VOA标准英语2011--Despite New Pullout Pledge, US War Vets, Activists Vent

Despite New Pullout Pledge, US War Vets¹, Activists² Vent³

 

A new pledge by President Barack Obama to withdraw nearly all troops from Iraq by the end of the year has received mixed reactions from U.S. war veterans and peace activists. They say they will believe there is a pullout when it actually happens.

At the Freedom Plaza⁴ in Washington, one of the sites of the ongoing⁵ progressive Occupy movement in the United States, 68-year-old Don Anderson rolls around in a wheelchair.

He was wounded during fighting in the Vietnam War in the 1960s.

Anderson, who came from the northwestern state of Oregon to take part in the protest, said it is not only from Iraq that the president should be pulling U.S. troops out.

“I am very jaded⁶ toward our foreign policy and our military policy throughout the globe. We still have 30,000 plus of our military stationed in South Korea. For what? We have got thousands in Germany. For what?” asked Anderson.

Focus on U.S. issues

A police on a motorcycle passes a group of Occupy DC protesters as they march from McPherson Square to a Bank of America on K Street in Washington, October 20, 2011.

Protesters here also want to see an end to the conflict in Afghanistan, and elsewhere where U.S. troops are deployed⁷, and more government focus on helping⁸ with economic and social problems in the United States.

21-year-old Kyle Szlosek, from the northeastern state of Maine, feels sorry for all the U.S. soldiers still risking their lives in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks against the United States in 2001.

“They do not even know why they are fighting anymore. And none of us really know what the fight is about. We just continue this heinous⁹ war thinking that it will make the world a better place. We continue this machine of death and expect to find peace, and it is not going to work,” said Szlosek.

Earlier, from the White House briefing room nearby, President Obama said he was bringing the Iraq war to an end. The United States has already withdrawn¹⁰ nearly 100,000 troops from Iraq as part of the current draw-down with nearly 40,000 troops remaining, in a non-combat capacity.

“The rest of our troops in Iraq will come home by the end of the year. After nearly nine years, America’s war in Iraq will be over,” said Obama.

Deadly, costly¹¹ war

Prior to the start of the war in 2003, the U.S. and British governments said the possibility of Iraq’s government employing weapons of mass destruction threatened their security and the stability of the Middle East.

The invasion led to the eventual¹² capture of long-time President Saddam Hussein, who was later tried and executed by the new Iraqi government.

Following the invasion, a U.S. fact-finding mission concluded Iraq had ended its nuclear, chemical and biological programs in the early 1990s.

The cost of the war to the U.S. government has been evaluated at more than $700 billion.

The U.S. action also led to an anti U.S-insurgency as well as deadly sectarian violence.

A website called Iraq Body Count says more than 100,000 Iraqi civilians¹³ were killed during the conflict. At least 10,000 Iraqi soldiers were also killed in the war.

Honoring troops

According to U.S. government statistics more than 4,400 U.S. troops have been killed.

For those returning alive, Obama promised a hero’s welcome.

“The last American soldiers will cross the border out of Iraq with their heads held high, proud of their success and knowing that the American people stand united in our support for our troops,” said Obama.

Anderson, the Vietnam War veteran, said he hopes that will happen as well, but he doubts there will be sufficient support to deal with all the post-war stress with which the soldiers are dealing¹⁴.

1 vets   

abbr.veterans （复数）老手，退伍军人；veterinaries （复数）兽医n.兽医( vet的名词复数 )；老兵；退伍军人；兽医诊所v.审查（某人过去的记录、资格等）( vet的第三人称单数 )；调查；检查；诊疗

参考例句：

• I helped train many young vets and veterinary nurses too. 我还帮助培训了许多年青的兽医和护士。 来自互联网
• In fact, we've expanded mental health counseling and services for our vets. 实际上，我们已经扩大了退伍军人的心理健康咨询和服务。 来自互联网

2 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》

3 vent   

n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄

参考例句：

• He gave vent to his anger by swearing loudly.他高声咒骂以发泄他的愤怒。
• When the vent became plugged,the engine would stop.当通风口被堵塞时，发动机就会停转。

4 plaza   

n.广场，市场

参考例句：

• They designated the new shopping centre York Plaza.他们给这个新购物中心定名为约克购物中心。
• The plaza is teeming with undercover policemen.这个广场上布满了便衣警察。

5 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

6 jaded   

adj.精疲力竭的；厌倦的；（因过饱或过多而）腻烦的；迟钝的

参考例句：

• I felt terribly jaded after working all weekend. 整个周末工作之后我感到疲惫不堪。
• Here is a dish that will revive jaded palates. 这道菜简直可以恢复迟钝的味觉。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

8 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

9 heinous   

adj.可憎的，十恶不赦的

参考例句：

• They admitted to the most heinous crimes.他们承认了极其恶劣的罪行。
• I do not want to meet that heinous person.我不想见那个十恶不赦的人。

10 withdrawn   

vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出

参考例句：

• Our force has been withdrawn from the danger area.我们的军队已从危险地区撤出。
• All foreign troops should be withdrawn to their own countries.一切外国军队都应撤回本国去。

11 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

12 eventual   

adj.最后的，结局的，最终的

参考例句：

• Several schools face eventual closure.几所学校面临最终关闭。
• Both parties expressed optimism about an eventual solution.双方对问题的最终解决都表示乐观。

13 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

14 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。