VOA标准英语2013--Syrian Rebels Welcome Arms Pledges

 

Syrian Rebels Welcome Arms Pledges

Bab al-Salama camp near Syria's border with Turkey. Abdulhamid Assad arrived from Aleppo several months ago with his extended family of fighters with the Syrian rebels. They fled because they ran out of bullets.

Assad acknowledges that the rebels have suffered reversals on the battlefield lately. As a result, new arms are welcome.

“Of course the weapons will make a difference," said fighter Abdulhamid Assad. "We are just waiting for them. I have 70 fighters here just waiting to go and hundreds more are waiting in Aleppo.”

He asks why foreign governments were so slow to provide the aid, and why they still are reluctant to provide the anti-air and anti-tank weapons needed to counter the Syrian government's bombs and artillery¹.

“Of course it's late for these weapons. The whole world has been watching as these killings² go on, thousands of people and the world just watches,” added Assad.

Assad already lost one son to the war. Another, 35-year-old Abdul, is still ready to fight. “I just want to get my family to safety in Turkey. They haven't let us in yet but if they do and we get the weapons, I will go back,” he said.

Hussein Ahmed was a lieutenant³ in the Syrian government's elite⁴ Republican Guards until he defected last year. He was seriously wounded in Aleppo and spent seven months in a hospital in Turkey. “In just a few days, as soon as I get the chance, I will go back. I'm just waiting for the ammunition⁵ and weapons,"  he said.

The fighters have heard of efforts by Russia and the United States to start peace negotiations⁶ on the Syrian conflict. “The head of the gang, Bashar al-Assad thinks he can advance on the ground to get a better negotiating position so he can keep the presidency," Abdul explained. 

These rebels say they will fight until Assad leaves power. And despite reports to the contrary, they believe this will happen soon. 

1 artillery   

n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队)

参考例句：

• This is a heavy artillery piece.这是一门重炮。
• The artillery has more firepower than the infantry.炮兵火力比步兵大。

2 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。

3 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。

4 elite   

n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的

参考例句：

• The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
• We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。

5 ammunition   

n.军火，弹药

参考例句：

• A few of the jeeps had run out of ammunition.几辆吉普车上的弹药已经用光了。
• They have expended all their ammunition.他们把弹药用光。

6 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。