2007年VOA标准英语-Democrats Assail President's Iraq Plan, Republi

By Dan Robinson
Capitol Hill
11 January 2007

President Bush's plan to send more than 20,000 additional troops to Iraq in a temporary surge to help the Iraqi government fight insurgents¹ has been met with sharp criticism from majority Democrats². VOA's Dan Robinson reports on the official Democratic response, as well as reaction from Republicans.

 
Richard Durbin (10 Jan 2007)
In the official Democratic response, Senator Richard Durbin said the president is ignoring the advice of his military commanders, and the will of Americans.

"Escalation³ of this war is not the change the American people called for in the last election," he said. "Instead of a new direction, the president's plan moves the American commitment in Iraq in the wrong direction."

He and many other Democrats have been advocating a gradual withdrawal⁴ of the 130,000 U.S. troops now in Iraq, to begin within the next four to six months.

President Bush's plan would have U.S. soldiers helping⁵ working alongside their Iraqi counterparts in securing areas of Baghdad and violence-torn al-Anbar province.

The president also underscored the importance of Iraqi government steps toward political reconciliation⁶, something emphasized in the Democratic response.

Senator Durbin said, "Iraqis must understand that they alone can lead their nation to freedom. They alone must meet the challenges that lie ahead. And they must know that every time they call 911 [make an emergency call for assistance], we are not going to send 20,000 more American soldiers."

House Republicans said the president's speech presented another opportunity to end violence in Iraq, with Republican Conference Chairman Adam Putnam criticizing Democrats for writing off the plan before its details were known.

Senator John McCain, who has favored new troop commitments, said the president outlined a specific strategy that has potential for success.

Republican John Warner, who was chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee until the Democrats gained a Senate majority in the November elections, says the president's plan lays the groundwork for important decisions

President Bush faced some surprises before his speech, when two key Senate Republicans, Norm Coleman and Sam Brownback, who is currently in Iraq, came out in opposition⁷ to a military surge.

Majority Democrats are walking a fine line between wanting to adhere to pledges to American voters to force a change in direction on Iraq and avoiding steps that could hurt U.S. soldiers.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other leaders oppose any funding cutoff, but will use hearings to examine every aspect of the Bush administration's Iraq policies, and future spending requests.

 
Jim McGovern
Democratic Congressman⁸ Jim McGovern is among those vowing⁹ to use the power of the purse to help bring U.S. troops home.

"This is George Bush's war, and he should end it on his watch," he said. "And if he is not going to listen to his own generals, the [advice of] Iraq Study Group, or the American people, then Congress must confront him and begin to deny him the means, the ability to carry out the next disastrous¹⁰ step of his policy."

[Democratic] Senator Edward Kennedy has introduced legislation to require congressional approval before additional money is spent for, or troops sent, to Iraq, with a similar measure expected in the House.

Democrats are also preparing symbolic¹¹ challenges. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer says this will involve Democrat-sponsored non-binding resolutions to force lawmakers to go on the record for or against the troop surge.

1 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

2 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》

3 escalation   

n.扩大，增加

参考例句：

• The threat of nuclear escalation remains. 核升级的威胁仍旧存在。 来自辞典例句
• Escalation is thus an aspect of deterrence and of crisis management. 因此逐步升级是威慑和危机处理的一个方面。 来自辞典例句

4 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。

5 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

6 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

7 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

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 vowing   

起誓，发誓（vow的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild its collapsed bridge. 布什总统承诺将帮助明尼阿波利斯重建坍塌的大桥。
• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild this collapse bridge. 布什总统发誓要帮助明尼阿波利斯重建起这座坍塌的桥梁。

10 disastrous   

adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的

参考例句：

• The heavy rainstorm caused a disastrous flood.暴雨成灾。
• Her investment had disastrous consequences.She lost everything she owned.她的投资结果很惨，血本无归。

11 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。