2006年VOA标准英语-Election Results Drive Demand for Change in Ira

By Jim Malone
Washington
21 November 2006

 
Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., right, and Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill., chairman of the House Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, left
This month's congressional election results suggest the U.S. public is demanding a change in the U.S. strategy in the war in Iraq.  But in the two weeks since the election, it is clear there is no consensus¹ emerging among congressional and Bush administration policy makers² about what to do next.  VOA National correspondent Jim Malone has more on the intensifying³ post-election debate over Iraq from Washington.

Democrats⁴ believe much of their success in the congressional elections was due to public unhappiness about the war in Iraq, so many of them are pressing ahead with calls for troop withdrawals⁶ to begin within four to six months.

Even Republicans are showing signs of disenchantment with the Bush administration's approach on Iraq.  Among them is Arizona Senator John McCain, a likely presidential contender in 2008.

 
Senator John McCain (file photo)
But unlike many of his colleagues, McCain is pushing to send more U.S. troops into Iraq to help quell⁷ the sectarian violence there.

"No, we are not winning in Iraq.  That is why we have to have more troops there and we have to do it quickly," McCain said.

Democrats will take control of both houses of Congress in January.  But they remain divided on how best to proceed in Iraq.

A few Democrats advocate a quick withdrawal⁵ of U.S. forces.  But most prefer what they like to call a phased withdrawal of U.S. forces over a period of several months that would put pressure on the Iraqis to solve their political differences and take greater responsibility for their own security.

Among those who favor that approach is Senator Joseph Biden of Delaware.  He spoke⁸ on NBC's Today program.

"The best one [option] is to, in fact, begin to let the Iraqi leadership know that we are not going to be staying," Biden said. "Over the next four months, let them know we are going to start to phase out, force them to have to address the central issue and that is not how to stand up Iraqis, but to get Iraqis to stand together."

Politicians from both parties are talking about change in the U.S. policy toward Iraq, and political analysts¹⁰ say that is because most of them are taking heed¹¹ of the election results earlier this month.

Larry Sabato directs the Center for Politics at the University of Virgina.

"America has a vibrant¹² democracy and the people are still in charge.  When they speak clearly and loudly, as they did on November 7, they direct policy," Sabato said.  "And so the president and Congress have to adjust to that reality."

 
Dick Cheney
How receptive the Bush administration will be in responding to the call for change in Iraq remains¹³ an open question.

In a recent Washington speech, Vice¹⁴ President Dick Cheney told a conservative audience that the election results will not deter¹⁵ the administration from completing the mission in Iraq.

"The key is to get Iraqis into the fight, and we will continue training local forces so they can take the lead in defending their own country," Mr. Cheney said. "America is going to complete our mission, we are going to get it done right and then we will bring our troops home with victory."

But the pressure for change in Iraq is not just coming from Democrats and political independents.  It is coming from conservatives as well.

Again, political analyst⁹ Larry Sabato.

"He [President Bush] has very little choice at this point.  Even many conservative Republicans and some neo-cons [neo-conservatives] are deserting the ship and making it clear that the current policy in Iraq is unsustainable," Sabato said.

 
Lee Hamilton 
Politicians from both parties are awaiting recommendations on Iraq from a special bipartisan commission set up by Congress and headed by former Secretary of State Jim Baker¹⁶ and former Congressman¹⁷ Lee Hamilton.

The Iraq Study Group is expected to release its findings and recommendations next month.

Some members of Congress hope the commission will provide a way forward in Iraq that will appeal to Democrats and Republicans in Congress and the Bush administration.

But Chuck Todd, editor of the Hotline political newsletter, is skeptical¹⁸ that the commission will be able to provide a bipartisan solution that can unify¹⁹ official Washington.

Todd was a guest on VOA's Encounter program.

"My gut²⁰ [instinct] is that there is not going to be too much agreement on exactly the plan of what to do," Todd said. "Look, if there were an easy plan, somebody would have it, OK?  It is not easy."

As Democrats prepare to take over Congress in January, many experts predict a renewed focus on Iraq.

