2007年VOA标准英语-Iraqi Deputy PM Urges Continued US Engagement

By Michael Bowman
Washington
14 May 2007

Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister says his country faces serious challenges, but that the United States and the international community have a vital role to play in helping¹ forge a solution. VOA's Michael, Bowman reports from Washington, where Barham Salih addressed a gathering² of news media and academics.

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Barham Salih gestures while addressing a forum at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, 14 May 2007

Deputy Prime Minister Salih is visiting Washington at a time of declining U.S. domestic support for the war effort in Iraq and a rancorous standoff between President Bush and the opposition-led U.S. Congress over war funding.

Salih says Iraqis are paying close attention to the ongoing⁴ debate in the United States about military operations in his country, and are acutely aware that public opinion polls show Americans increasingly impatient for signs of progress in Iraq.

He said the United States must understand that Iraq, which for decades was traumatized by a dictator, brought to its knees by wars, and hobbled by sanctions, is now enduring what he termed a constant "tornado⁵ of terrorism."

"Think of September 11 happening over and over again to your country, and expecting in the midst of such a tough battle against a lethal⁶, ruthless, determined⁷ enemy, called terrorism, to think about building institutions of democracy, respect for law and human rights, and meeting benchmarks," said Salih.

Salih said he and other members of Iraq's leadership must do a better job of governing. But, speaking at the Woodrow Wilson Center, a non-partisan⁸ public policy group that focuses on international affairs, he suggested Iraqi society is showing far more strength, resolve, and forbearance in confronting violence than it gets credit for in world opinion.

"People can talk about civil war in Iraq. People can complain about a sectarian divide in Iraq. But there is another way of looking at it: any other society that had been subjected to this type of barbaric onslaught day in and day out would have been in an all-out civil war. If anything, it is remarkable⁹ that Iraq has not slid into an all-out civil war," he said.

The deputy prime minister met with Bush administration officials as well as key legislators on Capitol Hill. He said he is alarmed by the increasingly partisan tone to the debate in the United States over continued military operations in Iraq.

Salih said there are positive signs the ongoing buildup of U.S. forces in Iraq is helping bring stability to certain areas of the country, and noted¹⁰ that tribal¹¹ factions¹² in one province have taken up the fight against al-Qaida terrorists.

He also said Iraq's insurgency¹³ cannot be defeated by military means alone. But he insisted a political solution among Iraqis must have the backing of regional powers in the Middle East and the international community. Until such a day comes, he said, most Iraqis who believe in democracy want U.S. forces to remain in their country.

"Stability in Iraq is contingent¹⁴ upon a domestic pact¹⁵ among Iraqis. A grand bargain among Iraqis to take on the challenge of defeating extremism and terrorism," said Salih. "But that can only work if there is a regional international pact supporting this domestic pact. It cannot be done alone by us. It cannot be done alone by the outsiders."

Salih spoke¹⁶ as Iraqi lawmakers allied¹⁷ with radical¹⁸ Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr continue to press legislation that would establish a timetable for withdrawing U.S. forces. Observers in Baghdad say it is not clear whether the measure will come up for a vote, and is unlikely to pass if it does.

Several Republican congressional allies of President Bush have said that, if Iraq formally requests a pullout of U.S. troops, the United States will comply.

1 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

2 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

3 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

4 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

5 tornado   

n.飓风，龙卷风

参考例句：

• A tornado whirled into the town last week.龙卷风上周袭击了这座城市。
• The approaching tornado struck awe in our hearts.正在逼近的龙卷风使我们惊恐万分。

6 lethal   

adj.致死的；毁灭性的

参考例句：

• A hammer can be a lethal weapon.铁锤可以是致命的武器。
• She took a lethal amount of poison and died.她服了致命剂量的毒药死了。

7 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

8 partisan   

adj.党派性的；游击队的；n.游击队员；党徒

参考例句：

• In their anger they forget all the partisan quarrels.愤怒之中，他们忘掉一切党派之争。
• The numerous newly created partisan detachments began working slowly towards that region.许多新建的游击队都开始慢慢地向那里移动。

9 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

10 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。

11 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。

12 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

13 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网

14 contingent   

adj.视条件而定的；n.一组，代表团，分遣队

参考例句：

• The contingent marched in the direction of the Western Hills.队伍朝西山的方向前进。
• Whether or not we arrive on time is contingent on the weather.我们是否按时到达要视天气情况而定。

15 pact   

n.合同，条约，公约，协定

参考例句：

• The two opposition parties made an electoral pact.那两个反对党订了一个有关选举的协定。
• The trade pact between those two countries came to an end.那两国的通商协定宣告结束。

16 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。

17 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。

18 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。