VOA常速英语2007年-Petraeus Has Rare Praise for Syria, Not Sure Ab

By Al Pessin
Pentagon
06 December 2007

The top coalition¹ commander in Iraq had some positive things to say Thursday about Syria and other countries and factions² that have contributed to instability in Iraq in the past. But U.S. General David Petraeus says it is not yet clear whether Iran has also changed its policy, and U.S. Defense³ Secretary Robert Gates agrees. VOA's Al Pessin monitored their comments from the Pentagon

General Petraeus told reporters in Baghdad the surge of U.S. troops and progress by Iraqi security forces have helped reduce violence in Iraq by 60 percent in the last six months, to the lowest level in nearly two years. But he says there have also been other factors.

"Iraq has also been helped by more aggressive action by foreign-fighter source countries and by Syria, which has taken steps to reduce the flow of foreign fighters through its borders with Iraq. Another important factor has of course been the cease fire declared by Muqtada-al Sadr," he said.

The Iraqi Shi'ite leader declared a cease-fire, and General Petraeus says he has been purging⁴ criminal elements from his militia⁵.

But the general was more cautious in assessing Iran's role in Iraq. U.S. officials say Iran has provided high-powered explosives, training and money to Iraqi insurgents⁶ known as "special groups," and even sent agents to Iraq to plan and supervise attacks on coalition forces. But top Iranian leaders recently promised Iraqi leaders they would not do anything to contribute to instability in Iraq. And General Petraeus reports a reduction in the use of bombs and weapons supplied by Iran. But he could not say whether that reduction is linked to Iranian government action.

"We look forward to all elements of the Iranian government following the promises, making real the promises that Iran's senior leaders have made to their Iraqi counterparts to stop the training, funding, arming and directing of organizations like the special groups," he said.

Speaking shortly after ending a two-day visit to Iraq, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates also said it is not clear whether Iran is living up to its promise.

"Based on my talks with everyone, including General Petraeus, I think that that's still an open question," he said. "They clearly have made some commitments to the government of Iraq. And I think we're waiting to see. I think it's a little too soon to tell."

Secretary Gates spoke⁷ in Bahrain, where he arrived Thursday for a regional security meeting involving 50 countries, including Iran. He says he does not expect to have direct talks with any Iranian officials, but that "Iranian behavior in a number of areas will clearly come up" during the meetings.

Assessing the situation in Iraq based on his visit, Secretary Gates said the key now is to build on the improved security through political progress. He says Iraqis are getting "impatient," and Iraq's top leaders, who he met with on Wednesday, know what they have to do on key issues like oil revenue sharing and easing de-Baathification.

General Petraeus said success in Iraq will not be smooth, but rather will emerge "slowly and fitfully, with reverses as well as advances."

"There will inevitability⁸ still be tough days, and perhaps tough weeks, ahead, but fewer of them over time, Inshallah [God willing]," he said.

General Petraeus called the security progress in some areas "fragile," and said he is not ready to talk about "turning corners," "seeing lights at the ends of tunnels" or "doing victory dances."

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 factions   

组织中的小派别，派系( faction的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The gens also lives on in the "factions." 氏族此外还继续存在于“factions〔“帮”〕中。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• rival factions within the administration 政府中的对立派别

3 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。

4 purging   

清洗； 清除； 净化； 洗炉

参考例句：

• You learned the dry-mouthed, fear-purged, purging ecstasy of battle. 你体会到战斗中那种使人嘴巴发干的，战胜了恐惧并排除其他杂念的狂喜。
• Purging databases, configuring, and making other exceptional requests might fall into this category. 比如清空数据库、配置，以及其他特别的请求等都属于这个类别。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

5 militia   

n.民兵，民兵组织

参考例句：

• First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面，其次是民兵。
• There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。

6 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

7 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。

8 inevitability   

n.必然性

参考例句：

• Evolutionism is normally associated with a belief in the inevitability of progress. 进化主义通常和一种相信进步不可避免的看法相联系。
• It is the tide of the times, an inevitability of history. 这是时代的潮流，历史的必然。