2006年VOA标准英语-Coalition Commander Says Iraq Crisis Has P

By Al Pessin
Washington
03 March 2006

 
General George Casey (file)
  
The American commander of coalition¹ forces in Iraq says the crisis caused by the bombing of a Shi'ite mosque² in Samara 10 days ago has passed, and that the violent reaction to the bombing was not as extensive as some reports indicated. 

---------------------------------------

General Casey was concise³ in his assessment⁴ of the current security situation in Iraq.

"I do believe that the crisis part of this has passed," he said.

The general said most of the violent reaction to the mosque bombing was centered on Baghdad and Basra, and that there was little or no violence in most of the country.  And he said many reports of attacks on mosques⁵ turned out to be false.  Overall, he reported severe damage to only two or three mosques, about 350 Iraqi civilian⁶ casualties and only about 20 demonstrations⁷ that involved more than one thousand people, none with significant violence.

General Casey, who spoke⁸ via satellite from Iraq to reporters at the Pentagon, also said the Iraqi government and security forces took the lead and responded well to the crisis, keeping the situation under control, in contrast to incidents in past years when Iraqi forces have sometimes not performed well.

"Has there been violence and terrorism here in Iraq in the wake of the Samara bombings?  Clearly.  Is that violence out of control?  Clearly not," general Casey said.

The coalition commander also discounted news reports that suggest Iraq is on the verge⁹ of civil war, although he said the mosque attack was an unsuccessful effort by insurgents¹⁰ to start one.

"Anything can happen, but I think as long as the coalition forces are here on the ground working with the Iraqi security forces, and the vast majority of the Iraqi people remain committed to forming a government of national unity¹¹, which I firmly believe that they do, I think the chances of that are not good," the general said.

General Casey said he believes al-Qaida or an affiliated¹² group was responsible for the mosque bombing in Samara, but he said an investigation¹³ by Iraq's Ministry¹⁴ of the Interior is not yet finished. 

He also said he is increasing security at religious sites to prevent another major attack from sparking a broader reaction.  News reports say intelligence agencies are warning of plans for such an attack in the coming days.  But the general would not confirm that, saying only that he receives such intelligence reports all the time.

General Casey also indicated that he believes the coalition has at least another year's worth of work to do in Iraq.  He said the main goal is to reduce the strength of the insurgency¹⁵ to a level that Iraq's increasingly capable security forces can handle.

"I think we'll continue that role here over the course of the next year as we move the process forward," he said.

Still, General Casey said in spite of the mosque bombing and its aftermath, overall violence in Iraq is not on the rise.  He is scheduled to make another recommendation on future U.S. troop levels within the next couple of months, but he said he has not yet started that process.

The general indicated that he was particularly impressed during the recent crisis with the Iraqi army's ability to control private militias¹⁷.  He said that in most cases when militias took over mosques and other key locations, they withdrew when Iraqi military forces arrived.  But he also said militias were responsible for retaliatory¹⁸ attacks on mosques in the Baghdad area, and that such incidents should focus the Iraqi government's attention on gaining control of the militias.

"This incident and its aftermath has highlighted for the Iraqi government the need to deal with the militia¹⁶ issue in the very near future.  And we think that's a good thing," general Casey said.

The general acknowledged that will not be easy, and will involve disarming¹⁹ the militias and integrating them into the regular Iraqi security forces.

General Casey also said reconstruction²⁰ efforts are continuing in Iraq, with more than three thousand projects underway.  And he said he is working with the U.S. embassy to make a security plan for new reconstruction teams the State Department plans to dispatch in an effort to speed up the process. 

1 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

2 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。

3 concise   

adj.简洁的，简明的

参考例句：

• The explanation in this dictionary is concise and to the point.这部词典里的释义简明扼要。
• I gave a concise answer about this.我对于此事给了一个简要的答复。

4 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？

5 mosques   

清真寺； 伊斯兰教寺院，清真寺； 清真寺，伊斯兰教寺院( mosque的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Why make us believe that this tunnel runs underneath the mosques? 为什么要让我们相信这条隧洞是在清真寺下？
• The city's three biggest mosques, long fallen into disrepair, have been renovated. 城里最大的三座清真寺，过去年久失修，现在已经修复。

6 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。

7 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

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 verge   

n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• She was on the verge of bursting into tears.她快要哭出来了。

10 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

11 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。

12 affiliated   

adj. 附属的, 有关连的

参考例句：

• The hospital is affiliated with the local university. 这家医院附属于当地大学。
• All affiliated members can vote. 所有隶属成员都有投票权。

13 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

14 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

15 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网

16 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。

17 militias   

n.民兵组织，民兵( militia的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias. 部队并不打算解除战斗中的民兵武装。 来自辞典例句
• The neighborhood was a battleground for Shiite and Sunni militias. 那里曾是什叶派和逊尼派武装分子的战场。 来自互联网

18 retaliatory   

adj.报复的

参考例句：

• The process can take years before the WTO approves retaliatory action. 在WTO通过此行动之前，这个程序恐怕要等上一阵子了。 来自互联网
• Retaliatory tariffs on China are tantamount to taxing ourselves as a punishment. 将惩罚性关税强加于中国相当于对我们自己实施课税惩罚。 来自互联网

19 disarming   

adj.消除敌意的，使人消气的v.裁军( disarm的现在分词 )；使息怒

参考例句：

• He flashed her a disarming smile. 他朝她笑了一下，让她消消气。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We will agree to disarming troops and leaving their weapons at military positions. 我们将同意解除军队的武装并把武器留在军事阵地。 来自辞典例句

20 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。