2007年VOA标准英语-US Military Doubts Al-Masri Wounded in Clash wi

By Barry Newhouse
Irbil
16 February 2007

U.S. military officials are casting doubt on Iraqi reports that the Egyptian leader of the group al-Qaida in Iraq has been wounded.  VOA's Barry Newhouse reports from Irbil.

Abu Ayyub al-Masri (File)

Iraqi television cited Interior Ministry¹ officials as saying Abu Ayyub al-Masri had been wounded and his top aide killed in a gun battle north of Baghdad Thursday. But U.S. military officials said Friday that they have no evidence indicating the report is true.

Iraqi and U.S. troops have been conducting sweeps through insurgent² strongholds in and around the capital as part of the new "Operation Law and Order" aimed at reducing violence.

U.S. military leaders say there have been fewer attacks in recent days, as the operation expanded and new checkpoints sprung up across the city.  Some have attributed the drop in attacks to insurgents³ going into hiding or fleeing the city.

U.S. officials say the crackdown will last months, as forces seize and secure more and more of the city. Major General Joseph Fil, the commander of U.S. forces in Baghdad, said Friday that the operation will expand as quickly as new troops arrive.

"The pace of operations, the tempo⁴, is based not on how quickly we can clear, but on how fast we can stand up the forces to control," he said.

More than 17,000 additional American troops are expected to join the Baghdad operation in the coming months. The general also said the performance of Iraqi police and soldiers has improved.

"I've been watching this closely, not only over the past three months, but, frankly⁵, over the past three years," he said.  "They're much more capable, they're much more committed, and they are much better led."

On Friday in Baghdad, a policeman manning a checkpoint in the city said Iraqi and U.S. forces have learned from the mistakes of the past.

"God willing, we will succeed this time.  We now understand why the other plans failed," he said.  "We will work together with the army to make the project succeed."

In the town of Hillah, some 95 kilometers south of Baghdad, Iraqi forces said Friday they arrested about 34 armed followers⁶ of the Shi'ite cult⁷ named  "Soldiers of Heaven."  Members fought a massive battle with U.S. and Iraqi forces last month in which officials say at least 263 members were killed.

Iraqi and U.S. officials have released few details about the incident. But the group was allegedly planning to kill Shi'ite clerics to try to fulfill⁸ the conditions for what they believe will be the return of a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad.

1 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

2 insurgent   

adj.叛乱的，起事的；n.叛乱分子

参考例句：

• Faruk says they are threatened both by insurgent and government forces.法鲁克说，他们受到暴乱分子和政府军队的双重威胁。
• The insurgent mob assembled at the gate of the city park.叛变的暴徒聚在市立公园的门口。

3 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

4 tempo   

n.(音乐的)速度；节奏，行进速度

参考例句：

• The boss is unsatisfied with the tardy tempo.老板不满于这种缓慢的进度。
• They waltz to the tempo of the music.他们跟着音乐的节奏跳华尔兹舞。

5 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。

6 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

7 cult   

n.异教，邪教；时尚，狂热的崇拜

参考例句：

• Her books aren't bestsellers,but they have a certain cult following.她的书算不上畅销书，但有一定的崇拜者。
• The cult of sun worship is probably the most primitive one.太阳崇拜仪式或许是最为原始的一种。

8 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。