2007年VOA标准英语-Pakistan's President to Address Nation in Wake

By Benjamin Sand
Islamabad
12 July 2007

Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf is to address the nation Thursday as al-Qaida issues calls to Pakistani Muslims to revolt against the government for its raid against militants² in Islamabad's Red Mosque³. Security officials say they are prepared for any possible backlash a day after government forces ended an eight-day siege which left 73 militants, nine soldiers and radical⁴ cleric Abdul Rashid Ghazi dead. From Islamabad, VOA Correspondent Benjamin Sand has more.

 

Pakistani army troops keep an eye on the area near Lal Masjid, or Red Mosque, in Islamabad, 11 July 2007

In an Internet video posted Wednesday, the deputy leader of the al-Qaida terrorist network called on Muslims to take revenge against Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf.

The Egyptian born Ayman al-Zawahri said the government's raid on Lal Masjid, or Red Mosque, can only be washed away by "repentance⁵ or blood."

Zawahri is thought to be hiding out in Pakistan's remote frontier tribal⁶ areas where Lal Masjid's pro-taleban clerics had many supporters.

Pakistan's State Minister of Information Tariq Azim says the government is bracing⁷ for a possible militant¹ backlash.

"There will be some areas, like the border areas with Afghanistan in the frontier, we expect there will be some response," he said.

Pervez Musharraf (file photo)

President Musharraf ordered the raid on the Red Mosque Tuesday after talks to end a week long crisis failed. Radical cleric Abdul Rashid Ghazi and dozens of armed militant supporters took over the mosque and held hostages, calling for strict Taleban-style Islamic law in Pakistan.

Military officials say they had encountered stiffer resistance than expected but had cleared the mosque by Wednesday and were searching for mines and booby traps.

The United States praised Mr. Musharraf for what officials called a responsible decision to use force.

The Bush administration considers Mr. Musharraf a strong ally in the war against terror. Pakistan sided with the United States in 2001 when it began its global war on terrorism in the wake of al-Qaida terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.

The first military action was against Taleban leaders in Afghanistan for harboring al-Qaida leader Osama bin⁸ Laden⁹.

1 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

2 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

3 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。

4 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

5 repentance   

n.懊悔

参考例句：

• He shows no repentance for what he has done.他对他的所作所为一点也不懊悔。
• Christ is inviting sinners to repentance.基督正在敦请有罪的人悔悟。

6 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

7 bracing   

adj.令人振奋的

参考例句：

• The country is bracing itself for the threatened enemy invasion. 这个国家正准备奋起抵抗敌人的入侵威胁。
• The atmosphere in the new government was bracing. 新政府的气氛是令人振奋的。

8 bin   

n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件

参考例句：

• He emptied several bags of rice into a bin.他把几袋米倒进大箱里。
• He threw the empty bottles in the bin.他把空瓶子扔进垃圾箱。

9 laden   

adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的

参考例句：

• He is laden with heavy responsibility.他肩负重任。
• Dragging the fully laden boat across the sand dunes was no mean feat.将满载货物的船拖过沙丘是一件了不起的事。