2007年VOA标准英语-Bush, Iraqi PM Maliki Discuss Security

By Scott Stearns
White House
16 February 2007

U.S. President George Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki spoke¹ for nearly an hour Friday about improving security in Baghdad. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns has the story.

In a secure videoteleconference, President Bush and Prime Minister Maliki discussed the new strategy for Iraq, where additional U.S. troops are joining Iraqi units to better secure the capital.

 
Tony Snow, 11 Feb 2007
White House Spokesman Tony Snow says the two leaders believe the new strategy is starting to show results.

"They discussed progress in implementing² the Baghdad security plan and positive indicators³ that the plan is coming together and beginning to have an impact in Baghdad," he said. "The prime minister again affirmed that no one is going to be above the law regardless of religious affiliation⁴ or social status."

President Bush says past efforts to secure Baghdad failed in part because of political interference from Iraqi leaders who tried to limit the scope of U.S. operations.

Snow says Mr. Bush emphasized the need to equitably⁵ distribute the $10 dollars in Iraq's budget for reconstruction⁶.

The two leaders also discussed the situation in Anbar province, where Snow says they agreed there are opportunities for Iraq's government to support civilians⁷ actively⁸ opposing al-Qaida in Iraq.

 
George W. Bush (16 Feb 2007)
President Bush says Prime Minister Maliki is beginning to meet important benchmarks for improving security and political cooperation.

"And that's good news for the Iraqi people, and it should give people here in the United States confidence that this government knows its responsibilities and is following through on those responsibilities," he said.

The president spoke following a meeting with Ryan Crocker. Mr. Bush has nominated him to be the next U.S. ambassador to Iraq.

He said, "The ambassador heads into a really important assignment, carrying a message of hope to the Iraqi people that the United States wants them to succeed and a message of urgency to the Iraqi government that our patience is not unlimited⁹ and that we expect that government to perform."

A public opinion poll this week by the newspaper USA Today says a majority of Americans believe it was a mistake to invade Iraq, and 60 percent oppose sending more troops.

The war has hurt President Bush's approval ratings and helped opposition¹⁰ Democrats¹¹ win control of both houses of Congress last year.

President Bush says Democrats are criticizing his new strategy for Iraq before they have given it a chance to succeed.

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 implementing   

v.实现( implement的现在分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• -- Implementing a comprehensive drug control strategy. ――实行综合治理的禁毒战略。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• He was in no hurry about implementing his unshakable principle. 他并不急于实行他那不可动摇的原则。 来自辞典例句

3 indicators   

（仪器上显示温度、压力、耗油量等的）指针( indicator的名词复数 )； 指示物； （车辆上的）转弯指示灯； 指示信号

参考例句：

• The economic indicators are better than expected. 经济指标比预期的好。
• It is still difficult to develop indicators for many concepts used in social science. 为社会科学领域的许多概念确立一个指标仍然很难。

4 affiliation   

n.联系，联合

参考例句：

• There is no affiliation between our organization and theirs,even though our names are similar.尽管两个组织的名称相似，但我们之间并没有关系。
• The kidnappers had no affiliation with any militant group.这些绑架者与任何军事组织都没有紧密联系。

5 equitably   

公平地

参考例句：

• We should equitably assess historical figures. 我们应该公正地评价历史人物。
• Land was more equitably distributed. 土地得到更公平合理的分配。

6 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。

7 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。

8 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

9 unlimited   

adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的

参考例句：

• They flew over the unlimited reaches of the Arctic.他们飞过了茫茫无边的北极上空。
• There is no safety in unlimited technological hubris.在技术方面自以为是会很危险。

10 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。

11 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》