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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
By Meredith Buel
Washington
08 June 2006
Top U.S. officials say the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al-Qaida's top leader in Iraq, is a major victory in the global war on terror. They do not believe, however, that his death will end the bloodshed in Iraq.
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President Bush speaks about the death of al-Qaida in Iraq's leader
President Bush says Zarqawi's death is a remarkable1 achievement for Coalition2 and Iraqi forces.
Mr. Bush says he believes that while sectarian violence will continue, the ideology3 of terror has lost one of its most visible and aggressive leaders.
"Zarqawi's death is a severe blow to al-Qaida," said Mr. Bush. "It is a victory in the global war on terror, and it is an opportunity for Iraq's new government to turn the tide of this struggle."
U.S. Defense4 Secretary Donald Rumsfeld calls Zarqawi's death enormously important, although he says it will not mean an end to violence in Iraq.
Donald Rumsfeld
Rumsfeld says, in the last several years, no single person in the world has had the blood of more innocent men, women and children on his hands.
"He personified the dark, sadistic5 and evil vision of beheadings, suicide bombings, indiscriminate killings7, a behavior pattern that has been rejected by the overwhelming majority of the Iraqi people," said Mr. Rumsfeld.
Zarqawi personally beheaded American hostages and other civilians8 in Iraq. He also was the mastermind behind the destruction of the United Nations' headquarters in Baghdad.
Zarqawi was wanted in connection with the assassination9 of an American diplomat10 in Jordan and for the bombing of three hotels in Amman that killed 60 people.
He also advocated sectarian violence against Shi'ite Muslims in Iraq.
The U.S. Ambassador to Baghdad, Zalmay Khalilzad, says there is jubilation11 in Iraq, now that Zarqawi has been killed.
"We have seen pictures from the streets of Baghdad, policemen dancing," he said. "There is a mood of almost a wedding, people shooting their rifles in the air. So, yes, indeed, the Iraqi people are happy, but I think it would be a mistake on their part, or on our part, to assume violence is going to come to an end."
Jordanian-born terrorist mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is seen in these undated photos (File photo)
The Jordanian-born Zarqawi was active in making and posting video and statements by his terrorist group on the Internet. There was a U.S. offer of a $25 million reward for his capture.
Brian Jenkins is an authority on terrorism at the RAND corporation, a non-profit research and analysis institution.
Jenkins told VOA News Now that killing6 Zarqawi not only removes the head of al-Qaida in Iraq, but also eliminates the insurgency12's best known leader and communicator.
"We shouldn't underestimate the fact that he was charismatic," he said. "He was certainly someone who was able to attract a loyal following, keep it under his control. So, he did have some effect. As I say, it won't end the insurgency, but it takes out their most prominent communicator."
U.S. analysts14 are already studying who might succeed Zarqawi as the new head of al-Qaida in Iraq. U.S. military spokesman Major General William Caldwell says an Egyptian-born man, identified as Abu al-Masri, will probably take over. General Caldwell says al-Masri trained in Afghanistan, and is believed to have come to Iraq in 2002, probably helping15 to establish the first al-Qaida cell in Baghdad.
Mark Baillie, a British defense analyst13 at the Center for Defense and International Security Studies, says the death of Zarqawi is not likely to have a major short-term impact on the insurgency in Iraq.
"It is good news when a very bad guy gets killed, but it is not a strict hierarchy16, where you can cut off the head, and the rest will be lost," he said. "He was an important figure, but there is no reason to suppose he will not be replaced very quickly."
Iraqi soldiers celebrate news that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi had been killed, June 8, 2006
Despite the note of caution expressed by President Bush and others, the news of Zarqawi's death sparked celebrations in Iraq, where the news came as a boost to the country's efforts to end rampant17 sectarian violence. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who broke the news of Zarqawi's death, said it was a message to all those who embrace violence, and he vowed18, "whenever there is a new Zarqawi, we will kill him."
1 remarkable | |
adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的 | |
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2 coalition | |
n.结合体,同盟,结合,联合 | |
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3 ideology | |
n.意识形态,(政治或社会的)思想意识 | |
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4 defense | |
n.防御,保卫;[pl.]防务工事;辩护,答辩 | |
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5 sadistic | |
adj.虐待狂的 | |
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6 killing | |
n.巨额利润;突然赚大钱,发大财 | |
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7 killings | |
谋杀( killing的名词复数 ); 突然发大财,暴发 | |
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8 civilians | |
平民,百姓( civilian的名词复数 ); 老百姓 | |
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9 assassination | |
n.暗杀;暗杀事件 | |
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10 diplomat | |
n.外交官,外交家;能交际的人,圆滑的人 | |
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11 jubilation | |
n.欢庆,喜悦 | |
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12 insurgency | |
n.起义;暴动;叛变 | |
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13 analyst | |
n.分析家,化验员;心理分析学家 | |
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14 analysts | |
分析家,化验员( analyst的名词复数 ) | |
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15 helping | |
n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的 | |
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16 hierarchy | |
n.等级制度;统治集团,领导层 | |
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17 rampant | |
adj.(植物)蔓生的;狂暴的,无约束的 | |
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18 vowed | |
起誓,发誓(vow的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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