VOA标准英语2009年-Iraq's Maliki Unveils Broad Coalition

By Elizabeth Arrott
Cairo
01 October 2009

 
Iraqi PM Nouri al-Maliki (C) during a meeting where he announced a new political bloc¹ for upcoming elections, Baghdad, 01 Oct 2009
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has announced a broad-based coalition² to take part in general elections set for January.  The bloc hopes to offer an alternative to sectarian-driven politics.

The State of Law coalition includes Sunni Muslims, Kurds and Christians³, people who have had little voice in Iraqi national politics since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.

Announcing the formation of the broader group Thursday in Baghdad, Mr. al-Maliki said it represents an historic point in the establishment of a new Iraqi state.

The coalition of 40 parties includes some of the Shi'ite prime minister's key allies, including oil minister Hussain al-Shahristani, as well as influential⁴ Sunni tribal⁵ leaders, including those who led the rebellion against al-Qaida inspired militants⁶.

The Shi'ite prime minister is also stressing the secular⁷ nature of the grouping, in a bid to court voters weary of years of sectarian violence.
 
Reidar Visser is an academic specializing in Iraq with the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs.

"The overwhelming tendency in Iraqi politics for the past two years at the popular level has been towards non-sectarianism, towards less emphasis of sectarian identities," Visser said. "But the political parties have been lagging behind in a way."

The broadened State of Law coalition will go up against the leading Shi'ite bloc, the Supreme⁸ Islamic Iraqi Council, former allies of Mr. al-Maliki who have the backing of conservative Shi'ite Iran.
 
The issue of foreign influence is, of course, high on the list of voter concerns, after more than six years of the U.S. presence. Reidar Vissar says Mr. al-Maliki may have successfully negotiated that problem.

"Maliki is seen as someone who is moving towards a more independent relationship, a more equal relationship, someone who has certainly moved Iraq towards some more independent position as far as the American influence is concerned," Visser said.

Voting for a new parliament is set for January, the first general election since 2005.

1 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。

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 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

4 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

5 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

6 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

7 secular   

n.牧师，凡人；adj.世俗的，现世的，不朽的

参考例句：

• We live in an increasingly secular society.我们生活在一个日益非宗教的社会。
• Britain is a plural society in which the secular predominates.英国是个世俗主导的多元社会。

8 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。