VOA常速英语2007-Opposition Party Calls British Leader's Iraq Vis

By Tom Rivers
London
02 October 2007

Britain's opposition¹ Conservative Party has called British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's surprise visit to Iraq a photo opportunity publicity² stunt³.  For VOA, Tom Rivers reports from London.

In the climate of intense speculation⁴ about how soon a British general election might be called, Gordon Brown flew off on his first visit to Iraq as prime minister. In Baghdad, he spoke⁵ of his hope that the final region under British control, Basra province, can be handed over to Iraqi control within two months.

"By the end of the year, the British forces, which have been 5,500, can be reduced to 4,500 by the end of the year, indeed by Christmas, 1,000 of our troops can be brought back to the United Kingdom and to other purposes," he said.

The actual number of soldiers coming out is a not a surprise, but the timing⁶ of the announcement, in the middle of the opposition Conservative party's annual conference, was unexpected.

Michael Heseltine, a longtime Conservative and defense⁷ secretary under former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher⁸, says the prime minister's announcement has nothing to do with military or strategic judgments⁹, but everything to do with politics.

"It is very good news for the troops and their families but of course, it is pure politics," he said.  "I mean Gordon Brown knows that this is a deeply unpopular war. This is the Labor¹⁰ party's war, and it is very divisive here at home. He is very worried about the election."
 
Labor is riding high in the polls, and that is why many political observers here believe Mr. Brown may call for an election in the next couple of months.

Opposition Conservative politician Liam Fox, the party's spokesman on defense matters, also says Mr. Brown's announcement was political.

"We have known that for some time that there was going to be a drawdown of troops," he said.  "The prime minister initially¹¹ told us we would have that announced in the House of Commons, but it now seems that a piece of photo opportunity and blatant¹² electioneering has gotten in the way and given he last week spent less than one minute of 67 minutes talking about our armed forces [in] Iraq or Afghanistan combined, it does seem a bit rich for him to wallow in the photo opp[ortunitie]s today."

The issue of Iraq is expected to play a pivotal role in the next election, whenever it comes.

1 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。

2 publicity   

n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告

参考例句：

• The singer star's marriage got a lot of publicity.这位歌星的婚事引起了公众的关注。
• He dismissed the event as just a publicity gimmick.他不理会这件事，只当它是一种宣传手法。

3 stunt   

n.惊人表演，绝技，特技；vt.阻碍...发育，妨碍...生长

参考例句：

• Lack of the right food may stunt growth.缺乏适当的食物会阻碍发育。
• Right up there is where the big stunt is taking place.那边将会有惊人的表演。

4 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。

5 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

6 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

7 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。

8 thatcher   

n.茅屋匠

参考例句：

• Tom Sawyer was in the skiff that bore Judge Thatcher. 汤姆 - 索亚和撒切尔法官同乘一条小艇。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险
• Mrs. Thatcher was almost crazed; and Aunt Polly, also. 撒切尔夫人几乎神经失常，还有波莉姨妈也是。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险

9 judgments   

判断( judgment的名词复数 )； 鉴定； 评价； 审判

参考例句：

• A peculiar austerity marked his judgments of modern life. 他对现代生活的批评带着一种特殊的苛刻。
• He is swift with his judgments. 他判断迅速。

10 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

11 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

12 blatant   

adj.厚颜无耻的；显眼的；炫耀的

参考例句：

• I cannot believe that so blatant a comedy can hoodwink anybody.我无法相信这么显眼的一出喜剧能够欺骗谁。
• His treatment of his secretary was a blatant example of managerial arrogance.他管理的傲慢作风在他对待秘书的态度上表露无遗。