2007年VOA标准英语-US President Faces New Pressures From Congress

By Dan Robinson
Capitol Hill
23 January 2007

On the eve of his State of the Union Address, President Bush faces new resistance and other pressures from Congress to his plan to send more than 21,000 additional troops to Iraq. A new non-binding bipartisan resolution in the Senate comes as House Republicans propose benchmarks they say would help the president measure progress in Iraq in coming months. VOA's Dan Robinson reports from Capitol Hill:

From left, senators: John Warner, Norm Coleman, Susan Collins and Ben Nelson

The latest resolution by Senate lawmakers, including three key Republicans, asks the president to consider alternatives to sending more troops into Iraq.

John Warner, former Republican head of the Senate Armed Services Committee, says the point is not to set up a confrontation¹ with the president, but to send this message:

"We urge Mr. President, respecting your right as commander-in-chief, we urge that you look at other options by which you do not have the magnitude of 21,500 inserted into Iraq," said John Warner.

Warner says he and fellow Republicans Susan Collins and Norm Coleman, with Democrat² Ben Nelson, would put their measure forward only if another competing non-binding measure is approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

That measure, sponsored by Senate Democrat Joseph Biden and Republican Senator Chuck Hagel, flatly opposes the president's plan. Senator Warner says he would not support it.

Senate Susan Collins say she agrees with Senator Warner that putting 21,000 additional U.S. troops in the middle of sectarian battles is a mistake:

"I came back [from her most recent trip to Iraq] convinced that inserting more American troops into Baghdad, into the midst of a sectarian struggle, would be a major mistake," said Susan Collins.

In a telephone news conference Monday, Virginia Senator James Webb provided a hint of what he may say on Iraq when he delivers the formal Democratic response to the State of the Union Address:

"It [the troop surge] is something of a tactical adjustment but the bottom line is, quite frankly³, it is just a lot more flailing⁴ around rather than coming up with something specific that is going to end our involvement, and bring better stability to the region, and allow us to focus on international terrorism and our other strategic objectives. Those should be the goals," said James Webb.

With the president due to speak Tuesday night to a joint⁵ session of Congress, House Republicans took a step to support the president's overall goals, but underscore their concern.

They propose a list of political, social and military benchmarks roughly mirroring the president's own objectives, to measure progress and hold the Iraqi government accountable.

They would also require a report to Congress every 30 days from the White House and Iraqi government, and a formal assessment⁶ of the impact of any U.S. troop withdrawal⁷.

Minority Leader John Boehner's response to a reporter's question (Monday) was an acknowledgement of the kind of atmosphere awaiting the president:

"Support on the [Capitol] Hill among Republicans is still strong," said John Boehner. "But there are a lot of members of our party who are skeptical⁸ that the plan will work."

In a letter to the Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Republicans also urge creation of a special bipartisan committee comprising chairmen of existing foreign relations, intelligence and other panels, to help Congress oversee⁹ progress or the lack of it, in Iraq.

1 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

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 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

4 flailing   

v.鞭打( flail的现在分词 )；用连枷脱粒；（臂或腿）无法控制地乱动；扫雷坦克

参考例句：

• He became moody and unreasonable, flailing out at Katherine at the slightest excuse. 他变得喜怒无常、不可理喻，为点鸡毛蒜皮的小事就殴打凯瑟琳。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• His arms were flailing in all directions. 他的手臂胡乱挥舞着。 来自辞典例句

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 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？

7 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。

8 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

9 oversee   

vt.监督，管理

参考例句：

• Soldiers oversee the food handouts.士兵们看管着救济食品。
• Use a surveyor or architect to oversee and inspect the different stages of the work.请一位房产检视员或建筑师来监督并检查不同阶段的工作。