2007年VOA标准英语-Iraq Court Upholds Death Sentence For Top Sadda

By Jim Randle
Irbil, Iraq
04 September 2007

An appeals court in Iraq has upheld the death sentences of several former top officials of Saddam Hussein's government. The best known is "Chemical Ali" who got his grim nickname for using poison gas against the Kurds during the 1980s.  VOA' s Jim Randle reports from northern Iraq.

Ali Hassan al-Majid known as 'Chemical Ali' stands in court in Baghdad, Iraq, 24 June 2007

Chemical Ali's real name is Ali Hassan al-Majid.  The latest court decision confirms the death sentence, handed down in June, for his role in the so-called Anfal campaign of the late 1980s that killed an estimated 180,000 Iraqi Kurds.

The chairman of Iraq's High Tribunal, Arif Abdul Razaq, announced the decision against al-Majid and two co-defendants.  The court said the men would be executed within 30 days.

The former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein was convicted and hanged last year for ordering the murders of Iraqi Shi'ites from the village of Dujail in 1982.

As Iraq's courts wrestle¹ with issues of justice, its parliament reconvened Tuesday after a month-long break.  Lawmakers are under mounting pressure from Washington to make compromises intended to heal the deep divisions among the nation's Shi'ites, Sunnis, and Kurds.

Among the issues Parliament is trying to deal with is how the nation's oil industry will operate and how oil revenue will be shared.  Parliament is also to work on easing restrictions² for former members of Saddam Hussein's Ba'ath political party.

Washington considers these issues crucial so that improvements in security on the ground translate into political reconciliation³.  President Bush visited Iraq briefly⁴ on Monday, in part to urge top Iraqi leaders to make progress on these issues.

Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh talked about the visit in a telephone interview on Iraqi television.

Dabbagh said Mr. Bush's visit sent a clear message of support for the Iraqi government.  He said this is a poor time to change governments.

Some U.S. Senators have said Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki should be replaced.  Mr. Bush says that is up to the Iraqi people.

1 wrestle   

vi.摔跤，角力；搏斗；全力对付

参考例句：

• He taught his little brother how to wrestle.他教他小弟弟如何摔跤。
• We have to wrestle with difficulties.我们必须同困难作斗争。

2 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

3 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

4 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。