2007年VOA标准英语-Bush to Endorse Partial Withdrawal From Iraq

By Scott Stearns
White House
12 September 2007

President Bush gives a nationwide address Thursday in which he is expected to announce the gradual withdrawal¹ of 30,000 troops from Iraq. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns reports, opposition² Democrats³ want more troops to leave sooner.

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

President Bush spent the day rehearsing his speech on Iraq which aides say has already had more than 20 drafts. White House officials say the president will endorse⁴ General David Petraeus' recommendation to bring home 30-thousand reinforcements sent to Iraq earlier this year.

That would leave about 130,000 Americans in Iraq by the middle of 2008.

In testimony⁵ before Congress this week, General Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker said the Bush administration's overall strategy in Iraq would remain largely unchanged once the temporary surge of troops has been reversed.

White House Spokesman Tony Snow says the surge is a success story, because it has allowed U.S. commanders to transfer more responsibility for front-line operations to Iraqi security forces.

"You cannot argue that there has not been a significant change," Snow said.  "There has been. And it has been in part a result of the fact that there is a recognition that the United States has stood by and has provided support for Iraqis and at the same time has worked with them to go and develop greater security."

But Senate Majority Leader Harry⁶ Reid says the troop reinforcements have failed to accomplish what the president said was their primary goal - giving Iraqi leaders time to resolve their differences and pass important laws, including a bill on the distribution of oil income.

"Every objective assessment⁷ has shown the surge has failed to bring the Iraqi government closer to political reconciliation," Senator Reid said.

Earlier this year, Senate Democrats failed to get the votes necessary to force Mr. Bush to set a timetable for troop withdrawal, largely because enough members of the president's own political party said his plan should have more time to work.

Senator Reid says Democrats will try again next week by offering amendments⁸ to military funding bills to cut troop numbers to below pre-surge levels. He says opposition leaders are reaching out to Republicans who are publicly expressing concerns about the course of the conflict.

"It appears the president is dug in, unwilling⁹ to recognize that his strategy is placing all the burden on our military, and it is simply not working," Senator Reid said.

White House spokesman Snow says Democrats should be congratulating U.S. troops for making a real difference in Iraq instead of threatening to cut troop levels further.

"It sounds like an attempt to try to create a political framework for ignoring the success that has taken place as a result of the surge in recent months," Snow said.

A public opinion poll by the Associated Press this week says 58 percent of Americans believe the troop surge has not helped stabilize¹⁰ Iraq.  A separate poll by CBS News this month shows 71 percent of Americans disapprove¹¹ of the president's handling of the war. 

The speech Thursday gives Mr. Bush another chance to rebuild support for U.S. involvement in Iraq. 

1 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。

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 endorse   

vt.(支票、汇票等)背书，背署；批注；同意

参考例句：

• No one is foolish enough to endorse it.没有哪个人会傻得赞成它。
• I fully endorse your opinions on this subject.我完全拥护你对此课题的主张。

5 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

6 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。

7 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？

8 amendments   

（法律、文件的）改动( amendment的名词复数 )； 修正案； 修改； （美国宪法的）修正案

参考例句：

• The committee does not adequately consult others when drafting amendments. 委员会在起草修正案时没有充分征求他人的意见。
• Please propose amendments and addenda to the first draft of the document. 请对这个文件的初稿提出修改和补充意见。

9 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。

10 stabilize   

vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定

参考例句：

• They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
• His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。

11 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。