2006年VOA标准英语-US Officials Brief Congress on Iraq

By Dan Robinson
Capitol Hill
14 June 2006

Key Bush administration officials have briefed members of Congress on the situation in Iraq. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense¹ Secretary Don Rumsfeld met with lawmakers on Capitol Hill as Democrats³ and Republicans traded words over a debate on Iraq that Republicans hope will help change the American public's view of the military situation and their assessment⁴ of President Bush.

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On a day when President Bush's surprise visit to Iraq filled the headlines, Rice and Rumsfeld held closed-door briefings for members of Congress designed to underscore the optimism they would like to convey about Iraq.

From Left: Donald Rumsfeld, Congressmen Duncan Hunter, Pete Hoekstra and Henry Hyde  
  

Emerging from a meeting with members of the House of Representatives, Secretary Rumsfeld said Mr. Bush's visit to Iraq enabled the president to assess the new prime minister and his cabinet, and demonstrate U.S. resolve in supporting his new government.

"It is important that this government be supported," said Donald Rumsfeld. "The president wanted them to know we wanted to be supportive of them, and that we wish them well."

Secretary Rumsfeld said the subject of any timeline for withdrawing U.S. troops was not discussed in meetings with lawmakers, saying only that as Iraqi forces improve and strengthen the U.S. will turn over more responsibility to them. 
 

From left: Joint⁵ Chiefs Chairman General Peter Pace, Congressmen Duncan Hunter, Peter Hoekstra and Henry Hyde  
  
He was joined at a news conference by General Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who had this response when asked about progress in turning over security responsibility to Iraqis.

"I think we have been fairly consistent in that of the 18 provinces in Iraq, there are four that have been problematic," said General Pace. "That is still true. I think Prime Minister [ Nouri] al-Maliki has it exactly right in his focus on creating a safe and secure Baghdad, his forces supported by coalition⁶ forces will get about that business immediately. And I think it will see us continue to provide, from a coalition [standpoint] support to his army and his police to establish the kind of security they need to have throughout the country."

After a meeting earlier with members of the U.S. Senate, Secretary of State Rice referred to a video teleconference she and other officials held with members of the Iraqi government.

"We discussed how the U.S. government can support this new Iraqi government, the first permanent government for Iraq," said Condoleezza Rice. "It has plans, we have been listening to those plans and we are prepared to support them."

Republican lawmakers came out of Tuesday's meetings expressing support for the job the U.S. military is doing in Iraq.

Senator John Warner:

"The president just concluded what we all believe is a very important trip to Iraq to thank the troops for their brilliant mission in eliminating [the al-Qaida leader in Iraq Abu Musab] al-Zarqawi," said Senator Warner.

However, Democrats such as Senator Joseph Biden had a different assessment.

"The administration thus far has not had a strategy for victory, they have had a strategy how to avoid outright⁷ defeat," said Joseph Biden.

The debate on Iraq is scheduled to take place Thursday in the House of Representatives. A resolution drafted by the House Republican leadership, states that setting any arbitrary date for withdrawing U.S. troops would harm U.S. security interests, and says the U.S. will prevail in the global war on terrorism.

Congressman⁸ Ike Skelton, top Democrat² on the House Armed Services Committee, said he was distressed⁹ by the resolution and urged Republicans to hold what he calls a focused and dedicated¹⁰ debate on U.S. policy and the future of American commitment in Iraq

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 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

3 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》

4 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

5 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。

6 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。

7 outright   

adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的

参考例句：

• If you have a complaint you should tell me outright.如果你有不满意的事，你应该直率地对我说。
• You should persuade her to marry you outright.你应该彻底劝服她嫁给你。

8 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

9 distressed   

痛苦的

参考例句：

• He was too distressed and confused to answer their questions. 他非常苦恼而困惑，无法回答他们的问题。
• The news of his death distressed us greatly. 他逝世的消息使我们极为悲痛。

10 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。