VOA常速英语2008年-Petraeus Condemns Assassination of Sadr Aide

By Meredith Buel
Washington
11 April 2008

The top U.S. commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, has condemned² the assassination³ of a senior aide to radical⁴ Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr in the Iraqi holy city of Najaf. VOA correspondent Meredith Buel has details from the Pentagon.

General Petraeus told a small group of reporters at the Pentagon that the killing⁵ of Sadr advisor⁶ Riyadh al-Nouri potentially threatens weeks of calm in Najaf.

"The assassination in Najaf is obviously a cause for significant concern. I am sure that there are numerous calls for calm, for restraint in response. I know that there has been a curfew established already in Najaf. I am sure there will be pledges to bring to justice whoever it was that carried out this murderous action," he said.

Police say Nouri was killed when gunmen fired on his car near his home while returning from prayer services.

He was one of Sadr's closest aides. Nouri's sister is married to one of Sadr's brothers.

A spokesman for Sadr in Najaf said the cleric is calling on his supporters for calm, but is blaming what he called occupying forces and those working with them for the assassination.

General Petraeus denied U.S. forces were involved. "I have no idea what the basis of that would be. We do not have forces operating in Najaf. This is an act that we condemn¹ as do all other Iraqi leaders and coalition⁷ leaders," he said.

Tension between Sadr's militia⁸ and Iraqi government forces recently exploded into violence when Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki ordered a crackdown on Shi'ite militias⁹ and armed gangs in the southern city of Basra last month.

Sadr's militia responded with attacks in Basra and Baghdad, showering the U.S.-controlled Green Zone with rockets and mortars¹⁰.

American and Iraqi officials insist the Basra crackdown was not aimed at Sadr's political movement, but at criminals and Iranian-backed splinter groups.

General Petraeus called on all parties in Najaf to continue efforts to keep the holy city peaceful. "There has actually been very constructive¹¹ dialog and engagement between the different parties in Najaf. Between the provincial¹² governor and council members, the police chief, various security force leaders and of course it is in everyone's interest to maintain the peace in the holy city of Najaf," he said.

Clashes have continued in Basra and Baghdad, despite Sadr's order for his militiamen to stand down.

Sadr is believed to be in Iran and has not been seen in public for nearly a year.

1 condemn   

vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑

参考例句：

• Some praise him,whereas others condemn him.有些人赞扬他，而有些人谴责他。
• We mustn't condemn him on mere suppositions.我们不可全凭臆测来指责他。

2 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

3 assassination   

n.暗杀；暗杀事件

参考例句：

• The assassination of the president brought matters to a head.总统遭暗杀使事态到了严重关头。
• Lincoln's assassination in 1865 shocked the whole nation.1865年，林肯遇刺事件震惊全美国。

4 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。

5 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

6 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

7 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。

8 militia   

n.民兵，民兵组织

参考例句：

• First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面，其次是民兵。
• There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。

9 militias   

n.民兵组织，民兵( militia的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias. 部队并不打算解除战斗中的民兵武装。 来自辞典例句
• The neighborhood was a battleground for Shiite and Sunni militias. 那里曾是什叶派和逊尼派武装分子的战场。 来自互联网

10 mortars   

n.迫击炮( mortar的名词复数 )；砂浆；房产；研钵

参考例句：

• They could not move their heavy mortars over the swampy ground. 他们无法把重型迫击炮移过那片沼泽地。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Where the hell are his mortars? 他有迫击炮吗？ 来自教父部分

11 constructive   

adj.建设的，建设性的

参考例句：

• We welcome constructive criticism.我们乐意接受有建设性的批评。
• He is beginning to deal with his anger in a constructive way.他开始用建设性的方法处理自己的怒气。

12 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。