2007年VOA标准英语-Iraqi PM: Better-Equipped Iraqi Troops Could Me

By Jim Randle
Baghdad
18 January 2007

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki says if Washington and Baghdad can do a better job of equipping Iraqi troops, there will be less need for multi-national soldiers in his country in a few months. VOA's Jim Randle reports from Baghdad.

Nouri al-Maliki (6 Jan 2007)

Nouri al-Maliki made the remarks in a wide-ranging interview with several journalists Wednesday. According to a Washington Post account of the conversation, Mr. al-Maliki said better-equipped Iraqi forces could mean the need for multi-national forces could be reduced "dramatically" in three to six months.

He said there would need to be a "strong effort" to bolster¹ Iraq's military to make it work.

His comments were echoed Thursday by Iraqi government Spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh.

He said, "We expect that in 2007 Iraqis will have more control of the troops, and the decision will be Iraqi, and this will entitle [allow] to reduce the multi national force."

It is the farthest the prime minister has gone in establishing a possible schedule for reducing the number of U.S. forces. President Bush has proposed temporarily increasing U.S. forces in the country by more than 20,000.

The prime minister also bristled² at criticism by President Bush of recent executions in Iraq and comments by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that his administration is on "borrowed time".

Mr. al-Maliki repeated a pledge to crack down on Sunni insurgents³ and Shi'ite militias⁴, including the Mahdi Army of his ally, Moqtada al-Sadr. He also said his forces detained 400 militiamen this week.

Meanwhile, the terrorist violence that Iraqi and U.S. troops are trying to stop continued in Iraq.

This witness says a series of car bombs hit a market, killing⁵ and injuring people who were just trying to make a living. The attacks were part of a surge in violence over the past three days.

1 bolster   

n.枕垫；v.支持，鼓励

参考例句：

• The high interest rates helped to bolster up the economy.高利率使经济更稳健。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

2 bristled   

adj. 直立的，多刺毛的 动词bristle的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• They bristled at his denigrating description of their activities. 听到他在污蔑他们的活动，他们都怒发冲冠。
• All of us bristled at the lawyer's speech insulting our forefathers. 听到那个律师在讲演中污蔑我们的祖先，大家都气得怒发冲冠。

3 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

4 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

5 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。