2007年VOA标准英语-Bush Says Next Few Months Critical in Iraq

By Scott Stearns
White House
24 May 2007

President Bush says U.S. troops in Iraq face a critical time during the next few months as they try to implement¹ his new strategy. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns reports, the last of the additional 30,000 troops Mr. Bush is sending to Iraq should be in place by the middle of June.

President George Bush holds a press conference in the Rose Garden at White House, 24 May 07

President Bush says Americans should expect more casualties as the full complement² of forces in this troop surge enter combat.

"As these reinforcements carry out their missions, the enemies of a free Iraq, including al-Qaida and illegal militias³, will continue to bomb and murder in an attempt to stop us," he said. "We are going to expect heavy fighting in the [next] weeks and months. We can expect more American and Iraqi casualties."

The president is trying to rally public support for a war that most Americans now believe is a mistake. An Associated Press poll this month showed nearly two thirds of Americans disapprove⁴ of his handling of the war.

Mr. Bush told reporters in the Rose Garden that he understands that frustration⁵, but is confident that defeating terrorists in Iraq is central to America's national security.

"It is a tough fight and it has obviously had an effect on the American people," he said. "Americans want to know when you are going to win."

The president says victory will come when Iraq is stable enough to be an ally in the war on terror, govern itself, and defend itself.

Earlier this month, Mr. Bush said the troop surge was beginning to show signs of progress by reducing sectarian violence in the capital.

Asked about reports that Baghdad morgue data show an increase in such killings⁶, the president said there has been an uptick in violence. He called it a snapshot, a moment that will be included in a September assessment⁷ of the troops surge by General David Petraeus.

Democrats⁸ in Congress say they want to see significant progress in that report or they will again consider cutting funds for the war.

Democrats have dropped their demands for a timetable for a troop withdrawal⁹ in a revised war funding bill that is expected to pass both the House and Senate.

The $120 billion measure funds military operations through September and includes billions of dollars for domestic projects as well as an increase in the minimum wage.

It includes a set of political and security benchmarks the Iraqi government must achieve or risk losing vital reconstruction¹⁰ aid. But those are not the binding¹¹ timetables originally sought by Democrats in legislation the president vetoed earlier this month.

1 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

2 complement   

n.补足物，船上的定员；补语；vt.补充，补足

参考例句：

• The two suggestions complement each other.这两条建议相互补充。
• They oppose each other also complement each other.它们相辅相成。

3 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

4 disapprove   

v.不赞成，不同意，不批准

参考例句：

• I quite disapprove of his behaviour.我很不赞同他的行为。
• She wants to train for the theatre but her parents disapprove.她想训练自己做戏剧演员，但她的父母不赞成。

5 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

6 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。

7 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？

8 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》

9 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。

10 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。

11 binding   

有约束力的，有效的，应遵守的

参考例句：

• The contract was not signed and has no binding force. 合同没有签署因而没有约束力。
• Both sides have agreed that the arbitration will be binding. 双方都赞同仲裁具有约束力。