Bush Again Defends Decision to Go to War with Iraq

Bush Again Defends Decision to Go to War with Iraq

Paula Wolfson

 

President Bush has again defended his decision to go to war in Iraq. In a speech at the windswept port of Charleston, South Carolina, the president said the liberation of Iraq was an act of justice and the right thing to do.

With Charleston harbor to his back and a coast guard ship nearby, the president called attention to his national security record.

"I made a pledge to this country," the president noted¹. "I will not stand by and hope for the best while dangers gather."

Mr. Bush said deposed³ Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein proved he had the intent and the will to use weapons of mass destruction. He cited the comments of former chief U.S. weapons inspector⁴ David Kay, who said large stockpiles have not and may not be found. But the president stressed the search must continue.

"As the chief weapons inspector said, we have not yet found the stockpiles of weapons that we thought were there. Yet the survey group has uncovered some of what the dictator was up to."

President Bush built his case for war largely around the assertion that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction.

In his speech in South Carolina, Mr. Bush did not say such weapons will never be uncovered. Instead he focused on other evidence provided by the inspectors⁵ - evidence that Iraq had the capability⁶ to produce chemical and biological weapons and was working on new delivery systems.

"Knowing what I knew then, and knowing what I know today, America did the right thing in Iraq."

The president stressed that America must stay on the offensive in the war on terrorism, both at home and abroad. He said one important consideration is port safety, noting that Charleston is one of the busiest container ports in the country.

"We are determined⁷ to keep lethal⁸ weapons and materials out of the hands of our enemies and away from our shores," he said.

President Bush went to South Carolina just two days after that state's Democratic presidential primary, which was won by Senator John Edwards of neighboring North Carolina.

During the flight from Washington to Charleston, White House Spokesman Scott McClellan was asked by reporters if the Democrats⁹ are determining the president's travel schedule. Mr. McClellan said there are a lot of primaries taking place these days, and President Bush is going to continue traveling the country to talk about action he is taking to boost America's national and economic security.

 

注释：

defend [di5fend] vt. 为……辩护

windswept [5wIndswept] adj. 被风吹扫的，暴露在风中的

Charleston  查尔斯顿，美国伊利诺斯州东部一城市。

coast guard  海岸巡逻队

note [nEut] vt. 指出，特别提到

stand by  袖手旁观

depose² [di5pEuz] vt. 废黜，罢免

stockpile [5stCkpail] n. 储备

uncover [Qn5kQvE] vt. 揭开，揭露

dictator [dik5teitE] n. 独裁者，独裁政权执政者

be up to  做（坏事）

offensive [E5fensiv] n. 进攻，攻势

container [kEn5teinE] n. 集装箱

lethal [5li:WEl] adj. 致命的

boost [bu:st] v. 推进，促进

 

1 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

2 depose   

vt.免职；宣誓作证

参考例句：

• The witness is going to depose.证人即将宣誓做证。
• The emperor attempted to depose the Pope.皇帝企图废黜教皇。

3 deposed   

v.罢免( depose的过去式和过去分词 )；（在法庭上）宣誓作证

参考例句：

• The president was deposed in a military coup. 总统在军事政变中被废黜。
• The head of state was deposed by the army. 国家元首被军队罢免了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 inspector   

n.检查员，监察员，视察员

参考例句：

• The inspector was interested in everything pertaining to the school.视察员对有关学校的一切都感兴趣。
• The inspector was shining a flashlight onto the tickets.查票员打着手电筒查看车票。

5 inspectors   

n.检查员( inspector的名词复数 )；（英国公共汽车或火车上的）查票员；（警察）巡官；检阅官

参考例句：

• They got into the school in the guise of inspectors. 他们假装成视察员进了学校。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Inspectors checked that there was adequate ventilation. 检查员已检查过，通风良好。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

7 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。

8 lethal   

adj.致死的；毁灭性的

参考例句：

• A hammer can be a lethal weapon.铁锤可以是致命的武器。
• She took a lethal amount of poison and died.她服了致命剂量的毒药死了。

9 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》