2007年VOA标准英语-Bush Seeks Public Support for Iraq Plan

By Paula Wolfson
White House
11 January 2007

President Bush has launched a campaign to win public support for his revised Iraq strategy. VOA's Paula Wolfson reports from the White House that a day after he outlined his plan in a speech to the nation, Mr. Bush traveled to one of America's largest military bases - Fort Benning, Georgia.

 
President Bush delivers a speech to troops and their families at Fort Benning, 11 Jan 2007
While members of his cabinet were testifying about the new strategy on Capitol Hill, Mr. Bush sought to rally public support for the plan.

He went before a receptive crowd - hundreds of soldiers and their families at Fort Benning, an army base in the American south.

They are personally familiar with the situation in Iraq. Some have already served there. Many more are preparing to go - part of a troop increase the president announced to the nation Wednesday night.

"Everywhere warriors¹ from this base serve, you leave your mark, and I believe it will be a legacy² of hope, freedom and peace," he said.

Mr. Bush reviewed the main points of his revised strategy for Iraq. He spoke³ about the need for more American combat troops to help bring sectarian violence to a halt, and he warned of the consequences of inaction.

"If we were to leave before the job is done, if we were to fail in Iraq, Iran would be emboldened⁴ in its pursuit of nuclear weapons," he said. "Our enemies would have safe havens⁵ from which to launch attacks. People would look back on this moment in history and say: 'What happened to them in America? How come they could not see the threats to a future generation?'"

Mr. Bush's tone was different from that of his formal speech to the nation. Standing⁶ in front of members of the military, he appeared more animated⁷, and his comments were more personal.

 
Nouri al-Maliki 
He spoke about his relationship with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. And he talked about the bloodshed that so many Iraqis have witnessed in the last few years, and their thirst for peace.

"The prime minister and I have done some plain talking," he said. I have made it clear the patience of the American people is not unlimited⁸ and now is the time to act. It is time to act not only for our sake, it is time to act for the sake of people in Iraq. Shia and Sunni mothers want their children to grow up in peace."

The president said his plan will not yield immediate⁹ results, but it will work over time and a more peaceful Iraqi society will ultimately be the result.

1 warriors   

武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• I like reading the stories ofancient warriors. 我喜欢读有关古代武士的故事。
• The warriors speared the man to death. 武士们把那个男子戳死了。

2 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

3 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

4 emboldened   

v.鼓励，使有胆量( embolden的过去式和过去分词 )

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。
• His success emboldened him to expand his business. 他有了成就因而激发他进一步扩展业务。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 havens   

n.港口，安全地方( haven的名词复数 )v.港口，安全地方( haven的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Your twenty havens would back out at the last minute anyhow. 你那二十个避难所到了最后一分钟也要不认帐。 来自辞典例句
• Using offshore havens to avoid taxes and investor protections. 使用海面的港口避免税和投资者保护。 来自互联网

6 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

7 animated   

adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的

参考例句：

• His observations gave rise to an animated and lively discussion.他的言论引起了一场气氛热烈而活跃的讨论。
• We had an animated discussion over current events last evening.昨天晚上我们热烈地讨论时事。

8 unlimited   

adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的

参考例句：

• They flew over the unlimited reaches of the Arctic.他们飞过了茫茫无边的北极上空。
• There is no safety in unlimited technological hubris.在技术方面自以为是会很危险。

9 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。