2006年VOA标准英语-Bush Praises Iraq's Maliki as 'Strong Leader,'

By Scott Stearns
Amman, Jordan
30 November 2006

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and U.S. President George Bush say they are working together to stop sectarian violence in Iraq. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns reports the men discussed the way forward at talks in the Jordanian capital, Amman.

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President George W. Bush answers reporter's question during joint press conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in Amman, 30 Nov. 2005

Following the worst week for civilian² casualties in Iraq since the war began, Prime Minister Maliki says the challenges facing his government can be overcome.

Speaking through a translator, Mr. Maliki said he and the president have agreed to speed the transfer of more responsibility to Iraqi security forces.

"These are not outrageous³ challenges. There are criminals. There are people who are breaking the law," he said. " But the steel strength of the national unity⁴ government will help us face all those who are breaking the law and those who are trying to take down democracy in Iraq."

President Bush says he is realistic about the challenges facing the Iraqi prime minister but has no doubt he is the right man for the job.

"I was reassured⁵ by his commitment to a pluralistic society that is politically united and a society in which people are held to account if they break the law, whether those people be criminals, al-Qaeda, militia⁶, or whoever," Mr. Bush said.

The president says he appreciates the prime minister's courage over the last six months, as he makes what Mr. Bush calls "hard decisions" for the future of his people.

"No question, it has been tough," he said. " It would have been a lot easier had people not tried to destabilize the young democracy. His job would have been more simple had there not been terrorists trying to create sectarian violence."

The president and prime minister met for several hours at a Jordanian hotel, to discuss sectarian violence and ways in which neighboring states can better support the Maliki government.

Their talks were not without controversy⁷.

The Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood⁸ and a centrist political party organized protests denouncing any cooperation with the Bush Administration.

Three-way talks with Jordanian King Abdullah scheduled for Wednesday evening were abruptly⁹ canceled by Jordanian and Iraqi officials after the prime minister and king met earlier in the day.

That left White House officials scrambling¹⁰ to make clear the change was not a snub and was in no way related to the publication of a previously-classified White House memo¹¹ raising doubts about the prime minister's capacity to stop sectarian violence.

Six cabinet ministers and 30 legislators loyal to Iraqi cleric Muqtada al-Sadr are boycotting¹² Iraq's parliament and the Maliki government, to protest the prime minister's meeting with Mr. Bush.

The president, in turn, is facing opposition¹³ on Iraq from leaders of the Democratic Party, who won control of both houses of Congress in this month's elections.

Many Democrats¹⁴ want the more than 140,000 American troops in Iraq to start coming home.

President Bush says U.S. troops will stay in Iraq "to get the job done," as long as the sovereign government there wants them.

1 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

2 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

3 outrageous   

adj.无理的，令人不能容忍的

参考例句：

• Her outrageous behaviour at the party offended everyone.她在聚会上的无礼行为触怒了每一个人。
• Charges for local telephone calls are particularly outrageous.本地电话资费贵得出奇。

4 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

5 reassured   

adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The captain's confidence during the storm reassured the passengers. 在风暴中船长的信念使旅客们恢复了信心。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The doctor reassured the old lady. 医生叫那位老妇人放心。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 militia   

n.民兵，民兵组织

参考例句：

• First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面，其次是民兵。
• There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。

7 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

8 brotherhood   

n.兄弟般的关系，手中情谊

参考例句：

• They broke up the brotherhood.他们断绝了兄弟关系。
• They live and work together in complete equality and brotherhood.他们完全平等和兄弟般地在一起生活和工作。

9 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。

10 scrambling   

v.快速爬行( scramble的现在分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞

参考例句：

• Scrambling up her hair, she darted out of the house. 她匆忙扎起头发，冲出房去。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• She is scrambling eggs. 她正在炒蛋。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 memo   

n.照会，备忘录；便笺；通知书；规章

参考例句：

• Do you want me to send the memo out?您要我把这份备忘录分发出去吗？
• Can you type a memo for me?您能帮我打一份备忘录吗？

12 boycotting   

抵制，拒绝参加( boycott的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• They're boycotting the shop because the people there are on strike. 他们抵制那家商店，因为那里的店员在罢工。
• The main opposition parties are boycotting the elections. 主要反对党都抵制此次选举。

13 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

14 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》