2006年VOA标准英语-Bush Concerned About Somalia

By Paula Wolfson
White House
06 June 2006

President Bush says he is keeping a close watch on developments in Somalia, where Islamic fighters are on the move after taking control of the capital city, Mogadishu.

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President Bush, second right, stands with Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff after his speech about border security and immigration reform at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Artesia, New Mexico  
  

The president says the situation in Somalia provides plenty of reason for concern.

"Obviously, when there's instability anywhere in the world, we're concerned," said President Bush. "There is instability in Somalia."

Speaking to reporters during a tour of the U.S. border with Mexico, Mr. Bush said this instability could allow al-Qaida terrorists to move in and use Somalia as a base of operations.

"The first concern, of course, would be to make sure Somalia does not become an al-Qaida safe haven¹ - that it doesn't become a place from which terrorists can plot and plan," he said.

The president says he has discussed the problem with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and indicated they would hold further talks on the matter upon his return to Washington Wednesday afternoon.

"So we are watching very carefully the developments there and we will strategize more when I get back to Washington as to how best to respond to the latest incident there in Somalia," noted² George W. Bush.

Somali Islamic militia³ members rest next to a truck carrying an anti aircraft gun that they have seized from a secular⁴ alliance of warlords  
  
Islamic fighters in Somalia are now moving north after taking control of Mogadishu on Monday. Their next target is Jowhar, a city dominated by a coalition⁵ of warlords that fought the Islamists for months in the capital.

The Islamic militias⁶ have vowed⁷ to turn Somalia into a religious state. But the coalition of warlords insists the battle is not over in Mogadishu, and they will move to regain⁸ lost territory.

The Bush administration has refused to confirm or deny accusations⁹ that it has backed the warlords. When asked about the matter again on Tuesday, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said only that the United States has a strong interest in fighting foreign terrorists in the Horn of Africa

1 haven   

n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所

参考例句：

• It's a real haven at the end of a busy working day.忙碌了一整天后，这真是一个安乐窝。
• The school library is a little haven of peace and quiet.学校的图书馆是一个和平且安静的小避风港。

2 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。

3 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。

4 secular   

n.牧师，凡人；adj.世俗的，现世的，不朽的

参考例句：

• We live in an increasingly secular society.我们生活在一个日益非宗教的社会。
• Britain is a plural society in which the secular predominates.英国是个世俗主导的多元社会。

5 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。

6 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

7 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

8 regain   

vt.重新获得，收复，恢复

参考例句：

• He is making a bid to regain his World No.1 ranking.他正为重登世界排名第一位而努力。
• The government is desperate to regain credibility with the public.政府急于重新获取公众的信任。

9 accusations   

n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名

参考例句：

• There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
• He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。