2006年VOA标准英语-Britain's Reid: Iraq Withdrawal Requires C

By Margaret Besheer
Washington
06 April 2006

Britain's Secretary of Defense¹ says trained, capable Iraqi troops and a broad representative government are the keys to a successful Iraq, as well as the exit strategy for coalition² forces. John Reid told an audience Wednesday that achieving these goals is the highest priority.

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John Reid (file photo)   
  

Secretary of Defense Reid says Britain's 8,000 troops will leave Iraq when their mission there is complete.

"We will leave Iraq when the job is done. When will the job be done?" he asked. "When the Iraqi government, itself democratically elected, says we now have the security forces to counter the terrorist threat and their attempts to bring down democracy. As soon as they say that is now their position, then we will be off."

But the Scottish-born defense secretary told a Washington audience not to expect an exodus³ of troops all at once.

"That will not be an event which happens everywhere in Iraq on the one day, it will be a process that will start in some provinces sooner than in others, but as soon as the Iraqis themselves feel they are capable to defend their own democracy, then that process of handover will begin," said Reid. "Until that stage, we and the other nations - predominantly the United States, but other nations as well - we will be there as long as it takes."

Reid is in Washington this week for meetings on Iraq and Afghanistan with top Bush administration officials, including his counterpart Donald Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. He reiterated⁴ Britain's support for its commitment in Iraq.

"This is not the time for shaky nerves and lack of will to see this through in Iraq," he said. "This is the time for firm resolve and for seeing through the commitment we gave to the democratic politicians of Iraq and to the courageous⁵ people of Iraq."

Britain is also in the process of expanding its troop presence in Afghanistan. About 1,000 British troops are already on the ground there as part of the NATO mission. Those numbers are slated⁶ to rise to about 5,700.  Reid said British troops are in that country to help the democratically-elected government of President Hamid Karzai to develop its government, economy and security forces so that it will never fall under the control of the Taleban or other terrorists again.

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 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。

3 exodus   

v.大批离去，成群外出

参考例句：

• The medical system is facing collapse because of an exodus of doctors.由于医生大批离去，医疗系统面临崩溃。
• Man's great challenge at this moment is to prevent his exodus from this planet.人在当前所遇到的最大挑战，就是要防止人从这个星球上消失。

4 reiterated   

反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• "Well, I want to know about it,'she reiterated. “嗯，我一定要知道你的休假日期，"她重复说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Some twenty-two years later President Polk reiterated and elaborated upon these principles. 大约二十二年之后，波尔克总统重申这些原则并且刻意阐释一番。

5 courageous   

adj.勇敢的，有胆量的

参考例句：

• We all honour courageous people.我们都尊重勇敢的人。
• He was roused to action by courageous words.豪言壮语促使他奋起行动。

6 slated   

用石板瓦盖( slate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Yuki is working up an in-home phonics program slated for Thursdays, and I'm drilling her on English conversation at dinnertime. Yuki每周四还有一次家庭语音课。我在晚餐时训练她的英语口语。
• Bromfield was slated to become U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. 布罗姆菲尔德被提名为美国农业部长。