2006年VOA标准英语-Bush Reiterates Support for Iraq, Acknowledges

By Scott Stearns
White House
17 June 2006 

President Bush is promising¹ more help for Iraq's new government, following his surprise trip to Baghdad this past week. Opposition² Democrats³ say the president is not moving fast enough to get U.S. troops home. Meanwhile, violence continues. Iraqi police say at least 23 people are dead following bombings and a mortar⁴ attack in the capital.

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Iraqi security officials say insurgents⁵ launched a series of deadly attacks across Baghdad, despite tens-of-thousands of U.S. and Iraqi troops engaged in a security crackdown.

Authorities say civilians⁶ and police were targeted in the bombings and mortar attack.

 
President Bush
  
President Bush says troops from the U.S.-led coalition⁷ are part of the effort to restore security in high-risk areas of the capital in support of a new government that he says is determined⁸ to succeed.

In his weekly radio address, Mr. Bush said he was impressed during his face-to-face talks in Baghdad with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and members of his Cabinet. The president says he will increase U.S. assistance to help them increase oil and electricity production, create jobs, rein⁹ in illegal militia¹⁰ and promote reconciliation¹¹.

"I told them that the future of Iraq is in their hands," said Mr. Bush.  "And I told them that America is a nation that keeps its word, and America will stand with them as we work toward our shared goal: a free Iraq that can govern itself, sustain itself and defend itself."

A public opinion poll taken after the president's trip to Baghdad put approval for his handling of Iraq at 39 percent, up from 34 percent last month. The CNN poll says a majority of Americans still believe sending U.S. troops to Iraq was a mistake.

Iraq is a big part of Congressional campaigning for November elections. President Bush is trying to strike a balance between promoting real progress and being frank about the dangers ahead.

"The challenges that remain in Iraq are serious," he added.  "We face determined enemies, who remain intent on killing¹² the innocent. And, defeating these enemies will require more sacrifice and the continued patience of our country. But our efforts in Iraq are well worth it. The mission is necessary for the security of our country, and we will succeed."

President Bush is supported by more than 70 percent of his own party and opposed by more than 80 percent of Democrats. What has changed in the two years since his re-election is support among political independents, more than two-thirds of whom now disapprove¹³ of the way Mr. Bush is handling the war.

Opposition Democrats hope to capitalize. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi used her party's weekly radio address to promote an agenda for the November elections, called a New Direction for America. She says it is time Iraq assumes more responsibility for its own security.

"For the last three years, the president has continued to ask us to stay the course. Stay the course? Despite the continued cost in lives, to our military readiness and to our reputation in the world? Americans know and Democrats agree that we must change the course," she said.

Pelosi says 2006 must be a year of significant transition in Iraq, with U.S. troops out of the country at the earliest practical time. She stopped short of calling for a timetable for that withdrawal¹⁴, an issue that has divided some of her party's leading presidential contenders.

President Bush says such a timetable would only embolden¹⁵ the enemy, vowing¹⁶ that the timing¹⁷ of a withdrawal will be dictated¹⁸ by military not political considerations.

1 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

2 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

3 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 mortar   

n.灰浆，灰泥；迫击炮；v.把…用灰浆涂接合

参考例句：

• The mason flushed the joint with mortar.泥工用灰浆把接缝处嵌平。
• The sound of mortar fire seemed to be closing in.迫击炮的吼声似乎正在逼近。

5 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

6 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。

7 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

8 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

9 rein   

n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治

参考例句：

• The horse answered to the slightest pull on the rein.只要缰绳轻轻一拉,马就作出反应。
• He never drew rein for a moment till he reached the river.他一刻不停地一直跑到河边。

10 militia   

n.民兵，民兵组织

参考例句：

• First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面，其次是民兵。
• There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。

11 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

12 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。

13 disapprove   

v.不赞成，不同意，不批准

参考例句：

• I quite disapprove of his behaviour.我很不赞同他的行为。
• She wants to train for the theatre but her parents disapprove.她想训练自己做戏剧演员，但她的父母不赞成。

14 withdrawal   

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。

15 embolden   

v.给…壮胆，鼓励

参考例句：

• Emboldened by the wine,he went over to introduce himself to her.他借酒壮胆，走上前去向她作自我介绍。
• The Prime Minister was steadily emboldened by the discovery that he faced no opposition.发现自己并未遭到反对，首相渐渐有了信心。

16 vowing   

起誓，发誓（vow的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild its collapsed bridge. 布什总统承诺将帮助明尼阿波利斯重建坍塌的大桥。
• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild this collapse bridge. 布什总统发誓要帮助明尼阿波利斯重建起这座坍塌的桥梁。

17 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

18 dictated   

v.大声讲或读( dictate的过去式和过去分词 )；口授；支配；摆布

参考例句：

• He dictated a letter to his secretary. 他向秘书口授信稿。
• No person of a strong character likes to be dictated to. 没有一个个性强的人愿受人使唤。 来自《简明英汉词典》