2007年VOA标准英语-Shi'ite, Sunni Split Feeds Iraq Conflict

By Margaret Besheer
Washington
13 March 2007
 
watch Iraq Sunnis Shi'ite report

For the last year, Iraq has been consumed by violence that has pitted Shi'ite Muslims against Sunni Muslims. Some see the battle as religious, dating to the 17th century disagreement over who would succeed the Prophet Muhammad. Others say it is a modern day fight for political dominance.

 
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki (front) talks to Iraqi army soldiers in Baghdad, 9 Mar¹ 2007
Sunnis and Shi'ites have more beliefs that unite them than divide them. They share the same holy book, the Koran, and practice the five pillars of Islam, including the pilgrimage (Hajj) to Mecca.

Yet today in Iraq, they are fighting each other in a battle that Georgetown University Islamic History Professor John Voll says at its core is about the relationship between majority Shi'ites and minority Sunnis. The Shi'ites have been out of power and oppressed for a long time, while the Sunnis have been in power and do not want to share it.

 
Professor John Voll
"No politically dominant² elite³ ever gracefully⁴ gives up power to a persecuted⁵ minority," he noted⁶.

Professor Marius Deeb of The Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies agrees.

"The conflict is really Saddamists versus⁷ anti-Saddamists. Unfortunately it took the form of the Sunnis, the old Saddamists, fighting the Shi'ites who come to be, unfortunately, pro-Iranian," he noted.

In February 2006, Sunni insurgents⁸ bombed a Shi'ite shrine⁹ north of Baghdad. That unleashed¹⁰ an all-out sectarian conflict in Baghdad and its surrounding areas that is still not under control. 

 
Iraqis gather at the ruins of a shrine in Samarra in this 22 Feb, 2006 file photo
"You have the great symbols of the Shi'ite tradition and the great symbols of the Sunni tradition become the words and symbols for mobilizing," said Voll.  "This is why the destruction of the Golden Mosque¹¹ in Samarra was such an important event.  It represented an image and a symbol of the Shi'ite identity itself, and by destroying, it was a way of trying to continue to show the vulnerability of the Shi'ites."

Iraq's government is dominated by Shi'ite Muslims and many of them are closely allied¹² with Iran. That concerns Iraq's mostly Sunni neighbors. In 2004, Jordan's King Abdullah warned of what he called the potential for a new Shi'ite crescent of governments and movements stretching from Lebanon to Iran.

Professor Deeb says the concern should not be so much about a Shi'ite crescent, but rather about the rise of militant¹³ Islam in all its forms.

 
Professor Marius Deeb
"We can speak of a militant Islamic crescent which Iran and Syria are leading it with Hezbollah and Hamas and Islamic Jihad," he said.  "They have the same agenda, an agenda which is destructive, unfortunately. Which will not lead to peace and reconciliation¹⁴ and end of conflict."

So what will bring the two sects¹⁵ together? Professor Voll says reconstruction¹⁶ of Iraq would be a good first step, providing areas where the two groups can cooperate.

"Economic reconstruction reduces the ability of Mehdi army and Sunni resistance militias¹⁷ to appeal to people," he said.

Professor Deeb says compromise and power sharing are important to reconciliation. Ultimately, he says, Iraqis need to discover again that they are part of one nation and let their national identity bind¹⁸ them together.

1 mar   

vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟

参考例句：

• It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
• Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

2 dominant   

adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因

参考例句：

• The British were formerly dominant in India.英国人从前统治印度。
• She was a dominant figure in the French film industry.她在法国电影界是个举足轻重的人物。

3 elite   

n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的

参考例句：

• The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
• We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。

4 gracefully   

ad.大大方方地；优美地

参考例句：

• She sank gracefully down onto a cushion at his feet. 她优雅地坐到他脚旁的垫子上。
• The new coats blouse gracefully above the hip line. 新外套在臀围线上优美地打着褶皱。

5 persecuted   

（尤指宗教或政治信仰的）迫害(~sb. for sth.)( persecute的过去式和过去分词 )； 烦扰，困扰或骚扰某人

参考例句：

• Throughout history, people have been persecuted for their religious beliefs. 人们因宗教信仰而受迫害的情况贯穿了整个历史。
• Members of these sects are ruthlessly persecuted and suppressed. 这些教派的成员遭到了残酷的迫害和镇压。

6 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

7 versus   

prep.以…为对手，对；与…相比之下

参考例句：

• The big match tonight is England versus Spain.今晚的大赛是英格兰对西班牙。
• The most exciting game was Harvard versus Yale.最富紧张刺激的球赛是哈佛队对耶鲁队。

8 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

9 shrine   

n.圣地，神龛，庙；v.将...置于神龛内，把...奉为神圣

参考例句：

• The shrine was an object of pilgrimage.这处圣地是人们朝圣的目的地。
• They bowed down before the shrine.他们在神龛前鞠躬示敬。

10 unleashed   

v.把（感情、力量等）释放出来，发泄( unleash的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The government's proposals unleashed a storm of protest in the press. 政府的提案引发了新闻界的抗议浪潮。
• The full force of his rage was unleashed against me. 他把所有的怒气都发泄在我身上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。

12 allied   

adj.协约国的；同盟国的

参考例句：

• Britain was allied with the United States many times in history.历史上英国曾多次与美国结盟。
• Allied forces sustained heavy losses in the first few weeks of the campaign.同盟国在最初几周内遭受了巨大的损失。

13 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。

14 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

15 sects   

n.宗派，教派( sect的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Members of these sects are ruthlessly persecuted and suppressed. 这些教派的成员遭到了残酷的迫害和镇压。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He had subdued the religious sects, cleaned up Saigon. 他压服了宗教派别，刷新了西贡的面貌。 来自辞典例句

16 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。

17 militias   

n.民兵组织，民兵( militia的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias. 部队并不打算解除战斗中的民兵武装。 来自辞典例句
• The neighborhood was a battleground for Shiite and Sunni militias. 那里曾是什叶派和逊尼派武装分子的战场。 来自互联网

18 bind   

vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬

参考例句：

• I will let the waiter bind up the parcel for you.我让服务生帮你把包裹包起来。
• He wants a shirt that does not bind him.他要一件不使他觉得过紧的衬衫。