VOA标准英语2008年-Bush: Security Progress in Iraq May Enable US F

U.S. President George Bush says enough progress is being made in Iraq to enable the Pentagon to consider further reductions in force levels and cut troop tours. VOA White House Correspondent Paula Wolfson reports.

President Bush says July has been a month of encouraging news in Iraq.

"Violence is down to its lowest levels since the spring of 2004 and we are now in our third consecutive¹ month with reduced violence levels holding steady," the president said.

The president says the top Americans in Iraq - General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker - acknowledge these advances could be reversed. But he says they report a degree of durability² in the gains of recent months.

He says there has been enough progress to prompt the Pentagon to cut troop tours.

"Beginning tomorrow, troops deploying³ to Iraq will serve 12-month tours instead of 15-month tours," Mr. Bush said. "This will ease the burden on our forces, and it will make life easier for our wonderful military families."

Mr. Bush says it is another sign that the strategy of sending extra troops to Iraq last year has paid off. There are now about 147,000 U.S. troops in Iraq. Combat units are at pre-surge levels, though the elevated number of support troops remains⁴.

"The last of these surge brigades came home this month," he said. "And later this year, General Petraeus will present me his recommendations of future troop levels, including further reductions in our combat forces as conditions permit."

In an update to the American people, Mr. Bush made specific mention of improvements in the Iraqi security forces. He said Iraqi troops have increased their capacity to handle the nation's security needs.

"Iraqi forces now have 192 combat battalions⁵ in the fight, and more than 110 of these battalions are taking the lead in combat operations against terrorists and extremists," President Bush said.

Mr. Bush spoke⁶ on the original target date for completion of an agreement governing the long-term U.S. presence in Iraq.

White House officials have been warning for days that the July 31 target would most likely not be met, although there are reports a deal may be near. The president said the negotiations⁷ will go on.

"We are also making progress in our discussions with Prime Minister Maliki's government on a strategic framework agreement," the president noted⁸. "This agreement will serve as the foundation for America's presence in Iraq once the United Nations resolution authorizing⁹ the multi-national forces there expires on December 31."

Congress is wrapping up its session for the year, and the two main political parties in the United States are gearing up for their national conventions. Iraq is one of the biggest issues in the campaign to choose a new president, and should remain so until the election on November 4.

 

1 consecutive   

adj.连续的，联贯的，始终一贯的

参考例句：

• It has rained for four consecutive days.已连续下了四天雨。
• The policy of our Party is consecutive.我党的政策始终如一。

2 durability   

n.经久性，耐用性

参考例句：

• Nylons have the virtue of durability.尼龙丝袜有耐穿的优点。

3 deploying   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的现在分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Provides support for developing and deploying distributed, component-based applications. 为开发和部署基于组件的分布式应用程序提供支持。
• Advertisement, publishing, repair, and install-on-demand are all available when deploying your application. 在部署应用程序时提供公布、发布、修复和即需即装功能。

4 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

5 battalions   

n.（陆军的）一营（大约有一千兵士）( battalion的名词复数 )；协同作战的部队；军队；（组织在一起工作的）队伍

参考例句：

• God is always on the side of the strongest battalions. 上帝总是帮助强者。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Two battalions were disposed for an attack on the air base. 配置两个营的兵力进攻空军基地。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

6 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

7 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

8 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。

9 authorizing   

授权，批准，委托( authorize的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Letters of Marque: Take letters from a warning friendly power authorizing privateering. 私掠许可证：从某一个国家获得合法抢劫的证书。
• Formal phavee completion does not include authorizing the subsequent phavee. 阶段的正式完成不包括核准随后的阶段。