VOA标准英语2010年-Families of Slain Iraq Soldiers Protes

As former British Prime Minister Tony Blair appears before an inquiry¹ into the war in Iraq, dozens of demonstrators gathered outside in a public display of anger over Britain's role in the war. Chants of "war criminal" echoed through London's streets, where in 2003 an estimated one million people gathered to protest British military action in Iraq.

As Mr. Blair gave evidence to the Iraq Inquiry, protesters outside chanted a slogan which has often rung through London's streets over the past seven years - "Tony Blair, War Criminal".

Men and women shouted and held placards, while a man wearing a mask of Mr. Blair's face, his hands covered in fake blood, stood behind a makeshift police cell.

Many of the protesters here told VOA that they want to see the former British prime minister tried as a war criminal for his role in what they say is an illegal war.

Family members of some of the 179 British soldiers killed in Iraq joined the protest.

Pamela Crawford, who lost her brother Gordon in 2004, says it's Tony Blair who's responsible for the lives lost in Iraq. "It was his fault that we were there - he had the final decision, so it all lies with him," said Crawford.

She says she hopes Mr. Blair will face legal action if the war is found by the inquiry to have been illegal.

"If it gets proven that we shouldn't have gone in then he should have to pay, he should be prosecuted² or something, not just left to walk away," said Crawford.

Ide Marshane, from South Africa, said he was at the protest as an observer - but said it's important that questions are asked of Tony Blair about why Britain took military action in Iraq.

"You know he has been responsible for lots of things - the war itself, committing a country to war where many soldiers have been maimed, injured and died, and I think it's a serious matter," said Marshane.

The police were out in heavy force in preparation for a protest that activists³ had predicted might attract thousands of demonstrators.

Instead, there were around 200 people here - a number that had diminished by the afternoon.

It was a far cry from a protest in 2003 when up to hundreds of thousands poured into London's streets to demonstrate against the war.

Pat Aerosmith, a peace protester since 1958, said it's preventative actions that garner⁴ the most popular support.

"Here we are really making a kind of protest about what is after the event," said Aerosmith. "I am primarily concerned with the sort of actions where you're saying we are trying to stop something happening."

But for Jennifer Bromlick, who's part of Stop the War Coalition⁵ and helped to organize this protest, the very existence of the Iraq Inquiry demonstrates the strong public opinion in Britain against the war.

"I mean even though they are not sitting here marching on the streets in millions, the public sentiment pushed for the inquiry," she said.

The decision by Tony Blair to send British troops to Iraq was the most controversial decision in his ten years as prime minister. The move spurred major protests and resulted in divisions in his Labor⁶ party.

1 inquiry   

n.打听，询问，调查，查问

参考例句：

• Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
• The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

2 prosecuted   

a.被起诉的

参考例句：

• The editors are being prosecuted for obscenity. 编辑因刊载污秽文字而被起诉。
• The company was prosecuted for breaching the Health and Safety Act. 这家公司被控违反《卫生安全条例》。

3 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 garner   

v.收藏；取得

参考例句：

• He has garnered extensive support for his proposals.他的提议得到了广泛的支持。
• Squirrels garner nuts for the winter.松鼠为过冬储存松果。

5 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。

6 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。