VOA常速英语2019--伊朗将军索莱马尼之死

For almost two years, the United States has pursued a policy of maximum pressure on the Iranian regime to reinforce to Iran’s leaders the need to follow international norms of peaceful coexistence. That strategy has clear economic and diplomatic components², including sanctions. Now, with the targeted killing³ on January 3 of one of the world’s most deadly terrorists, IRGC Qods Force commander Qassem Soleimani, the military component¹ of the strategy is on display.

近两年来，美国一直奉行对伊朗政权施加最大压力的政策，向伊朗领导人强调遵守和平共处国际准则的必要性。这一战略有明确的经济和外交组成部分，包括制裁。如今，随着1月3日世界上最致命的恐怖分子之一伊斯兰革命卫队圣城旅指挥官卡西姆·索莱马尼被有针对性地击毙，这一战略的军事部分得以展现。

After months of restraint in the face of growing Iranian aggression⁴ in the region, including the shooting down of a U.S. drone over international waters and the bombing of the world’s largest crude oil processing facility in Saudi Arabia, the United States took decisive defensive⁵ military action.

面对伊朗在该地区不断升级的挑衅，包括在国际水域击落一架美国无人机、轰炸沙特阿拉伯世界最大的原油加工设施，美国在数月的隐忍之后，采取了果断的防御性军事行动。

The U.S. drone strike which killed Qassem Soleimani was authorized⁶ by President Donald Trump⁷ days after an American civilian⁸ defense⁹ contractor¹⁰ was killed and four American service personnel were injured by the Qods-backed terrorist group Kata’ib Hezbollah, and after Iranian-supported militias¹¹ violently stormed the U.S embassy in Baghdad.

唐纳德·特朗普总统授权美国无人机袭击卡西姆·索莱马尼，而在此之前，一名美国民用国防承包商被打死，四名美国服务人员被基地组织支持的恐怖组织真主党旅打伤，伊朗支持的民兵暴力袭击了美国驻巴格达大使馆。

U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, declared that Soleimani was plotting further imminent¹² attacks on American diplomats¹³ and military personnel. President Trump said that U.S. policy is “unambiguous to terrorists who harm or intend to harm any American:”

包括国务卿迈克·蓬佩奥在内的美国官员宣布，索莱马尼正在策划针对美国外交官和军事人员的进一步迫在眉睫的袭击。特朗普总统表示，美国的政策“对伤害或打算伤害任何美国人的恐怖分子是明确的:”

“We will find you; we will eliminate you; we will always protect our diplomats, service members, all Americans and our allies.”

“我们会找到你；我们会消灭你；我们将永远保护我们的外交官、军人、所有美国公民和我们的盟友。”

As President Trump pointed¹⁴ out, for years under Soleimani’s leadership, the Revolutionary Guard Corps¹⁵ and the Qods Force injured and murdered hundreds of American service personnel and perpetrated countless¹⁶ acts of terror to destabilize the region:

正如特朗普总统指出的那样，多年来，在索莱马尼的领导下，革命卫队和圣城旅伤害和杀害了数百名美国军人，并犯下了无数破坏该地区稳定的恐怖行为：

“Just recently, Soleimani led the brutal¹⁷ repression¹⁸ of protesters in Iran, where more than a thousand innocent civilians¹⁹ were tortured and killed by their own government. We took action last night to stop a war; we did not take action to start a war.”

“就在最近，索莱马尼在伊朗领导了对抗议者的残酷镇压，超过1000名无辜平民被他们自己的政府折磨和杀害。”我们昨晚采取行动制止了一场战争;我们没有采取行动发动战争。”

President Trump declared that the United States does not seek regime change in Iran:

特朗普总统宣布，美国不寻求伊朗政权更迭:

“However, the Iranian regime’s aggression in the region, including the use of proxy²⁰ fighters to destabilize its neighbors must end, and it must end now.”

“然而，伊朗政权对该地区的侵略，包括使用代理人武装分子破坏邻国的稳定，必须结束，现在必须结束。”

“The future,” President Trump stated, “belongs to the people of Iran, those who seek peaceful coexistence and cooperation, not the terrorist warlords who plunder²¹ their nation to finance bloodshed abroad.”

“未来，”特朗普总统称，“属于伊朗人民，属于寻求和平共处与合作的人民，而不是为了在国外资助流血而掠夺其国家的恐怖主义军阀。”

1 component   

n.组成部分，成分，元件；adj.组成的，合成的

参考例句：

• Each component is carefully checked before assembly.每个零件在装配前都经过仔细检查。
• Blade and handle are the component parts of a knife.刀身和刀柄是一把刀的组成部分。

2 components   

（机器、设备等的）构成要素，零件，成分； 成分( component的名词复数 )； [物理化学]组分； [数学]分量； （混合物的）组成部分

参考例句：

• the components of a machine 机器部件
• Our chemistry teacher often reduces a compound to its components in lab. 在实验室中化学老师常把化合物分解为各种成分。

3 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

4 aggression   

n.进攻，侵略，侵犯，侵害

参考例句：

• So long as we are firmly united, we need fear no aggression.只要我们紧密地团结，就不必惧怕外来侵略。
• Her view is that aggression is part of human nature.她认为攻击性是人类本性的一部份。

5 defensive   

adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的

参考例句：

• Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
• The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。

6 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。

7 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

8 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。

9 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

10 contractor   

n.订约人，承包人，收缩肌

参考例句：

• The Tokyo contractor was asked to kick $ 6000 back as commission.那个东京的承包商被要求退还6000美元作为佣金。
• The style of house the contractor builds depends partly on the lay of the land.承包商所建房屋的式样，有几分要看地势而定。

11 militias   

n.民兵组织，民兵( militia的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias. 部队并不打算解除战斗中的民兵武装。 来自辞典例句
• The neighborhood was a battleground for Shiite and Sunni militias. 那里曾是什叶派和逊尼派武装分子的战场。 来自互联网

12 imminent   

adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的

参考例句：

• The black clounds show that a storm is imminent.乌云预示暴风雨即将来临。
• The country is in imminent danger.国难当头。

13 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

15 corps   

n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组

参考例句：

• The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

16 countless   

adj.无数的，多得不计其数的

参考例句：

• In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
• I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。

17 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

18 repression   

n.镇压，抑制，抑压

参考例句：

• The repression of your true feelings is harmful to your health.压抑你的真实感情有害健康。
• This touched off a new storm against violent repression.这引起了反对暴力镇压的新风暴。

19 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。

20 proxy   

n.代理权，代表权；（对代理人的）委托书；代理人

参考例句：

• You may appoint a proxy to vote for you.你可以委托他人代你投票。
• We enclose a form of proxy for use at the Annual General Meeting.我们附上委任年度大会代表的表格。

21 plunder   

vt.劫掠财物，掠夺；n.劫掠物，赃物；劫掠

参考例句：

• The thieves hid their plunder in the cave.贼把赃物藏在山洞里。
• Trade should not serve as a means of economic plunder.贸易不应当成为经济掠夺的手段。