2006年VOA标准英语-Rice, Rumsfeld Visit Baghdad Amid Hints of

By Al Pessin
Baghdad
26 April 2006
 
The U.S. secretaries of state and defense¹ are both in Baghdad for what officials say is an unprecedented² joint³ visit to show strong support for the country's newly elected leaders. During the visit, the top U.S. military commander in Iraq said the parliament's vote on Saturday was a "major step" toward enabling him to recommend a reduction in U.S. troop strength in the country, but he is not quite ready to do so yet.

------------------------------------------------------

Condoleezza Rice, right, meets with Iraqi PM-designate Jawad al-Maliki  in Baghdad, April 26, 2006  
  

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld staged a unique photo opportunity for any foreign leader, posing with Iraq's designated Prime Minister Jawad al-Maliki just four days after he was elected by parliament. The vote marked the end of four months of political deadlock⁴, and U.S. officials hope it also marks the beginning of a new phase of progress in addressing Iraq's daunting⁵ problems - the insurgency⁶, powerful militias⁸ that challenge the central government's power, economic problems and still-faltering public services, among others.

Secretary Rice called the new prime minister "really impressive" and said he is focused on finding competent people to run his ministries⁹, particularly for the key posts at defense and interior so that all Iraqis can feel that this is their government. She also disputed the suggestion that the high-profile visit by the two senior U.S. cabinet officials might appear to some to call the new prime minister's autonomy into question.

 
From left: US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Iraq's President Jalal Talabani and US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld 
  
"We know that he has not always agreed with us or us with him, but he is somebody who has always had the interests of the Iraqis at heart and worked hard on their behalf," said Rice. "And people can say whatever they please, but this is a sovereign government, a permanent government, a government that is being formed out of an electoral process in which Iraqis voted in overwhelming numbers, and it's the most democratic process ever in the Middle East."

Secretary Rice said Prime Minister-designate Malaki is particularly focused on gaining control of the sectarian militias, which U.S. and Iraqi officials say represent the biggest long-term threat to the country's security. Secretary Rice said it is too early to expect details because the new government has not yet been formed. But she said as Iraqi security forces improve, part of the reason for the militias to exist will disappear. Rice and Secretary Rumsfeld said the solution to the militia⁷ problem may well be more political than military.

Regarding the question of future U.S. troop levels, Secretary Rumsfeld said he discussed it with the new Iraqi officials on Wednesday, but they were not demanding any rapid U.S. withdrawal¹⁰.

"What we did talk about was the importance of the new government meeting with General Casey and his people and discussing the kind of steps that will be taken to continue to transfer over responsibility to the Iraqis so that we can continue to reduce coalition¹¹ forces," he said. "But there was no one who came up and said, 'Gee¹², we think there ought to be more' or less, at all."

Earlier in the day, the top U.S. military commander in Iraq said his intention to recommend a significant reduction in U.S. troop levels in the country later this year is basically on track, in part thanks to the selection of the country's future seven top leaders on Saturday. But General George Casey said he wants to see a few more steps toward stability before he makes his recommendation. 
 

General George Casey (l) with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld  
  
"I've said let's wait until we get a government formed," he said. "We've got the leadership here, we need to get the ministers formed, get them in the job and we'll see how they go. But I'm still on my general timeline."

General Casey has previously¹³ said he expected to make a recommendation this spring that could include a fairly significant troop reduction. He also noted¹⁴ Wednesday that the process of transferring security authority to the new Iraqi army and police force has already begun in several parts of the country.

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 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

3 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

4 deadlock   

n.僵局，僵持

参考例句：

• The negotiations reached a deadlock after two hours.两小时后，谈判陷入了僵局。
• The employers and strikers are at a deadlock over the wage.雇主和罢工者在工资问题上相持不下。

5 daunting   

adj.使人畏缩的

参考例句：

• They were faced with the daunting task of restoring the house.他们面临着修复房子的艰巨任务。
• Starting a new job can be a daunting prospect.开始一项新工作有时会让人望而却步。

6 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

7 militia   

n.民兵，民兵组织

参考例句：

• First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面，其次是民兵。
• There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。

8 militias   

n.民兵组织，民兵( militia的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias. 部队并不打算解除战斗中的民兵武装。 来自辞典例句
• The neighborhood was a battleground for Shiite and Sunni militias. 那里曾是什叶派和逊尼派武装分子的战场。 来自互联网

9 ministries   

（政府的）部( ministry的名词复数 )； 神职； 牧师职位； 神职任期

参考例句：

• Local authorities must refer everything to the central ministries. 地方管理机构应请示中央主管部门。
• The number of Ministries has been pared down by a third. 部委的数量已经减少了1/3。

10 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。

11 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。

12 gee   

n.马；int.向右！前进！，惊讶时所发声音；v.向右转

参考例句：

• Their success last week will gee the team up.上星期的胜利将激励这支队伍继续前进。
• Gee,We're going to make a lot of money.哇！我们会赚好多钱啦！

13 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

14 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。