VOA常速英语2007年-US Military: Iran-Backed Shiites Continue Attac

By Al Pessin
Pentagon
26 November 2007

The commander of coalition¹ forces in two volatile² Baghdad neighborhoods says Shiite splinter groups backed by Iran are continuing their attacks, in spite of a reduction of violence in the area by mainstream³ Shiite groups and mostly-Sunni al-Qaida. VOA's Al Pessin reports from the Pentagon.

Speaking via satellite from Baghdad, Colonel Don Farris said the Iran-backed Shiites, which he called the Special Groups, are countering the trend toward less violence by most Shiite and Sunni groups in Baghdad's Adamiyah and Sadr City neighborhoods.

"While the violence is down, I remain very concerned in our sector⁴ about these Special Groups," he said. "They are very lethal⁵. They are organized. They are sophisticated. And I have not seen that their operations have declined or diminished in any way, shape or form here in the last several months."

Colonel Farris says the Special Groups planted nine Iranian-designed and supplied high-powered bombs last month, resulting in the deaths of several of his soldiers. That was the highest monthly number ever in his area of what are called explosively formed projectiles⁶. He says the number is down in November, but he attributes that to steps his forces have taken to keep the Special Group fighters out of key areas, rather than to any reduction in the groups' efforts.

In addition, the colonel reports one of his small neighborhood outposts was hit with bombs thrown over its fence a week ago, which contained explosive charges that likely came from Iran. He says he has seen no indication of a reduction in Iranian support for the militant⁷ Shiite groups, although senior officials have indicated Iran may have slowed the flow of bomb-making material after a top-level Iran-Iraq meeting.

"In the last six weeks we have captured two Iraqis," he said. "One was significant because he admitted to receiving training in Iran in building and employing these explosively formed projectiles. And another admitted to working as an agent for somebody or some group in Iran."

Colonel Farris reports local community leaders in his part of Baghdad are not happy about the Special Group activities, and are trying to resume normal political activity, including meetings with Iraqi government and military officials. He says he is using some of the money in his own budget to promote local wholesale⁸ markets and provide jobs for military-aged men, who might otherwise join the insurgency⁹.

The colonel's brigade was the first of five additional units President Bush ordered to Iraq earlier this year. He says coalition penetration¹⁰ into the Sadr City neighborhood is still limited to about 20 percent of the area. He says he is waiting for more progress on building relationships with local leaders before he tries to send in more troops because he does not want to do anything that might stall the fledgling progress he says is being made.

1 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。

2 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

3 mainstream   

n.（思想或行为的）主流；adj.主流的

参考例句：

• Their views lie outside the mainstream of current medical opinion.他们的观点不属于当今医学界观点的主流。
• Polls are still largely reflects the mainstream sentiment.民调还在很大程度上反映了社会主流情绪。

4 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

5 lethal   

adj.致死的；毁灭性的

参考例句：

• A hammer can be a lethal weapon.铁锤可以是致命的武器。
• She took a lethal amount of poison and died.她服了致命剂量的毒药死了。

6 projectiles   

n.抛射体( projectile的名词复数 )；（炮弹、子弹等）射弹，（火箭等）自动推进的武器

参考例句：

• These differences are connected with the strong absorption of the composite projectiles. 这些差别与复杂的入射粒子的强烈吸收有关。 来自辞典例句
• Projectiles became more important because cannons could now fire balls over hundreds or yards. 抛射体变得更加重要，因为人们已能用大炮把炮弹射到几百码的距离之外。 来自辞典例句

7 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

8 wholesale   

n.批发；adv.以批发方式；vt.批发，成批出售

参考例句：

• The retail dealer buys at wholesale and sells at retail.零售商批发购进货物，以零售价卖出。
• Such shoes usually wholesale for much less.这种鞋批发出售通常要便宜得多。

9 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网

10 penetration   

n.穿透，穿人，渗透

参考例句：

• He is a man of penetration.他是一个富有洞察力的人。
• Our aim is to achieve greater market penetration.我们的目标是进一步打入市场。