2007年VOA标准英语-US Senate Republican Opposition to Bush Strateg

By Deborah Tate
Capitol Hill
11 July 2007

U.S. Senator Olympia Snowe is the latest Senate Republican to break with President Bush on his strategy in Iraq. She is cosponsoring legislation calling for a withdrawal¹ of U.S. combat troops from Iraq by April of next year. VOA's Deborah Tate reports from Capitol Hill.

Olympia Snowe (2006 photo)

Senator Snowe, a Maine Republican, says she is backing the legislation because Iraqi leaders have failed to make the necessary compromises toward establishing a unity² government.

Under the measure, which has been proposed as an amendment³ to a defense⁴ policy bill, U.S. troops would begin pulling out of Iraq within 120 days.

Several other Republicans have said they would support the measure, including Senators Chuck Hagel of Nebraska and Gordon Smith of Oregon.

The House of Representatives is expected to vote on its version of the legislation on Thursday.

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Harry Reid (16 Feb 2007)

The Senate's top Democrat⁶, Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, hopes that growing Republican opposition⁷ to the unpopular war will help force a change in strategy in Iraq. He is using the defense bill as a vehicle for that change.

"This Department of Defense authorization⁸ bill and the amendments⁹ that will be offered to it are the next chance we have to chart a responsible new course out of Iraq," he said.

But it remains¹⁰ to be seen whether enough Republicans back the proposed timeline for a troop withdrawal.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, echoing comments made by President Bush a day earlier, urged lawmakers to wait to assess the war until they receive a briefing from the top U.S. commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, in September.

"We should wait for that assessment¹¹ before rushing to judgment," he said.

McConnell and other Republican leaders are vowing¹² to try to block anti-war amendments from coming to a vote.

On Wednesday, they successfully blocked an amendment sponsored by Democratic Senator Jim Webb of Virginia, which called for requiring active-duty troops to spend as much time at home as they do on deployments. Currently, Army soldiers who deploy¹³ for 15 months get just 12 months at home.

1 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。

2 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

3 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

4 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

5 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

6 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

7 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。

8 authorization   

n.授权，委任状

参考例句：

• Anglers are required to obtain prior authorization from the park keeper.垂钓者必须事先得到公园管理者的许可。
• You cannot take a day off without authorization.未经批准你不得休假。

9 amendments   

（法律、文件的）改动( amendment的名词复数 )； 修正案； 修改； （美国宪法的）修正案

参考例句：

• The committee does not adequately consult others when drafting amendments. 委员会在起草修正案时没有充分征求他人的意见。
• Please propose amendments and addenda to the first draft of the document. 请对这个文件的初稿提出修改和补充意见。

10 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

11 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？

12 vowing   

起誓，发誓（vow的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild its collapsed bridge. 布什总统承诺将帮助明尼阿波利斯重建坍塌的大桥。
• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild this collapse bridge. 布什总统发誓要帮助明尼阿波利斯重建起这座坍塌的桥梁。

13 deploy   

v.（军）散开成战斗队形，布置，展开

参考例句：

• The infantry began to deploy at dawn.步兵黎明时开始进入战斗位置。
• The president said he had no intention of deploying ground troops.总统称并不打算部署地面部队。