VOA标准英语2009年-US: Support for Iran Reformist, Democracy

By Dan Robinson
Washington
28 October 2009

A senior State Department official has told Congress that the United States is not lessening¹ its support for reformers in Iran and U.S.-based organizations supporting them. Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs Jeffrey Feltman responded to lawmakers concerned about what they call signs of diminished support for some U.S.-based organizations working in support of Iran's democracy and reform advocates.

President Obama and administration officials insist there is no question of any lessening of overall U.S. support for civil society and democracy groups seeking democratic reforms in Iran.

Earlier this year, after the disputed Iranian presidential election, the president faced sharp criticism from minority Republicans that he had not voiced sufficient moral support for demonstrators in the streets protesting the outcome.

President Obama has recently faced additional criticism after the State Department denied funding to some organizations with projects supporting civil society, rule of law and human rights monitoring efforts in Iran.

Three groups mentioned in media reports are the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center, a small nonpartisan group tracking human rights abuses in Iran, the non-partisan Freedom House, and the International Republican Institute (IRI).

Appearing before the House of Representatives Subcommittee on the Middle East, Assistant Secretary Feltman was pressed by Democrats³ and Republicans about Obama administration support generally for Iranian reform advocates, and specifically about funding decisions.

Committee chairman Democrat² Gary Ackerman suggested that even as the administration attempts engagement with Iran, it could be doing more to underscore its support for democracy and reform advocates. "It might not be a bad idea to let people know verbally, out loud, for all the world to see, including them [reformers in Iran], the kind of support, at least talk, that we appreciate what they are doing and that we are inspired by their courage. Some statement," he said

Republican Congressman⁴ Bob Inglis implied that the administration's efforts to employ intensified⁵ diplomacy⁶ with Iran might be affecting funding decisions for specific democracy projects. "To have us back away from those [programs] in order to get some kind of engagement [it] seems to me, makes no sense because appeasement⁷ has never worked before and it seems to me to fly into that danger zone of appeasement, which is not wise policy," he said.

Noting that all organizations compete fiercely for funding, Feltman denied the Obama administration has backed away from groups supporting civil society and similar programs in Iran. "We are not backing away. We are going full steam ahead with our programs in Iran and across the region, again in order to create that space for civil societies to actually play the proper role that we would all understand in building more accountable democratic governing institutions," he said.

Congressional concern was also heard in a separate hearing of the full House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee.

Republican Representative Chris Smith was among seven members of Congress who wrote to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressing concern that programs promoting democracy, civil society and rule of law in Iran were being de-funded or halted. "There should be no question whatsoever⁸ as to whether the United States actively⁹ supports these essential goals of the Iranian people," he said.

Assistant Secretary Feltman told lawmakers Wednesday that while they might think they are hearing different messages now from the Obama administration regarding support for Iranian reformers, commitments remain the same as those President Obama expressed in the speech he delivered in Cairo last July, aimed at the Muslim world.

Feltman said State Department officials would be coming to Capitol Hill next week to meet with congressional committee staff and discuss more specifically programs that are being supported.

1 lessening   

减轻，减少，变小

参考例句：

• So however much he earned, she spent it, her demands growing and lessening with his income. 祥子挣多少，她花多少，她的要求随着他的钱涨落。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子
• The talks have resulted in a lessening of suspicion. 谈话消减了彼此的怀疑。

2 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

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 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

5 intensified   

v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Violence intensified during the night. 在夜间暴力活动加剧了。
• The drought has intensified. 旱情加剧了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

7 appeasement   

n.平息，满足

参考例句：

• Music is an appeasement to shattered nerves. 音乐可抚慰受重创的神经。
• There can be no appeasement with ruthlessness. 对残暴行为是不能姑息的。 来自演讲部分

8 whatsoever   

adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么

参考例句：

• There's no reason whatsoever to turn down this suggestion.没有任何理由拒绝这个建议。
• All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,do ye even so to them.你想别人对你怎样，你就怎样对人。

9 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。