends as well on the leadership of President Bush and the willingness of Iraqi politicians to compromise.

 
George Bush
  
  
President Bush says the last three years have tested America's resolve with hard days and setbacks, but U.S. troops have changed their approach to reflect the hard realities on the ground.

"More fighting and sacrifice will be required to achieve this victory, and for some, the temptation to retreat and abandon our commitments is strong," said Mr. Bush.  "Yet, there is no peace, there's no honor, and there's no security in retreat."

Mr. Bush says U.S. troops will finish the mission, and, by defeating terrorists in Iraq, they will make America safer.

1 disapprove   

v.不赞成，不同意，不批准

参考例句：

• I quite disapprove of his behaviour.我很不赞同他的行为。
• She wants to train for the theatre but her parents disapprove.她想训练自己做戏剧演员，但她的父母不赞成。

2 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

3 reprisal   

n.报复，报仇，报复性劫掠

参考例句：

• There is no political alternative but a big reprisal.政治上没有旁的选择只能是大规模报复。
• They bombed civilian targets in reprisal.他们炮轰平民目标作为报复。

4 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。

5 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

6 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

7 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

8 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》

9 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网

10 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。

11 incompetence   

n.不胜任，不称职

参考例句：

• He was dismissed for incompetence. 他因不称职而被解雇。
• She felt she had been made a scapegoat for her boss's incompetence. 她觉得，本是老板无能，但她却成了替罪羊。

12 brink   

n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿

参考例句：

• The tree grew on the brink of the cliff.那棵树生长在峭壁的边缘。
• The two countries were poised on the brink of war.这两个国家处于交战的边缘。

13 solely   

adv.仅仅，唯一地

参考例句：

• Success should not be measured solely by educational achievement.成功与否不应只用学业成绩来衡量。
• The town depends almost solely on the tourist trade.这座城市几乎完全靠旅游业维持。