2007年VOA标准英语-Bush Cites Progress in Iraq War

By Scott Stearns
White House
25 August 2007

President George W. Bush speaks to Veterans of Foreign Wars, 22 Aug 2007

In his weekly radio address Saturday, President Bush says U.S. troop reinforcements in Iraq are helping¹ to reduce sectarian violence there. A short while later, a former Democratic senator gave a radio address saying the war is encouraging terrorists. VOA White House correspondent Scott Stearns has more.

The White House is due to give a key report on Iraq to Congress in mid-September. In the time leading up to that presentation, Mr. Bush is working to restore support for the war.

In a speech to the Veterans of Foreign Wars this past week, he compared the fight in Iraq to past U.S. military intervention² in Asia. In remarks to the American Legion this coming Tuesday, Mr. Bush is expected to talk about how the conflict affects the broader Middle East.

And in his weekly radio address Saturday, the president says his decision to send more troops to Iraq is beginning to show results.

"We are still in the early stages of our new operations. But the success of the past couple of months has shown that conditions on the ground can change - and they are changing," said Mr. Bush. "We cannot expect the new strategy we are carrying out to bring success overnight. But by standing³ with the Iraqi people as they build their democracy, we will deliver a devastating⁴ blow to al-Qaida, we will help provide new hope for millions of people throughout the Middle East, we will gain a friend and ally in the war on terror, and we will make the American people safer."

Public opinion polls show a majority of Americans now believe the war is a mistake. A CBS News survey this month shows more than two-thirds of Americans disapprove⁵ of how the president is handling the war.

In the Democratic radio address, former Senator Max Cleland says a majority of Americans see a profound difference between what he calls the president's optimistic rhetoric⁶ and the grim reality of a fight which has so far claimed nearly 4,000 American lives.

"The truth is that despite this enormous sacrifice, we find ourselves mired⁷ in a civil war with no end in sight and Iraqis unable or unwilling⁸ to make the political decisions necessary to end this conflict. And the truth is President Bush's decision to go to war, and stay at war, has actually encouraged thousands of new recruits for al-Qaida in Iraq and around the world," said Cleland.

US Ambassador to Iraq Ryan C. Crocker speaks during a press conference after meeting with the Iranian Ambassador Hasan Kazemi Qomi in Baghdad, Iraq, 24 July 24, 2007

Much of the president's September 15 report to Congress will be based on advice from the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, and the top U.S. commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus.

The president will also consider the latest assessment⁹ by the U.S. intelligence community, which this past week concluded that "Iraqi political leaders remain unable to govern effectively."

The intelligence report says security should improve modestly over the next year so long as U.S.-led coalition¹⁰ forces conduct strong counterinsurgency operations and continue backing Iraqi forces.

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 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

3 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

4 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

5 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。

6 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

7 mired   

abbr.microreciprocal degree 迈尔德（色温单位）v.深陷( mire的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The country was mired in recession. 这个国家陷入了经济衰退的困境。
• The most brilliant leadership can be mired in detail. 最有才干的领导也会陷于拘泥琐事的困境中。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 unwilling   

adj.不情愿的

参考例句：

• The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。
• His tightfisted employer was unwilling to give him a raise.他那吝啬的雇主不肯给他加薪。

9 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

10 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。