2007年VOA标准英语-US Senators of Both Parties Declare Opposition

By Meredith Buel
Washington
22 January 2007

A bi-partisan group of U.S. senators, including John Warner, an influential¹ member of President Bush's Republican Party, has announced support for a resolution opposing the president's plan to send more than 20,000 additional troops to Iraq. VOA correspondent Meredith Buel has details from Washington.

Senators, from left, John Warner, Ben Nelson, and Norm Coleman, take part in a news conference about an Iraq War resolution on Capitol Hill, 22 Jan 2007

Senator Warner is the senior Republican member of the Armed Services Committee, and is widely respected for his views on the U.S. military.

In the past Warner has strongly supported the Bush administration's policies on Iraq.

Monday, however, the senator announced he would vote for a non-binding resolution urging the president to drop his plan to send more than 20,000 extra troops as part of an effort to end sectarian violence in Baghdad.

"I feel ever so strongly that the American GI [soldier] was not trained, not sent over there to be placed in the middle of a fight between the Sunni and the Shi'ite and the wanton and just incomprehensible killing² that is going on at this time," he said. "That is a mission that is important, but it should be performed by the Iraqi forces and not the coalition³ forces."

Republican Senator Susan Collins, of the northeastern state of Maine, says previous surges of American troops have not been successful.

Collins says her decision to support the resolution was strongly influenced by a trip she took to Iraq last month.

"I came back convinced that inserting more American troops into Baghdad, into the midst of a sectarian struggle, would be a major mistake," she said. "By contrast, I also am convinced that we do need more troops in Anbar province where the fight is not sectarian. The battle is against al-Qaida and foreign fighters."

The Democratic sponsor of the resolution, Ben Nelson, of the Midwestern state of Nebraska, says the proposal sends a strong message to the White House that there is significant opposition⁴ to the president's strategy in Iraq.

"This [resolution] will achieve bi-partisan support," he said. "In addition to that I think it more clearly establishes and pushes for benchmarks, measurable goals, and holds the Iraqi government far more accountable for their own protection and for their own sectarian violence."

Another bi-partisan group of senators recently announced support for a similar resolution and debate on both is expected to begin later this week.

The latest proposal was unveiled on the eve of President Bush's State of the Union address, a major speech to the American public and an opportunity for the president to discuss his Iraq policy.

1 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

2 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

3 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。

4 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。