2007年VOA标准英语-September Looms As Key Month in US Debate Over

By Jim Malone
Washington
09 May 2007

September is looming¹ as a key month in the U.S. political debate over the war in Iraq. Congressional Democrats² and a growing number of Republicans say they will take a hard look at how President Bush's military surge strategy is working in Iraq by then and whether changes will be needed to the U.S. approach. VOA National correspondent Jim Malone has more from Washington.

A new public opinion poll indicated a majority of Americans continue to have a pessimistic view of the situation in Iraq. The survey by the USA Today newspaper and the Gallup polling organization showed a majority of those asked believe Iraq is headed for civil war regardless of whether U.S. troops stay there or are withdrawn³.

The poll said about 60 percent of those surveyed favor a timetable for withdrawing U.S. troops, while 36 percent said the U.S. should stay in Iraq until the situation there improves.

President Bush vetoed Democratic efforts to set a timetable for troop withdrawals⁵, but there are signs that some Republicans are responding to public sentiment for a drawdown of U.S. forces.

"If by September we do not see clear signs of progress, then I think we have to face reality and start planning for a complete change of mission," said Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine.

Another moderate Republican, Senator Gordon Smith of Oregon, told NBC's Today program that other Republicans may press for changes in Iraq if the president's surge strategy does not produce quick results.

Smith was one of only two Senate Republicans to support a Democratic funding bill that included a troop withdrawal⁴ timetable.

"I only speak for one Republican senator, but I know what I hear from many Republican senators, and that means that many of them will simply change their votes and Chuck Hagel and I will not be the only ones calling on the president to put the troops in a new place," he said.

Senator Collins and other moderate Republicans have also become election targets for Democrats who hope to use mounting public sentiment against the war to put them on the defensive⁶ when they seek re-election next year.

Retired7 US Army Major General John Batiste (file photo)" hspace="2" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" src="/upimg/allimg/070605/0855571.jpg" />

Retired US Army Major General John Batiste (file photo)

An anti-war group called VoteVets.org has started running television ads featuring retired Major General John Batiste, who was a top U.S. military commander in Iraq during much of 2004.

"Mr. President, you did not listen," he said. "You continue to pursue a failed strategy that is breaking our great Army and Marine⁸ Corps⁹. I left the Army in protest in order to speak out. Mr. President, you have placed our nation in peril¹⁰."

Republican supporters of the president's strategy in Iraq have fired back at critics and accused them of wanting to abandon the U.S. mission there and plunge¹¹ Iraq into chaos¹².

Republican Senator Christopher Bond of Missouri recently returned from Iraq and said the troop surge strategy is beginning to pay dividends¹³.

"We have made great progress in al Anbar," he said. "All of the Sunni tribal¹⁴ chieftains are cooperating with us. Obviously, this is very early. But I think the signs are extremely positive and what our troops need is funding now for the rest of the year, not death by a thousand cuts."

Defense¹⁵ Secretary Robert Gates told Congress Wednesday that the administration expects to have a better sense of how their new strategy is working within a few months.

"I consider it my responsibility and I think General [David] Petraeus and the chairman [of the military joint¹⁶ chiefs, General Peter Pace] consider it their responsibility to give the president and the Congress an honest evaluation¹⁷ of whether the strategy is working or not in September," he said.

Political analysts¹⁸ say the public's increasingly negative view of the Iraq war has put Republicans in a political bind¹⁹. Commentator²⁰ David Aikman writes for the American Spectator magazine and is a frequent guest on VOA's Issues in the News program.

"It is a difficult line to walk," he said. "How to respond to the clear desire of most Americans to get the American troops home and the sort of philosophical²¹ commitment and political commitment of the Republican Party and President Bush not to be seen, so to speak, to be being chased out of Iraq and to turning tail."

Several polls have also suggested that despite the desire to move U.S. troops out of harms way, many Americans are concerned about leaving Iraq too abruptly²² and sparking a wider civil war.

"How do you get out? How do you leave a stable situation, not a democracy, but just a stable situation so people are not killing²³ each other," said James Thurber, who directs the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies at American University in Washington. " It is complex in a civil war and America, I think, understands that. But they are just getting tired of the money being spent and, more importantly, our young people dying over there."

Republican presidential contenders are also hoping for progress in Iraq by later this year. Nine of the 10 announced Republican candidates support the president's approach on Iraq. But they are also mindful of polls that indicate the Democratic contenders for the White House may have an advantage in next year's election because of public unhappiness over the war.

1 looming   

n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• The foothills were looming ahead through the haze. 丘陵地带透过薄雾朦胧地出现在眼前。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Then they looked up. Looming above them was Mount Proteome. 接着他们往上看，在其上隐约看到的是蛋白质组山。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 回顾与展望

2 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 withdrawn   

vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出

参考例句：

• Our force has been withdrawn from the danger area.我们的军队已从危险地区撤出。
• All foreign troops should be withdrawn to their own countries.一切外国军队都应撤回本国去。

4 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。

5 withdrawals   

n.收回，取回，撤回( withdrawal的名词复数 )；撤退，撤走；收回[取回，撤回，撤退，撤走]的实例；推出（组织），提走（存款），戒除毒瘾，对说过的话收回，孤僻

参考例句：

• He has made several withdrawals from his bank account. 他从银行账户上提了几次款。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It is not the bank's policy to deduct interest on withdrawals. 提款需扣除利息这并非是本银行的政策。 来自辞典例句

6 defensive   

adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的

参考例句：

• Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
• The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。

7 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

8 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。

9 corps   

n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组

参考例句：

• The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
• 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。

10 peril   

n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物

参考例句：

• The refugees were in peril of death from hunger.难民有饿死的危险。
• The embankment is in great peril.河堤岌岌可危。

11 plunge   

v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲

参考例句：

• Test pool's water temperature before you plunge in.在你跳入之前你应该测试水温。
• That would plunge them in the broil of the two countries.那将会使他们陷入这两国的争斗之中。

12 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

13 dividends   

红利( dividend的名词复数 )； 股息； 被除数； （足球彩票的）彩金

参考例句：

• Nothing pays richer dividends than magnanimity. 没有什么比宽宏大量更能得到厚报。
• Their decision five years ago to computerise the company is now paying dividends. 五年前他们作出的使公司电脑化的决定现在正产生出效益。

14 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

15 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。

16 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

17 evaluation   

n.估价，评价；赋值

参考例句：

• I attempted an honest evaluation of my own life.我试图如实地评价我自己的一生。
• The new scheme is still under evaluation.新方案还在评估阶段。

18 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

19 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。

20 commentator   

n.注释者，解说者；实况广播评论员

参考例句：

• He is a good commentator because he can get across the game.他能简单地解说这场比赛，是个好的解说者。
• The commentator made a big mistake during the live broadcast.在直播节目中评论员犯了个大错误。

21 philosophical   

adj.哲学家的，哲学上的，达观的

参考例句：

• The teacher couldn't answer the philosophical problem.老师不能解答这个哲学问题。
• She is very philosophical about her bad luck.她对自己的不幸看得很开。

22 abruptly   

adv.突然地，出其不意地

参考例句：

• He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。
• I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。

23 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。