2007年VOA标准英语-Bush Faces Resistance in Congress on Iraq Surge

By Dan Robinson
Washington
10 January 2007
 
watch Bill Rodgers Iraq report

Majority Democrats² in Congress are signaling they intend to put up strong resistance to any troop surge in Iraq proposed by President Bush in his speech Wednesday. VOA's Dan Robinson reports from Capitol Hill.

The resistance takes the form of legislation being introduced in both chambers³ of Congress and public statements by individual lawmakers opposing what they say would amount to an escalation⁴ of the war in Iraq.

Sen. Edward Kennedy (left) (File photo)

In some of the harshest comments aimed at the president by any member of Congress, Senator Ted⁵ Kennedy used a Washington speech Tuesday to compare the situation President Bush faces in Iraq to the war in Vietnam.

The Massachusetts Democrat¹, who was among senators voting against a measure in 2002 giving congressional authorization⁶ for U.S. military action in Iraq, is taking legislative⁷ steps he says will ensure that Congress takes a firm stand. "That no additional troops can be sent, and no additional dollars can be spent on such an escalation unless and until Congress approves the president's plan," he said.

A version of Senator Kennedy's bill is being introduced in the House by Massachusetts Congressman⁸ Ed Markey, another key critic of Bush administration policies in Iraq.

Republican Senate leaders say they oppose what they say are attempts by members of Congress to micro-manage Iraq. "I think it is inappropriate for the Congress to try to micro-manage and affect the tactics in a military conflict. I don't think Congress has the authority to do it, I don't think it would be good at it. You can't run a war by a committee of 435 [members] in the House, and 100 in the Senate," said Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader.

However, others signal they intend to craft legislation that would seek to strengthen Congress' constitutional powers regarding war-fighting decisions, and limit the president's range of action.

On the eve of the president's address, Congressman Earl Blumenauer, an Oregon Democrat, used remarks on the House floor to suggest that the 2002 authorizing⁹ resolution on Iraq approved overwhelmingly by Congress now lacks validity, saying Democrats should take advantage of that. "Knowing what we know now, the authorization of force bears little relation to reality. Instead, the [congressional] committees of jurisdiction¹⁰ should use their upcoming hearings to craft new legislation that will mean a withdrawal¹¹ of our troops, as well as guide our continued involvement in Iraq until that withdrawal is complete," he said.

Blumenauer plans to introduce a separate measure to help Congress use its powers, including its budgetary authority, more effectively while helping¹² to chart a way forward in Iraq.

Such comments also underscore the difficulties Democrats have at the moment in constructing a strategy that adheres to election pledges to force a change in direction on Iraq.

While House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has ruled out on numerous occasions any move to cut funds that might harm the interests of U.S. troops on the ground, lawmakers are struggling to come up with ideas.

Democratic Senator Barack Obama had this comment earlier this week when asked about what he acknowledged is a difficult situation facing Democrats. "My office is now investigating what tools are available to us to condition or constrain¹³ appropriations," he said.

Obama says methods will include vigorous oversight¹⁴ of White House spending requests. But he adds Democrats' message to the president on Iraq must not reduce resources available to U.S. troops in what he asserts remains¹⁵ a very important mission.

Obama suggests part of a line of questioning Democrats will pursue. "What evidence do we have that additional troops, additional American troops, will lead to the Iraqi government taking greater responsibility in providing security for its people and diminishing the sectarian war there? What specific steps are going to be taken to ensure that the Iraqi government stands up?," he said.

On the eve of the president's address, Senator Gordon Smith, a Republican who recently parted with the president on Iraq strategy, said he supports steps that would give Congress more control over decisionmaking on Iraq.

Democrats and Republicans alike agree on one thing - that the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki will be under increased pressure after President Bush's speech to shoulder more of the security burden, and take necessary political steps to ease sectarian strife¹⁶.

1 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

2 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》

3 chambers   

n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅

参考例句：

• The body will be removed into one of the cold storage chambers. 尸体将被移到一个冷冻间里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Mr Chambers's readable book concentrates on the middle passage: the time Ransome spent in Russia. Chambers先生的这本值得一看的书重点在中间：Ransome在俄国的那几年。 来自互联网

4 escalation   

n.扩大，增加

参考例句：

• The threat of nuclear escalation remains. 核升级的威胁仍旧存在。 来自辞典例句
• Escalation is thus an aspect of deterrence and of crisis management. 因此逐步升级是威慑和危机处理的一个方面。 来自辞典例句

5 ted   

vt.翻晒，撒，撒开

参考例句：

• The invaders gut ted the village.侵略者把村中财物洗劫一空。
• She often teds the corn when it's sunny.天好的时候她就翻晒玉米。

6 authorization   

n.授权，委任状

参考例句：

• Anglers are required to obtain prior authorization from the park keeper.垂钓者必须事先得到公园管理者的许可。
• You cannot take a day off without authorization.未经批准你不得休假。

7 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

8 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

9 authorizing   

授权，批准，委托( authorize的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Letters of Marque: Take letters from a warning friendly power authorizing privateering. 私掠许可证：从某一个国家获得合法抢劫的证书。
• Formal phavee completion does not include authorizing the subsequent phavee. 阶段的正式完成不包括核准随后的阶段。

10 jurisdiction   

n.司法权，审判权，管辖权，控制权

参考例句：

• It doesn't lie within my jurisdiction to set you free.我无权将你释放。
• Changzhou is under the jurisdiction of Jiangsu Province.常州隶属江苏省。

11 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。

12 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

13 constrain   

vt.限制，约束；克制，抑制

参考例句：

• She tried to constrain herself from a cough in class.上课时她竭力忍住不咳嗽。
• The study will examine the factors which constrain local economic growth.这项研究将考查抑制当地经济发展的因素。

14 oversight   

n.勘漏，失察，疏忽

参考例句：

• I consider this a gross oversight on your part.我把这件事看作是你的一大疏忽。
• Your essay was not marked through an oversight on my part.由于我的疏忽你的文章没有打分。

15 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

16 strife   

n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争

参考例句：

• We do not intend to be drawn into the internal strife.我们不想卷入内乱之中。
• Money is a major cause of strife in many marriages.金钱是造成很多婚姻不和的一个主要原因。