2007年VOA标准英语-US Protesters Demonstrate For and Against Iraq

By Meredith Buel
Washington
19 March 2007

Americans who are for and against the war in Iraq continue to mark the fourth anniversary of the conflict by demonstrating and speaking to the news media in cities around the country. VOA correspondent Meredith Buel has details from Washington.

 
Pro-war demonstrators in Washington DC
Following days of public protests, groups for and against continuing the war in Iraq held dueling¹ news conferences here in Washington.

Debbie Argel Bastian is with an organization called Move America Forward that backs President Bush and his policy of sending in more troops to quell² sectarian violence in Baghdad.

Bastian's son Derek, an Air Force captain, was killed in Iraq two years ago.

"People are tired of undermining the troops," said Debbie Argel Bastian. "So we are going to speak loud and clear and we are going to keep this campaign going as long as it takes. We are going to send the message to our troops that we love them, we care about them and we will not abandon them."

On Monday, Move America Forward launched what the group calls its "Win in Iraq" campaign with a new commercial it says will run on television channels throughout the United States.

"The choice is clear, we win in Iraq [sound of explosion] or we face the terrorists here in America."

The commercial is highly likely to be controversial since it ends with a nuclear explosion over an American city.

Joe Wierzbicki, a spokesman for the group, offers no apologies for the provocative³ ad.

"If we fail in the war on terrorism, we face a far greater possibility of weapons of mass destruction being used against an American city," said Joe Wierzbicki. "The reason we tie this danger to the war in Iraq is because the terrorists do."

 
Anti-war protesters in Providence⁴, Rhode Island
A short time later on Capitol Hill anti-war activists⁵ complained that U.S. servicemen returning from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan are not getting proper medical attention.

Recent media reports detailed⁶ poor conditions and substandard care for soldiers at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington.

Stacy Bannerman's husband Lorin returned from Iraq and was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder⁷.

"For dozens of our soldiers it has been too late," said Stacy Bannerman. "They have killed themselves, committed suicide, they are drinking and drugging and homeless. Families are falling apart. Our troops are not being taken care of and it is shredding⁸ the fabric⁹ of families across this country."

Nancy Lessin's step-son served as a Marine¹⁰ in Iraq. She is co-founder of the anti-war group Military Families Speak Out.

She urged members of the U.S. Congress to cut funding for the conflict.

"We are calling on Congress to use the one power it has, the power of the purse, to bring this misbegotten war to an end," said Nancy Lessin. "Congress now has the opportunity to cut off all the funds for continuing the war in Iraq and commencing a fully¹¹ funded safe and orderly withdrawal¹² of U.S. troops from Iraq. It appears that this is an opportunity Congress is now preparing to squander¹³."

The House of Representatives is preparing to debate a proposal linking emergency war funds to a withdrawal of troops from Iraq by September 2008. A similar measure was narrowly defeated in the Senate.

1 dueling   

n. 决斗, 抗争(=duelling) 动词duel的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• More light-hearted But somewhat puzzled, Vladimir prepared to meet Eugene on the dueling ground. 弗拉基米尔心里轻松了一些，但仍感到有些困惑，在这种心情下，他准备去决斗场地迎战叶甫盖尼。 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 文学
• They had been dueling for hours and finally called a draw. 他们一直决斗了数小时，最后打成平局。

2 quell   

v.压制，平息，减轻

参考例句：

• Soldiers were sent in to quell the riots.士兵们被派去平息骚乱。
• The armed force had to be called out to quell violence.不得不出动军队来镇压暴力行动。

3 provocative   

adj.挑衅的，煽动的，刺激的，挑逗的

参考例句：

• She wore a very provocative dress.她穿了一件非常性感的裙子。
• His provocative words only fueled the argument further.他的挑衅性讲话只能使争论进一步激化。

4 providence   

n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝

参考例句：

• It is tempting Providence to go in that old boat.乘那艘旧船前往是冒大险。
• To act as you have done is to fly in the face of Providence.照你的所作所为那样去行事，是违背上帝的意志的。

5 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

7 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

8 shredding   

v.撕碎，切碎( shred的现在分词 )；用撕毁机撕毁（文件）

参考例句：

• Like the Tehran experience, the shredding may be all for naught. 如同德黑兰事件中的情况一样，切碎文件可能是徒劳的。 来自时文部分
• How shredding began is subject to some guesswork. 粉碎处理行业的起源是个有争议的问题。 来自时文部分

9 fabric   

n.织物，织品，布；构造，结构，组织

参考例句：

• The fabric will spot easily.这种织品很容易玷污。
• I don't like the pattern on the fabric.我不喜欢那块布料上的图案。

10 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

11 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

12 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

13 squander   

v.浪费，挥霍

参考例句：

• Don't squander your time in reading those dime novels.不要把你的时间浪费在读那些胡编乱造的廉价小说上。
• Every chance is precious，so don't squander any chance away!每次机会都很宝贵，所以不要将任何一个白白放走。