2006年VOA标准英语-Bush Says Security Team 'Making Good Progress'

By Paula Wolfson
White House
28 December 2006

U.S. President George Bush says he is making good progress on a revised strategy for Iraq. VOA White House correspondent Paula Wolfson reports, the president spoke¹ in the midst of consultations² at his Texas ranch³ with his top national security advisers⁴.

 
President Bush pauses during a statement about meeting with his national security team in Crawford, Texas, 28 Dec 2006 
President Bush emerged from the meeting and spoke in positive terms.

"We are making good progress toward coming up with a plan that we think will help us achieve our objective," he said.

That objective, stated by the president on numerous occasions, is an Iraq that can sustain, defend and govern itself. The White House says the president is studying a number of options, including a possible increase in U.S. troop levels.

But as he stood on the grounds of his Texas ranch, surrounded by members of his national security team, Mr. Bush offered no clues as to the specific path he might take.

Instead, he spoke of the need for more consultations, both with Iraqi officials and members of the new U.S. Congress, which formally goes into session next week.

"Not only will I continue to reach out to Congress, but members of my team will continue to as well," he said. "I fully⁵ understand it is important to have Republicans and Democrats⁶ understanding the importance of this mission."

He said he wants to hear from all sides before addressing the American people, adding, the public must realize just how important success in Iraq is to the national security of the United States.

He said, "If we were to not succeed in Iraq, the enemy, the extremists, the radicals⁷ would have safe haven⁸, from which to launch further attacks."

"They would be emboldened⁹. They would be in a position to threaten the United States of America," he added.

 
Vice¹⁰ President Dick Cheney (l), Defense¹¹ Secretary Robert Gates, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Bush, and Chairman of the Joint¹² Chiefs of Staff Gen. Peter Pace (28 Dec 2006)
The president's tone was somber¹³ as he made his brief statement to reporters. Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and the nation's chief military officer, General Peter Pace, looked on in agreement.

Mr. Bush said that, during their meeting at the ranch, Gates and Pace provided a detailed¹⁴ report on their recent trip to Iraq. And he went on to stress the troops they deploy¹⁵ are very much on his mind as the New Year approaches.

"My thoughts are with the troops as we head into 2007," he said. "People are always asking me about a New Year's resolution. My resolution is that they will be safe."

The White House originally indicated the president would announce his revised strategy for Iraq before Christmas. Now, all that officials will say is that President Bush will address the nation on Iraq sometime before his State of the Union address on January 23.

1 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。

2 consultations   

n.磋商（会议）( consultation的名词复数 )；商讨会；协商会；查找

参考例句：

• Consultations can be arranged at other times by appointment. 磋商可以通过预约安排在其他时间。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Consultations are under way. 正在进行磋商。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 ranch   

n.大牧场，大农场

参考例句：

• He went to work on a ranch.他去一个大农场干活。
• The ranch is in the middle of a large plateau.该牧场位于一个辽阔高原的中部。

4 advisers   

顾问，劝告者( adviser的名词复数 )； （指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• a member of the President's favoured circle of advisers 总统宠爱的顾问班子中的一员
• She withdrew to confer with her advisers before announcing a decision. 她先去请教顾问然后再宣布决定。

5 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

6 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》

7 radicals   

n.激进分子( radical的名词复数 )；根基；基本原理；[数学]根数

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals. 一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The worry is that the radicals will grow more intransigent. 现在人们担忧激进分子会变得更加不妥协。 来自辞典例句

8 haven   

n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所

参考例句：

• It's a real haven at the end of a busy working day.忙碌了一整天后，这真是一个安乐窝。
• The school library is a little haven of peace and quiet.学校的图书馆是一个和平且安静的小避风港。

9 emboldened   

v.鼓励，使有胆量( embolden的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Emboldened by the wine, he went over to introduce himself to her. 他借酒壮胆，走上前去向她作自我介绍。
• His success emboldened him to expand his business. 他有了成就因而激发他进一步扩展业务。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 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。

11 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。

12 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。

13 somber   

adj.昏暗的，阴天的，阴森的，忧郁的

参考例句：

• He had a somber expression on his face.他面容忧郁。
• His coat was a somber brown.他的衣服是暗棕色的。

14 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

15 deploy   

v.（军）散开成战斗队形，布置，展开

参考例句：

• The infantry began to deploy at dawn.步兵黎明时开始进入战斗位置。
• The president said he had no intention of deploying ground troops.总统称并不打算部署地面部队。