2007年VOA标准英语-US Ambassador Urges Patience in Iraq as Bloodsh

By Michael Bowman
Washington
03 June 2007

U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker speaks during a press conference in Baghdad, 28 May 2007

Iraqi authorities say a suicide car bomber¹ killed 10 people and wounded more than two dozen others in an attack on a police convoy² north of Baghdad. Meanwhile, U.S. military says at least 14 American soldiers were killed in Iraq in the first three days of June. The bloodletting comes as an ongoing³ build-up of U.S. troops in Iraq nears completion. VOA's Michael Bowman reports from Washington, the U.S. ambassador in Baghdad is urging patience in assessing the surge.

Despite continued violence in Iraq, Ambassador Crocker says it is too soon to pass judgment⁴ on the efficacy of the U.S. troop surge in the country.

"We are still just reaching full strength with the additional troops coming in for the surge. The last units will close [complete the surge] this month. So, it is really just starting, in June, that we will have our full force in the effort. We have also said from the beginning [that] this is going to be a hard fight, and it is. We are moving into areas we have not been before, and we are holding onto them," he said. "So, there will be good days, good weeks, and not-so-good weeks. We just have to stay steady on this and try to make a difference on the ground."

Mr. Crocker spoke⁵ on the Fox News Sunday television program.

The surge is to be fully⁶ completed in coming weeks, and the Bush administration plans to review progress in Iraq in September. Iraqi leaders say they will need more time to build up their country's armed forces and take vital political steps before they can effectively assume full control of security operations. Speaking on ABC's This Week program during a visit to the United States, President Jalal Talabani said Iraq will need the presence of U.S. troops until the end of 2008. But he predicted his government will show signs of progress on security and political matters long before then.

"We are committed to benchmarks, and I think we can achieve, in next weeks and months, an achievement that will convince public opinion of the United States that their sacrifice was not in vain," said Talabani.

The opposition-controlled U.S. Congress recently authorized⁷ new funds for the war operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The bill was stripped of any Iraq withdrawal⁸ timeline provisions that had led President Bush to veto a previous funding bill last month. It did, however, contain goals, or benchmarks, on governance for the Iraqi government to meet.

One of the most-outspoken critics of U.S. efforts in Iraq, Democratic Congressman⁹ John Murtha, says he is tired of broken promises from Iraq's leaders.

"They keep making excuses for the lack of progress, and I am absolutely convinced right now the surge is not working," he said. "The American public wants the troops out of Iraq. Oil production below pre-war level, electricity [production] below pre-war level, and 60 percent unemployment in some parts of Iraq, I mean, there is no way you are going to have success."

Asked if the United States would bear partial responsibility for any bloodbath in Iraq in the event of a precipitous U.S. withdrawal, Murtha said that a bloodbath is taking place at present.

1 bomber   

n.轰炸机，投弹手，投掷炸弹者

参考例句：

• He flew a bomber during the war.他在战时驾驶轰炸机。
• Detectives hunting the London bombers will be keen to interview him.追查伦敦爆炸案凶犯的侦探们急于对他进行讯问。

2 convoy   

vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队

参考例句：

• The convoy was snowed up on the main road.护送队被大雪困在干路上了。
• Warships will accompany the convoy across the Atlantic.战舰将护送该船队过大西洋。

3 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

4 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

5 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。

6 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

7 authorized   

a.委任的，许可的

参考例句：

• An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。

8 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。

9 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。