2006年VOA标准英语-Bechtel Corporation Pulling Out of Iraq

By Mil Arcega
Washington, DC
03 November 2006
 
watch Bectel Iraq report

 
Rebuilding Iraq
U.S.-based engineering firm Bechtel Corporation says it is pulling its employees out of Iraq now that its three-year contract to rebuild the war-torn country has expired. The escalating¹ violence in that country has delayed many reconstruction² projects and has already claimed the lives of hundreds of contractors³.  Despite large multi-million dollar contracts awarded by the government to rebuild Iraq, some contractors are reassessing whether the business is worth the risk. 

Bechtel has been one of the major players in Iraq, receiving more than $2 billion since 2003 to evaluate and rebuild Iraq's roads, power plants and government buildings.  Since then, 52 Bechtel employees have been killed and 49 have been wounded. Although many lucrative⁴ projects remain unfinished, the increasing violence has forced many private contractors to evaluate the risks. 

 
Kenneth Kurtz
Kenneth Kurtz is the head of a private US security firm operating in Iraq. He says, "Many clients are at this time really assessing risk versus⁵ reward, so clients are making decisions whether or not this is worthwhile to complete the existing projects they have."

Many are choosing not to, saying the escalation⁶ of bombings and kidnappings has driven up costs and made it impossible, in some cases, to finish the work.   As a result Stanford University Political Science Professor Michael McFaul says U.S. efforts to provide Iraqi's with the basic necessities have faltered⁷.

 
Michael McFaul
"Basic infrastructure⁸ building has stopped and so what you accomplished⁹ in the first couple of years, you haven't seen any more incremental¹⁰ progress in any of the major dimensions of economic restructuring," says McFaul.

A classified document prepared by the U.S. Central Command shows why. The leaked civil conflict index -- published in the New York Times -- portrays¹¹ Iraq as a country sliding towards chaos¹², with violence at an "all-time high and spreading".  But White House Press Secretary Tony Snow says the snapshot does not show the complete picture. President Bush gave his own assessment¹³ in a recent speech. "We're winning, and we will win, unless we leave before the job is done.  And the crucial battle right now is Iraq."

 
Nezar Alsayyad
The U.S. government has spent an estimated $18 billion to rebuild Iraq. Nezar Alsayyad, at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies, says unfortunately, there is not much to show for it. "No, absolutely not. I don't think we can say in any way that we have succeeded in rebuilding Iraq."

But Bechtel says its work is done. Of 99 government projects, Bechtel says the company has completed all but two projects because of security problems. Analysts¹⁴ say if the situation worsens, more contractors might be tempted¹⁵ to leave Iraq.

1 escalating   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的现在分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The cost of living is escalating. 生活费用在迅速上涨。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The cost of living is escalating in the country. 这个国家的生活费用在上涨。 来自辞典例句

2 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。

3 contractors   

n.（建筑、监造中的）承包人( contractor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Contractors winning construction jobs had to kick back 2 per cent of the contract price to the mafia. 赢得建筑工作的承包商得抽出合同价格的百分之二的回扣给黑手党。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 lucrative   

adj.赚钱的，可获利的

参考例句：

• He decided to turn his hobby into a lucrative sideline.他决定把自己的爱好变成赚钱的副业。
• It was not a lucrative profession.那是一个没有多少油水的职业。

5 versus   

prep.以…为对手，对；与…相比之下

参考例句：

• The big match tonight is England versus Spain.今晚的大赛是英格兰对西班牙。
• The most exciting game was Harvard versus Yale.最富紧张刺激的球赛是哈佛队对耶鲁队。

6 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

7 faltered   

（嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃

参考例句：

• He faltered out a few words. 他支吾地说出了几句。
• "Er - but he has such a longhead!" the man faltered. 他不好意思似的嚅嗫着：“这孩子脑袋真长。”

8 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

9 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

10 incremental   

adj.增加的

参考例句：

• For logic devices, the incremental current gain is very important. 对于逻辑器件来说，提高电流增益是非常重要的。 来自辞典例句
• By using an incremental approach, the problems involving material or geometric nonlinearity have been solved. 借应用一种增量方法，已经解决了包括材料的或几何的非线性问题。 来自辞典例句

11 portrays   

v.画像( portray的第三人称单数 )；描述；描绘；描画

参考例句：

• The museum collection vividly portrays the heritage of 200 years of canals. 博物馆的藏品让运河200 年的历史再现眼前。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The film portrays Gandhi as a kind of superman. 这部电影把甘地描绘成一个超人。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

13 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

14 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

15 tempted   

v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词）

参考例句：

• I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚，但还是没开口。
• I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。