2006年VOA标准英语-Bush, Berlusconi Discuss Iraq

By Scott Stearns
Washington
28 February 2006
 

President Bush, right, gestures as he answers questions from the Italian media during his meeting with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, February 28, 2006   
  
President Bush says Iraq must choose between unity¹ and chaos² following sectarian violence that has killed hundreds of people since last week's bombing of a Shi'ite shrine³. Mr. Bush spoke⁴ following a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi who says he will withdraw all Italian troops from Iraq by the end of the year.

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President Bush says terrorists are sowing the seeds of sectarian violence in Iraq in hopes of destroying chances for a government of national unity.

"Now the people of Iraq and their leaders must make a choice. The choice is chaos or unity. The choice is a free society or a society dictated⁵ by evil people who will kill innocents," he said.

The president again condemned⁶ the bombing of a Shi'ite shrine in Samarra which set-off a wave of reprisal⁷ killings⁸. Mr. Bush condemned attacks on all holy sites, saying all people should be able to worship freely.

Amid concerns that sectarian violence is drawing Iraq closer to civil war, President Bush says he has spoken to seven Iraqi political leaders over the past few days and all understand the seriousness of the moment.

He says those politicians have made the choice to work toward a unity government in defiance⁹ of the terrorists much as he says Iraqi civilians¹⁰ made the choice for democracy by voting in December elections.

The president spoke to reporters following an Oval Office meeting with Prime Minister Berlusconi, whom he thanked for Italy's support in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The prime minister said he will follow through with plans to withdraw all Italian troops from Iraq over the next 10 months.

"We have announced a plan to progressively withdrawal¹¹ our troops which has to be completed by the end of this year," said Mr. Berlusconi. "And this plan has been agreed upon also together with our allies and with the Iraqi government."

Prime Minister Berlusconi says it is possible to withdraw the 3,000 troops because they have helped train more than 10,000 Iraqis to handle their own security.

The prime minister is in a tough campaign for re-election in voting scheduled for April. President Bush refused to be drawn¹² into specific questions of Italian politics, but said his spirits are always raised by Mr. Berlusconi because he is a positive, optimistic person and a strong leader who has brought stability to Italy's government.

Following the meeting, President Bush left for a five-day trip to India and Pakistan.

1 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。

2 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。

3 shrine   

n.圣地，神龛，庙；v.将...置于神龛内，把...奉为神圣

参考例句：

• The shrine was an object of pilgrimage.这处圣地是人们朝圣的目的地。
• They bowed down before the shrine.他们在神龛前鞠躬示敬。

4 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。

5 dictated   

v.大声讲或读( dictate的过去式和过去分词 )；口授；支配；摆布

参考例句：

• He dictated a letter to his secretary. 他向秘书口授信稿。
• No person of a strong character likes to be dictated to. 没有一个个性强的人愿受人使唤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

7 reprisal   

n.报复，报仇，报复性劫掠

参考例句：

• There is no political alternative but a big reprisal.政治上没有旁的选择只能是大规模报复。
• They bombed civilian targets in reprisal.他们炮轰平民目标作为报复。

8 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。

9 defiance   

n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗

参考例句：

• He climbed the ladder in defiance of the warning.他无视警告爬上了那架梯子。
• He slammed the door in a spirit of defiance.他以挑衅性的态度把门砰地一下关上。

10 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

11 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。

12 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。