2007年VOA标准英语-Iraqi PM Meets With Shi'ites to Quell Political

By Jim Randle
Irbil, Iraq
05 September 2007

Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki met with the country's Shi'ite religious leader Wednesday to discuss a political impasse¹ that resulted in half of his cabinet quitting. VOA's Jim Randle reports from northern Iraq.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, center, addresses the media after meeting with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Wednesday, 05 Sept 2007

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki traveled to the holy city of Najaf to meet with the leader of Iraq 's Shi'ite majority, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.  Sistani sponsors the prime minister's ruling United Alliance.

Mr. Maliki later told reporters he sought Sistani's advice on filling empty ministerial posts and government reform. 

Mr. Maliki said Sistani pushed him to solve the political, security and economic problems that plague the country.

One of the biggest groups in the United Alliance, the movement of radical² Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, left the government in April protesting Mr. Maliki's refusal to set a timetable for the withdrawal³ of foreign troops from Iraq.

The biggest Sunni Arab bloc⁴ in parliament, the Accordance Front,  also pulled out its ministers, accusing Mr. Maliki of favoritism toward Shi'ites.

The walkouts have hurt efforts to resolve tensions between Iraq's Shi'ite and Sunni Arab communities and reach agreement on laws covering oil revenue and easing restrictions⁵ on former members of Saddam Hussein' s Ba'ath Party.  Reaching compromises is seen in Washington as a key step toward national reconciliation⁶.

Some prominent Democrats⁷ in Washington have said Mr. Maliki should be replaced, and he is under growing pressure to make political progress to match security gains in some areas of Iraq.

Man injured in Sadr City blast lies in a hospital bed, 05 Sep 2007

Meanwhile, a bomb blast in Baghdad's mostly Shi'ite Sadr City district was a reminder⁸ Wednesday that the military situation continues to be difficult.  The attack killed at least 11 people and wounded about 20 others.

Police say the blast occurred in a crowded square as buses gathered to pick up passengers heading to work.

 

1 impasse   

n.僵局；死路

参考例句：

• The government had reached an impasse.政府陷入绝境。
• Negotiations seemed to have reached an impasse.谈判似乎已经陷入僵局。

2 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。

3 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。

4 bloc   

n.集团；联盟

参考例句：

• A solid bloc of union members support the decision.工会会员团结起来支持该决定。
• There have been growing tensions within the trading bloc.贸易同盟国的关系越来越紧张。

5 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

6 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。

7 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》

8 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。