This is author and political scholar Norman Ornstein.

"I think you will get [congressional] hearings that will push toward at least consideration of forward-looking plans and alternatives that we would not have otherwise," Ornstein said. "I think you are going to see a significant focus on foreign policy, but that is not going to result itself in a change in direction."

Another expert, John Fortier of the American Enterprise Institute, believes it will be difficult for the president and congressional Democrats to bridge the gap over Iraq.

"Six months down the road, I think there is still a pretty fundamental divide between Republicans and Bush, who want to find a way to win in Iraq and are not looking to reduce troops right away, and Democrats who would like to see those troops come home more soon," Fortier said.

Politics will also play a role in the Iraq debate.  Several senators from both parties are either planning or contemplating²¹ a run for president in 2008, and many have their own proposals for what should be done in Iraq.

1 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？

2 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 intensifying   

v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的现在分词 )；增辉

参考例句：

• The allies are intensifying their air campaign. 联军部队正加大他们的空战强度。 来自辞典例句
• The rest of the European powers were in a state of intensifying congestion. 其余的欧洲强国则处于越来越拥挤的状态。 来自英汉非文学 - 历史

4 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》

5 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。

6 withdrawals   

n.收回，取回，撤回( withdrawal的名词复数 )；撤退，撤走；收回[取回，撤回，撤退，撤走]的实例；推出（组织），提走（存款），戒除毒瘾，对说过的话收回，孤僻

参考例句：

• He has made several withdrawals from his bank account. 他从银行账户上提了几次款。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It is not the bank's policy to deduct interest on withdrawals. 提款需扣除利息这并非是本银行的政策。 来自辞典例句

7 quell   

v.压制，平息，减轻

参考例句：

• Soldiers were sent in to quell the riots.士兵们被派去平息骚乱。
• The armed force had to be called out to quell violence.不得不出动军队来镇压暴力行动。

8 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。

9 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

10 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。

11 heed   

v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心

参考例句：

• You must take heed of what he has told.你要注意他所告诉的事。
• For the first time he had to pay heed to his appearance.这是他第一次非得注意自己的外表不可了。

12 vibrant   

adj.震颤的，响亮的，充满活力的，精力充沛的，(色彩)鲜明的

参考例句：

• He always uses vibrant colours in his paintings. 他在画中总是使用鲜明的色彩。
• She gave a vibrant performance in the leading role in the school play.她在学校表演中生气盎然地扮演了主角。

13 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。

14 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

15 deter   

vt.阻止，使不敢，吓住

参考例句：

• Failure did not deter us from trying it again.失败并没有能阻挡我们再次进行试验。
• Dogs can deter unwelcome intruders.狗能够阻拦不受欢迎的闯入者。

16 baker   

n.面包师

参考例句：

• The baker bakes his bread in the bakery.面包师在面包房内烤面包。
• The baker frosted the cake with a mixture of sugar and whites of eggs.面包师在蛋糕上撒了一层白糖和蛋清的混合料。

17 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。

18 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

19 unify   

vt.使联合，统一；使相同，使一致

参考例句：

• How can we unify such scattered islands into a nation?我们怎么才能把如此分散的岛屿统一成一个国家呢？
• It is difficult to imagine how the North and South could ever agree on a formula to unify the divided peninsula.很难想象南北双方在统一半岛的方案上究竟怎样才能达成一致。

20 gut   

n.[pl.]胆量；内脏；adj.本能的；vt.取出内脏

参考例句：

• It is not always necessary to gut the fish prior to freezing.冷冻鱼之前并不总是需要先把内脏掏空。
• My immediate gut feeling was to refuse.我本能的直接反应是拒绝。

21 contemplating   

深思，细想，仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 )； 注视，凝视； 考虑接受（发生某事的可能性）； 深思熟虑，沉思，苦思冥想

参考例句：

• You're too young to be contemplating retirement. 你考虑退休还太年轻。
• She stood contemplating the painting. 她站在那儿凝视那幅图画。