VOA标准英语2014--克里建议美国去伊朗合作打击伊拉克极端组织

 

Kerry: US Open to Cooperation with Iran to Help Iraq 克里建议美国去伊朗合作打击伊拉克极端组织

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon has downplayed speculation¹ about U.S. and Iranian military cooperation in Iraq, hours after Secretary of State John Kerry made the suggestion in an interview. Iran, which is controlled by Shi'ite Muslims, has been alarmed by the Sunni advance not too far from its border with Iraq. Some fear that the involvement of Iran would lead to even more violence in Iraq.

Militants² of the extremist group the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) have taken control of several northern Iraqi cities and are moving toward the capital.

Kerry said in an interview with Yahoo Monday that President Barack Obama is considering air strikes to help the Iraqi government.  He said the president will not allow insurgents³ to split the country. 

"I do not believe the president is going to just sit by and let this take place," said Kerry.

The United States has moved four warships⁴ into the Persian Gulf⁵, including an aircraft carrier with fighter jets and missiles.

Kerry said various ways of helping⁶ Iraq are being considered, including the use of drones and possible cooperation with Tehran.  Obama has ruled out sending troops to Iraq.

"We are open to any constructive⁷ process that could minimize the violence,” said Kerry. 

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said Tehran would cooperate with the United States on restoring security to Iraq, within the framework of international law.

But some U.S. politicians and analysts⁹ say involving Iran would only lead to more violence in Iraq. The two neighbors have a history of strained relations and fought a war in the 1980s. Tehran has undermined the U.S. mission of building a democratic Iraq governed by both Shia and Sunni Muslims, said David Schenker, an analyst⁸ at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

"Now we're asking them to play a productive role? This is a regime that doesn't want anything other than a dominant¹⁰ Shiite Iraq. And frankly¹¹, if that's what they want, they're going to foment¹² an even larger, more bloody¹³ civil war in Iraq," said Schenker.

Thousands of people have fled the fighting in northern Iraqi cities.  At a refugee camp in Kalak, Abu Qanea said he won't go back to his hometown of Mosul until he believes it's safe.

"We won't return until the situation improves and becomes safe.  Once the fighters leave and the Iraqi military secures the city, the situation will improve,” said Qanea. 

The swift advance of the al-Qaida-linked group in northern Iraq is threatening long-established borders in the region and raising alarm in Washington and in the neighboring countries.  The United States withdrew its troops from Iraq at the end of 2011 after an almost decade-long war.

1 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。

2 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

3 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

4 warships   

军舰，战舰( warship的名词复数 )； 舰只

参考例句：

• The enemy warships were disengaged from the battle after suffering heavy casualties. 在遭受惨重伤亡后，敌舰退出了海战。
• The government fitted out warships and sailors for them. 政府给他们配备了战舰和水手。

5 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

6 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。

7 constructive   

adj.建设的，建设性的

参考例句：

• We welcome constructive criticism.我们乐意接受有建设性的批评。
• He is beginning to deal with his anger in a constructive way.他开始用建设性的方法处理自己的怒气。

8 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

9 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

10 dominant   

adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因

参考例句：

• The British were formerly dominant in India.英国人从前统治印度。
• She was a dominant figure in the French film industry.她在法国电影界是个举足轻重的人物。

11 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

12 foment   

v.煽动，助长

参考例句：

• The rebels know the truth and seek to foment revolution.那些叛乱者知道真相，并且想办法来挑起革命。
• That's an attempt to foment discord.这是挑拨。

13 bloody   

adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染

参考例句：

• He got a bloody nose in the fight.他在打斗中被打得鼻子流血。
• He is a bloody fool.他是一个十足的笨蛋。