VOA常速英语2018--纪念伊拉克哈拉比亚大屠杀一周年

Thirty years ago, on March 16, 1988, and just before the start of the al-Anfal operation, the regime of then-President of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, committed one of the worst atrocities¹ of the modern era: the murder by poison gas of thousands of civilians³ in the Kurdish-Iraqi town of Halabja.

30年前的1988年3月16日，就在安法勒行动开始之前，时任伊拉克总统萨达姆 侯赛因(Saddam Hussein)犯下了现代史上最恶劣的暴行：用毒气谋害了库尔德-伊拉克小镇哈拉比亚的无数平民。

As part of a genocidal campaign against the Kurds and other ethnic⁴ groups in Northern Iraq, government forces spent two days shelling the city of Halabja with rockets and Napalm, an incendiary gel that sticks to skin and causes terrible burns. On the second day, March 16th, they suddenly changed tactics: attacking aircraft began to pepper the civilian² parts of the city with canisters of chemical weapons including mustard gas and the nerve agents sarin, tabun, and VX.

为了对伊拉克北部的库尔德等族群进行灭绝行动，政府军历时2天用火箭弹和凝固汽油弹轰炸该城。凝固汽油弹就是一种可燃烧的凝胶，会粘到皮肤上，引起严重的烧伤。第二天，也就是3月16日，萨达姆政府突然改变了策略：负责袭击地面的飞机开始在全城的平民区散布化学武器罐，里面的成分有芥子气，还有神经毒剂，比如沙林、塔崩、维克斯等。

That day, some 3,500 to 5,000 people died within minutes. Another 7,000 to 10,000 were injured, crippled, or suffered long-term health problems.

那一天，近3500-5000人在几分钟内死亡。另外还有7000-10000万人受伤、残废或者遭受长期的健康问题。

Although there is some evidence that Saddam Hussein's forces had used chemical agents before March 16, 1988, the attack on Halabja is thought to be the first documented assault by Saddam Hussein's forces using chemical weapons. But it would not be the last.

虽然已有证据显示萨达姆的军队在1988年3月16日之前就使用过化学毒剂，但哈拉比亚袭击事件却是萨达姆军队第一次有记载的使用化学武器。但这绝不是最后一次。

Early in 1987, Saddam Hussein authorized⁵ the use of chemical weapons in attacks on as many as 24 Kurdish villages. For his role in these heinous⁶ attacks, the dictator's cousin and the campaign's commander, Ali Hassan al-Majid, earned the nickname Chemical Ali.

1987年初，萨达姆授权对24个库尔德村庄进行化学武器攻击。独裁者萨达姆的表兄弟、这次行动的指挥官阿里(Ali Hassan al-Majid)因其在这次罪恶攻击事件中的角色而获得了化学阿里的绰号。

The Al-Anfal campaign was a series of horrific crimes perpetrated by Iraqi leaders against their own civilian population. The gassing of the citizens of Halabja was one of the worst atrocities perpetuated⁷ by Saddam Hussein against his own people.

安法勒行动是伊拉克多位领导人对其子民进行的一系列惨绝人寰的罪行。对哈拉比亚平民实施的毒气攻击就是萨达姆对其子民犯下的最为恶劣的暴行。

For his part in it, and for other crimes, Chemical Ali was executed by hanging. The Iraqi Special Tribunal dropped charges against Saddam Hussein himself only because he was executed after being convicted in a separate case.

由于阿里在这次毒气攻击行动中的行为以及他所犯下的其他罪行，他被处以绞刑。伊拉克特别法庭取消了萨达姆本人的罪名，只是因为萨达姆在另外一个案子里被定罪后受到了处决。

The head of government has a responsibility to the country, and to its people, to act in their best interest. Ultimately, few dictators die in bed, or exit the scene of their crimes gracefully⁸. The fate of those who instigated⁹ the al-Anfal and killed thousands of innocents in Halabja, should serve as a warning to others who follow in their murderous footsteps.

政府首脑不只要对国家负责，也要对其子民负责，有责任将子民的利益最大化。但最后，没有几个独裁者安然无恙的结束这一生，他们也无法优雅地逃脱因罪行而要受到的处罚。教唆安法勒行动发生并杀害无数哈拉比亚无辜平民的人都要面对自己的命运。他们的结果应该给其他步其杀人成性后尘的人以警告。

1 atrocities   

n.邪恶，暴行( atrocity的名词复数 )；滔天大罪

参考例句：

• They were guilty of the most barbarous and inhuman atrocities. 他们犯有最野蛮、最灭绝人性的残暴罪行。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The enemy's atrocities made one boil with anger. 敌人的暴行令人发指。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

2 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

3 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。

4 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

5 authorized   

a.委任的，许可的

参考例句：

• An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。

6 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。

7 perpetuated   

vt.使永存（perpetuate的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• This system perpetuated itself for several centuries. 这一制度维持了几个世纪。
• I never before saw smile caught like that, and perpetuated. 我从来没有看见过谁的笑容陷入这样的窘况，而且持续不变。 来自辞典例句

8 gracefully   

ad.大大方方地；优美地

参考例句：

• She sank gracefully down onto a cushion at his feet. 她优雅地坐到他脚旁的垫子上。
• The new coats blouse gracefully above the hip line. 新外套在臀围线上优美地打着褶皱。

9 instigated   

v.使（某事物）开始或发生，鼓动( instigate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The government has instigated a programme of economic reform. 政府已实施了经济改革方案。
• He instigated the revolt. 他策动了这次叛乱。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》