VOA标准英语2010年-Gates Visits Birthplace of Iraqi Turna

U.S. Defense¹ Secretary Robert Gates visited Western Iraq Wednesday, the place where U.S. troops and local tribal² leaders began an effort four years ago that helped turn the tide of the Iraq war.  Gates stopped in al-Anbar Province on his way to Baghdad to mark the formal end of U.S. combat operations in the country.

 

The secretary's military 747 jumbo jet touched down at al-Asad Air Base shortly after sunrise - a moment reminiscent of his last visit here, when he came in on a military combat jet and was joined by then-President George W. Bush in his 747, known as Air Force One.

At that time, almost exactly three years ago, Mr. Bush and Gates were marking the Anbar Awakening³, the decision by local tribal leaders to reject al-Qaida and join forces with the U.S. Marines, who had been struggling to establish security in the province. Wednesday, he was asked whether, with the new "advise and assist" mission, the United States is still at war in the country.

"No, I would say we're not," he said. "Combat operations have ceased. We're still going to work with the Iraqis on counterterrorism.  We are still doing a lot of training and advising and assisting.  That's what this brigade is all about.  So, I would say we have moved into the final phase of our engagement in Iraq."

Gates says events in Ramadi played a key role in turning around the security situation in Iraq.

"Visiting Ramadi today is especially meaningful for me and my staff," he said. "We have very personal and enduring connections to this city and this province.  Many of us, like many of you, were touched first-hand by the terrible violence that not long ago consumed this area."

A commander at Camp Ramadi, Lieutenant⁴ Colonel Buddy⁵ Houston, says the mission now is very different from the mission the Gates visit in 2007.

"The purpose of our Advise and Assist Brigade is to enable Iraqi security forces to provide sustainable security in Anbar Province," said Houston.

Houston says that includes preparing the Iraqis to operate completely on their own after the remaining U.S. troops leave, which is scheduled for the end of next year.

Secretary Gates says the United States might be willing to keep some number of troops here to continue the training and assisting, but says any request to do so would have to come from a new Iraqi government.  Iraqi leaders have been arguing about the formation of a new government since parliament elections, five months ago.

The secretary was also asked whether the Iraq War was worthwhile for the United States.

"Figuring out, in retrospect⁶, how you deal with the war - even if the outcome is a good one from the standpoint of the United States - it'll always be clouded by how it began.  And so, I think that this is one of the reasons this war remains⁷ so controversial at home," he said.

Still, he says President Barack Obama has ensured that Iraq will continue to receive the attention it needs, even as focus continues to shift to Afghanistan, because he put Vice⁸ President Joe Biden in charge of Iraq policy and he regularly calls key officials together to monitor the situation.
 

1 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

2 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。

3 awakening   

n.觉醒，醒悟 adj.觉醒中的；唤醒的

参考例句：

• the awakening of interest in the environment 对环境产生的兴趣
• People are gradually awakening to their rights. 人们正逐渐意识到自己的权利。

4 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

5 buddy   

n.（美口）密友，伙伴

参考例句：

• Calm down,buddy.What's the trouble?压压气，老兄。有什么麻烦吗？
• Get out of my way,buddy!别挡道了，你这家伙！

6 retrospect   

n.回顾，追溯；v.回顾，回想，追溯

参考例句：

• One's school life seems happier in retrospect than in reality.学校生活回忆起来显得比实际上要快乐。
• In retrospect,it's easy to see why we were wrong.回顾过去就很容易明白我们的错处了。

7 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。

8 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。