1)Coalition Troops Control Baghdad Airport

Broadcast: Apr 04, 2003

 

U.S. military officials say they now control Baghdad's international airport but caution that more fighting lies ahead in the battle for the Iraqi capital.

U.S. armored units backed by air power have now consolidated¹ control of Baghdad's international airport less than 20 kilometers from the city's center. U.S. officials say more than 300 Iraqi soldiers were killed in fighting in and around the airport.

U.S. Army Brigadier General Vincent Brooks² briefed reporters at coalition³ headquarters in Qatar. "The attack continued through the night and by dawn this morning [Friday] the coalition had seized the international airport west of Baghdad formerly⁴ known as Saddam International Airport," he said. "The airport now has a new name: Baghdad International Airport, and it is the gateway⁵ to the future of Iraq."

Iraqi units are still reported in the ^2）vicinity of the airport and it may be some time before coalition forces can use it as a transit⁶ point for additional troops and supplies.

Coalition leaders are hailing the airport seizure⁷ as an important symbolic⁸ victory. Britain's Defense⁹ Secretary, Geoff Hoon, told British radio. "It is a huge psychological blow to the regime, it demonstrates to the regime and we hope as well to the people of Baghdad that we are there."

U.S. military officials say large numbers of Iraqi soldiers are now surrendering to coalition troops. 2,500 Republican Guard troops gave themselves up near al-Kut, southeast of Baghdad.

Despite the success of the coalition advance on Baghdad, General Vincent Brooks is warning that tough fighting likely lies ahead. "I won't even call them counter-attacks," said General Brooks. "They certainly came after we had possession of terrain¹⁰ and they were soundly defeated in each case. Not well integrated, not coordinated¹¹. But nevertheless, there is a presence of force that is out there still."

Iraqi officials have, for the first time, admitted that coalition forces are now at the gates of Baghdad. Information Minister Mohammed al-Sahhaf read what he said was another statement from Saddam Hussein urging Iraqis to defend the capital: "God help us to win and make them retreat from our capital," he said. "And we have decided¹² to conquer all their army. And get them away from our land, the holy land of Islam."

Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri told British radio Friday that Saddam Hussein is alive. But he abruptly¹³ ended the interview when asked if he had personally seen Saddam recently.

Meanwhile, an apparent suicide car bomb attack killed five people in western Iraq including three coalition soldiers. Witnesses said a pregnant woman stepped out of a car and began screaming. When coalition troops approached the vehicle, the car exploded killing¹⁴ the woman, the driver of the car and the three soldiers.

Finally, coalition troops searching an industrial site in a southern suburb of Baghdad have found what may be a chemical warfare¹⁵ training facility. U.S. officials describe the site as "suspicious" and say they found boxes of white powder, a nerve agent antidote¹⁶ and documents in Arabic on how to engage in chemical warfare.

Jim Malone VOA news, Washington.

 

1)    Coalition Troops联合部队

2)    vicinity [vi5siniti]n.邻近, 附近, 接近

1 consolidated   

a.联合的

参考例句：

• With this new movie he has consolidated his position as the country's leading director. 他新执导的影片巩固了他作为全国最佳导演的地位。
• Those two banks have consolidated and formed a single large bank. 那两家银行已合并成一家大银行。

2 brooks   

n.小溪( brook的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Brooks gave the business when Haas caught him with his watch. 哈斯抓到偷他的手表的布鲁克斯时，狠狠地揍了他一顿。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Ade and Brooks exchanged blows yesterday and they were severely punished today. 艾德和布鲁克斯昨天打起来了，今天他们受到严厉的惩罚。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 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。

4 formerly   

adv.从前，以前

参考例句：

• We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
• This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。

5 gateway   

n.大门口，出入口，途径，方法

参考例句：

• Hard work is the gateway to success.努力工作是通往成功之路。
• A man collected tolls at the gateway.一个人在大门口收通行费。

6 transit   

n.经过，运输；vt.穿越，旋转；vi.越过

参考例句：

• His luggage was lost in transit.他的行李在运送中丢失。
• The canal can transit a total of 50 ships daily.这条运河每天能通过50条船。

7 seizure   

n.没收；占有；抵押

参考例句：

• The seizure of contraband is made by customs.那些走私品是被海关没收的。
• The courts ordered the seizure of all her property.法院下令查封她所有的财产。

8 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。

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 terrain   

n.地面，地形，地图

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• He knows the terrain of this locality like the back of his hand.他对这一带的地形了如指掌。

11 coordinated   

adj.协调的

参考例句：

• The sound has to be coordinated with the picture. 声音必须和画面协调一致。
• The numerous existing statutes are complicated and poorly coordinated. 目前繁多的法令既十分复杂又缺乏快调。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

12 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

13 abruptly   

adv.突然地，出其不意地

参考例句：

• He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。
• I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。

14 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。

15 warfare   

n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突

参考例句：

• He addressed the audience on the subject of atomic warfare.他向听众演讲有关原子战争的问题。
• Their struggle consists mainly in peasant guerrilla warfare.他们的斗争主要是农民游击战。

16 antidote   

n.解毒药，解毒剂

参考例句：

• There is no known antidote for this poison.这种毒药没有解药。
• Chinese physicians used it as an antidote for snake poison.中医师用它来解蛇毒。