VOA常速英语2014--Pentagon: ‘Presence' of ISIL Threatens Baghdad

 

Pentagon: ‘Presence' of ISIL Threatens Baghdad 

THE PENTAGON —

Sunni militants¹ bent² on establishing an Islamic caliphate are putting pressure on Baghdad. It has nervous Iraqi officials looking for help anywhere they can find it, even if it means turning away from the United States.

In the skies over Baghdad, there are signs of hope - not from the U.S., but from the Russians.

For weeks, Iraqi officials have simmered over a lack of U.S. airstrikes against the militants.

In Washington, Iraqi ambassador Lukman Faily made no apologies for seeking help elsewhere.

“We have a need.  There is a void. If the U.S. can’t fill that void, whomever is available - including Russia - then they are welcome to fill that void,” said Faily.

The safety of Baghdad and its surroundings has been a growing concern, and U.S. military officials acknowledge the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant is posing problems by its “sheer presence.”

“We continue to see ISIL putting pressure on Baghdad from the north and the west.  That hasn’t let up,” said Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby.

ISIL continued its show of force across the border in Syria, where it paraded captured weapons while an audio recording³ of its leader, posted on the Internet, called on Muslims to join his self-declared caliphate.

“I understand they’ve declared this caliphate.  But declaring it doesn’t make it so,” said Kirby.

Still, the U.S isn’t taking any chances, saying 300 new troops being sent to Baghdad will have the support of drones and Apache attack helicopters to protect the embassy, facilities at the Baghdad airport and personnel.

As for Iraq’s allegations the U.S. isn’t doing enough, Pentagon officials say U.S. military advisers⁴ are still assessing the threat and Iraq’s needs and that the Iraqis can talk to whomever they like as long as those countries do nothing to further inflame⁵ sectarian tensions. 

1 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。

2 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

3 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

4 advisers   

顾问，劝告者( adviser的名词复数 )； （指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• a member of the President's favoured circle of advisers 总统宠爱的顾问班子中的一员
• She withdrew to confer with her advisers before announcing a decision. 她先去请教顾问然后再宣布决定。

5 inflame   

v.使燃烧；使极度激动；使发炎

参考例句：

• Our lack of response seemed to inflame the colonel.由于我们没有反应,好象惹恼了那个上校。
• Chemical agents manufactured by our immune system inflame our cells and tissues,causing our nose to run and our throat to swell.我们的免疫系统产生的化学物质导致我们的细胞和组织发炎，导致我们流鼻水和我们的喉咙膨胀。