2007年VOA标准英语-Bush Says Troop Surge Reducing Violence in Iraq

By Scott Stearns
Washington
30 June 2007

President Bush

President Bush says U.S. troop reinforcements in Iraq are helping¹ to reduce sectarian violence and car bombings in Baghdad. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns reports, opposition² Democrats³ say they will try again to change course in Iraq through legislation on defense⁴ spending.

Looking ahead to the Fourth of July, Independence Day in the United States, President Bush says Americans will remember the spirit of liberty that inspired the nation's Founding Fathers to pledge their lives and their fortunes to defend freedom.

In his weekly radio address, Mr. Bush uses the holiday to defend wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, saying a new generation of Americans has volunteered to protect the ideals of the nation's founding fathers and keep their fellow citizens from harm.

The president is hoping to rebuild support for an unpopular war at a time when he is under pressure from opposition Democrats and some senior members of his own party to show that his decision to send more troops to Iraq is succeeding.

"We're still at the beginning of this offensive, but we're seeing some hopeful signs. We're engaging the enemy, and killing⁵ or capturing hundreds," he said.

A majority of Americans now believe the invasion of Iraq was a mistake. A Newsweek magazine poll earlier this month said 73 percent of Americans disapprove⁶ of the president's handling of the war.

Mr. Bush often invokes⁷ the sacrifices of those killed in Iraq to justify⁸ continuing the fight. In his radio address, he says the father of a fallen Marine⁹ sniper urged him to "finish the mission. Bring freedom to the Iraqi people."

"On this Fourth of July, we remember Luke Yepsen and all the men and women in uniform who have given their lives in this struggle," said Mr. Bush.  "They've helped bring freedom to the Iraqi people. They've helped make Americans more secure. We will not forget their sacrifice."

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Rep. Harry Reid (16 Feb 2007)

In the Democratic radio address, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says the president's policies in Iraq are not working and it is time to reduce the number of U.S. troops there to force Iraq's government to take greater responsibility for the country's security.

"We passed legislation to change course in Iraq only to see the president veto it," he said. "But we also supplied our troops with better equipment and protection and provided our veterans with health care that they really earned and needed."

Reid says the upcoming Senate debate on defense spending is a new opportunity to change course in Iraq. Two Republican senators last week criticized the war. Reid says more Republicans are, in his words, saying the right things about Iraq. He says it is important now that they vote the right way.

Reid also uses the Democratic radio address to praise what he says are the successes of the past six months of his party's control of Congress, including a higher minimum wage, ethics¹¹ reform, and more funds for those affected¹² by Gulf¹³ Coast hurricanes.

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 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

3 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》

4 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。

5 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。

6 disapprove   

v.不赞成，不同意，不批准

参考例句：

• I quite disapprove of his behaviour.我很不赞同他的行为。
• She wants to train for the theatre but her parents disapprove.她想训练自己做戏剧演员，但她的父母不赞成。

7 invokes   

v.援引( invoke的第三人称单数 )；行使（权利等）；祈求救助；恳求

参考例句：

• The Roundtable statement invokes the principles of the free market system. 企业界圆桌会议的声明援用了自由市场制度的原则。 来自辞典例句
• When no more storage is available, the system invokes a garbage collector. 当没有可用的存贮时，系统就调用无用单元收集程序。 来自辞典例句

8 justify   

vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护

参考例句：

• He tried to justify his absence with lame excuses.他想用站不住脚的借口为自己的缺席辩解。
• Can you justify your rude behavior to me?你能向我证明你的粗野行为是有道理的吗？

9 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。

10 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

11 ethics   

n.伦理学；伦理观，道德标准

参考例句：

• The ethics of his profession don't permit him to do that.他的职业道德不允许他那样做。
• Personal ethics and professional ethics sometimes conflict.个人道德和职业道德有时会相互抵触。

12 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

13 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。