VOA标准英语2008年-US, Iraqi Defense Ministers Declare Notable Gai

By Jim Fry
Washington
11 January 2008
  

U.S. Defense¹ Secretary Robert Gates and Iraq's defense minister say coalition² forces have achieved notable security gains in Iraq. The two men on Thursday marked the one year anniversary of the Bush administration's decision to send more troops into Iraq. VOA's Jim Fry reports.

U.S. and Iraqi soldiers are on the move northeast of Baghdad. It is an offensive known as Phantom³ Phoenix⁴.

On Tuesday, 8 January, the Pentagon released a video that it said was an air strike against al-Qaida forces southeast of Baghdad. And then Thursday, the military announced similar strikes on an al-Qaida stronghold on the outskirts⁵ of Baghdad. The military called it one of the largest bombing campaigns in recent months.

At the Pentagon, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates appeared before reporters with Iraqi Defense Minister Abd al-Qadir.

He reminded the audience of the anniversary. "As you know, one year ago today the president announced a new way forward in Iraq, also known as the surge," noted⁶ Gates.

Gates and al-Qadir said security gains have cut the number high profile attacks by 60 percent and civilian⁷ deaths by 75 percent.

The Iraqi government's stated goal is to replace with Iraqi troops the multi-national forces, including U.S. troops. The defense minister did not say when.

He says, "We work in full coordination⁸ and we believe we are capable of filling the gap."

Earlier this week, President Bush praised the progress in Iraq.

"Improvements on the ground are allowing some forces on the ground to return home. Strategy is called, 'Return on Success.' It has now begun," President Bush said.

Mr. Bush gave some of the credit to Iraqi citizen groups.

Such groups have signed pledges to oppose terrorists and insurgents⁹, leading to more peaceful neighborhoods and open markets. But critics say underlying¹⁰ conflicts in Iraqi society have not disappeared.

Stephen Biddle, with the private Council on Foreign Relations in Washington says, "These negotiated agreements are, therefore, not inherently stable or self-policing."

Biddle says that lasting¹¹ peace can be achieved only if an outside force is maintained in Iraq. He says the number of U.S. troops has already fallen below what experts say is needed for a peacekeeping mission in a country like Iraq. "And if we leave ourselves without sufficient forces for a peacekeeping and enforcement role, I am concerned that we could create a self-defeating prophesy¹² in Iraq, and lose the things that we have gained at such cost and such sacrifice," added Biddle.

Meanwhile, as U.S. troops hunt down insurgents in Iraq's northern provinces, two explosions near Baghdad claimed at least three lives and wounded eleven others. 

"There will continue to be tough days and tough weeks. We are not done yet, by any means," Gates said.

Gates says insurgents now have fewer places to hide in Iraq, but he says the current offensive does not represent the last major battle.

1 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。

2 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。

3 phantom   

n.幻影，虚位，幽灵；adj.错觉的，幻影的，幽灵的

参考例句：

• I found myself staring at her as if she were a phantom.我发现自己瞪大眼睛看着她，好像她是一个幽灵。
• He is only a phantom of a king.他只是有名无实的国王。

4 phoenix   

n.凤凰，长生(不死)鸟；引申为重生

参考例句：

• The airline rose like a phoenix from the ashes.这家航空公司又起死回生了。
• The phoenix worship of China is fetish worship not totem adoration.中国凤崇拜是灵物崇拜而非图腾崇拜。

5 outskirts   

n.郊外，郊区

参考例句：

• Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。
• They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。

6 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

7 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

8 coordination   

n.协调，协作

参考例句：

• Gymnastics is a sport that requires a considerable level of coordination.体操是一项需要高协调性的运动。
• The perfect coordination of the dancers and singers added a rhythmic charm to the performance.舞蹈演员和歌手们配合得很好，使演出更具魅力。

9 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

10 underlying   

adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的

参考例句：

• The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.小说隐含的主题是十分严肃的。
• This word has its underlying meaning.这个单词有它潜在的含义。

11 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

12 prophesy   

v.预言；预示

参考例句：

• He dares to prophesy what will happen in the future.他敢预言未来将发生什么事。
• I prophesy that he'll be back in the old job.我预言他将重操旧业。