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VOA标准英语2013--Sectarian Violence Skyrockets in Iraq

时间：2013-05-09 08:01:32

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Sectarian Violence Skyrockets in Iraq

With sectarian bombings and shootings escalating1, April was the deadliest month in Iraq in nearly five years.

The United Nations says more than 700 people were killed.

Abdullah Hassan witnessed one blast in Baghdad.

''What have those innocent people done to deserve this? So many people were either killed or injured," Hassan said.

This is the bloodiest2 confrontation3 between Iraq’s minority Sunni community and the predominantly Shi’ite government since the final withdrawal4 of U.S. troops in 2011.

“The standoff between Iraqi security forces and various Sunni protestors, armed Sunni groups and offshoots of al-Qaida - that is very, very troubling,” said former U.S. ambassador to Iraq James Jeffrey.

The recent upsurge in violence began when government troops raided a Sunni protest site near Kirkuk last month.

The clashes left dozens dead.

Iraqi politics are deeply divided along sectarian lines and the government has been mired5

in crisis over how to share power between Shi’ites, Sunnis and Kurds.

The political landscape is paralyzed, according to Sarhang Hamasaeed of the U.S. Institute of Peace.

“The parliament, the Council of Ministers, the Provincial6 Councils are so much now driven into sectarian and religious and political divisions it is not possible for them to engage in real dialog,” Hamasaeed said.

Analysts7 say insurgents8 affiliated9 with al-Qaida are bombing mosques10 and other civilian11 targets in an effort to stoke sectarian conflict.

In 2006-2007 tens of thousands of people died and now there are no U.S. troops to help quell12 the violence.

“The civil war in the past was related to problems that happened in the past, it was a kind of revenge.  But the war today will be for the future of Iraq," said Sarmad al-Taie, an Iraqi political commentator13.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has appealed for calm and dialogue.

“I can honestly say that if the sectarian sedition14 bursts there will not be a winner or a loser, all of us will be losers,” al-Maliki said.

Analysts say Sunni Arab sheikhs who had been urging restraint are now calling for war and reports say some of their followers15 are preparing to fight.


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1 escalating 1b4e810e65548c7656e9ea468e403ca1     
v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的现在分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大
参考例句：
  • The cost of living is escalating. 生活费用在迅速上涨。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The cost of living is escalating in the country. 这个国家的生活费用在上涨。 来自辞典例句
2 bloodiest 2f5859cebc7d423fa78269725dca802d     
adj.血污的( bloody的最高级 )；流血的；屠杀的；残忍的
参考例句：
  • The Russians were going to suffer their bloodiest defeat of all before Berlin. 俄国人在柏林城下要遭到他们的最惨重的失败。 来自辞典例句
  • It was perhaps the bloodiest hour in the history of warfare. 这也许是战争史上血腥味最浓的1个小时。 来自互联网
3 confrontation xYHy7     
n.对抗，对峙，冲突
参考例句：
  • We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
  • After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。
4 withdrawal Cfhwq     
n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销
参考例句：
  • The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
  • They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。
5 mired 935ae3511489bb54f133ac0b7f3ff484     
abbr.microreciprocal degree 迈尔德（色温单位）v.深陷( mire的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • The country was mired in recession. 这个国家陷入了经济衰退的困境。
  • The most brilliant leadership can be mired in detail. 最有才干的领导也会陷于拘泥琐事的困境中。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
6 provincial Nt8ye     
adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人
参考例句：
  • City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
  • Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。
7 analysts 167ff30c5034ca70abe2d60a6e760448     
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。
8 insurgents c68be457307815b039a352428718de59     
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
9 affiliated 78057fb733c9c93ffbdc5f0ed15ef458     
adj. 附属的, 有关连的
参考例句：
  • The hospital is affiliated with the local university. 这家医院附属于当地大学。
  • All affiliated members can vote. 所有隶属成员都有投票权。
10 mosques 5bbcef619041769ff61b4ff91237b6a0     
清真寺； 伊斯兰教寺院，清真寺； 清真寺，伊斯兰教寺院( mosque的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • Why make us believe that this tunnel runs underneath the mosques? 为什么要让我们相信这条隧洞是在清真寺下？
  • The city's three biggest mosques, long fallen into disrepair, have been renovated. 城里最大的三座清真寺，过去年久失修，现在已经修复。
11 civilian uqbzl     
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。
12 quell J02zP     
v.压制，平息，减轻
参考例句：
  • Soldiers were sent in to quell the riots.士兵们被派去平息骚乱。
  • The armed force had to be called out to quell violence.不得不出动军队来镇压暴力行动。
13 commentator JXOyu     
n.注释者，解说者；实况广播评论员
参考例句：
  • He is a good commentator because he can get across the game.他能简单地解说这场比赛，是个好的解说者。
  • The commentator made a big mistake during the live broadcast.在直播节目中评论员犯了个大错误。
14 sedition lsKyL     
n.煽动叛乱
参考例句：
  • Government officials charged him with sedition.政府官员指控他煽动人们造反。
  • His denial of sedition was a denial of violence.他对煽动叛乱的否定又是对暴力的否定。
15 followers 5c342ee9ce1bf07932a1f66af2be7652     
追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件
参考例句：
  • the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
  • The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

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