2006年VOA标准英语-Bush: Troops in Iraq Make America Safer

By Scott Stearns
White House
19 August 2006

President Bush says U.S. forces in Iraq are making Americans safer.  Opposition¹ Democrats² say it is time to start bringing those troops home. 

		President Bush (file photo)

President Bush says the Middle East is at a pivotal moment as people there choose between democracy and extremism.

In his weekly radio address, Mr. Bush says America will defeat terrorism by strengthening young democracies in Lebanon and Iraq.

"The way forward will be difficult, and it will require sacrifice and resolve," he said.  "But America's security depends on liberty's advance in this troubled region, and we can be confident of the outcome because we know the unstoppable power of freedom."

The president says he is determined³ to keep U.S. troops in Iraq as he says it is better to fight terrorists abroad than to fight them at home.

In the Democratic radio address, Pennsylvania congressional candidate Joe Sestak called for a new direction for American security, saying it is time to begin pulling U.S. troops out of Iraq to better prepare for security challenges worldwide.

"We are fostering a culture of dependence⁴ in Iraq," he said.  "Iraqi leaders must be responsible for their own country. They must make the difficult political compromises that will stop the civil war and bring about stability. We cannot do this work for them. Completing our mission in Iraq will also make America safer everywhere."

Sestak, who is a former Navy vice⁵ admiral, says ending the U.S. military presence in Iraq would make more resources available for strengthening homeland security. He says two days of spending in Iraq would pay for screening all air cargo⁶ on passenger planes. Five days of spending on Iraq, he says, could fund the screening of all cargo entering American ports.

President Bush says his administration is protecting America by working tirelessly to prevent attacks from terrorists who he says remain determined to destroy innocent life on a massive scale.

1 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。

2 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》

3 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

4 dependence   

n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属

参考例句：

• Doctors keep trying to break her dependence of the drug.医生们尽力使她戒除毒瘾。
• He was freed from financial dependence on his parents.他在经济上摆脱了对父母的依赖。

5 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。

6 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。