2007年VOA标准英语-US Iraq Commanders Plan Troop Drawdown Next Apr

By Al Pessin
Pentagon
17 August 2007

A senior U.S. commander in Iraq says he believes there will be a drawdown of U.S. troops starting next April, as long as the security situation continues to improve. Meanwhile, the officer says, coalition¹ and Iraqi forces are focused on eliminating pockets of Sunni insurgent² activity in the countryside, having already made it difficult for them to operate in the cities. VOA's Al Pessin reports from the Pentagon.

General Ray Odierno

Speaking via satellite from Baghdad, Lieutenant³ General Ray Odierno said forces sent to Iraq as part of the surge will end their tours of duty starting in April, and the current plan is not to replace them.

"The decision is, if we decide to backfill those units," he explained. "Right now, our plan is not to backfill those units. But General Petraeus, as we continue to make assessments⁴, will make that decision."

About one of the additional combat brigades will reach the end of its tour each month, which, along with support troops, would bring the U.S. troop total in Iraq down from the current level of 162,000 to about 132,000 by next August.

"The surge, we know, as it is today, goes through April of '08," he said. "We believe at some time around that time we will begin to reduce our forces down to pre-surge levels. And we are building our plans accordingly."

That will likely not be a fast enough withdrawal⁵ to satisfy critics of the war in the U.S. Congress, and among candidates running for president. But General Odierno says it is important to take a "deliberate" approach to any drawdown to ensure Iraqi forces can maintain order. And he stressed that the drawdown plan will not be final at least until later this year.

Meanwhile, General Odierno says the focus of coalition and Iraqi operations is a new effort to make a series of quick strikes against what he called "sanctuaries⁷ and staging areas" used by al-Qaida and other Sunni insurgent forces in rural areas around the country.

"We have been able to liberate⁶ the major population centers, provide more security," the general said. "And what we will do is conduct quick operational strikes all around the country to go after these remaining small pockets that are still remaining out there of al-Qaida, and also Shia extremists."

General Odierno says over time the coalition will be turning more toward fighting Shi'ite extremist groups, but for now al-Qaida in Iraq remains⁸ the main threat, and the main target of his forces.

"We also believe we've had some effect on them, and if we can we want to finish them off," he said. "And so we're not going to let them up, we want to stay after them. We want to make life as tough as possible here for them."

General Odierno says it is already difficult for the insurgents⁹ to operate in Iraq's cities, and he says that is one reason for the devastating¹⁰ attacks in two remote northern villages this week. Nationwide, he reports the overall number of attacks is down to the level of this time last year, attacks on civilians¹¹ are at a six-month low and sectarian murders in Baghdad are down more than 50 percent since January.

But he acknowledges there is much more to do to solidify¹² the gains, and he expressed concern that insurgents might try to increase their attacks during the coming Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which starts in mid-September.

1 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

2 insurgent   

adj.叛乱的，起事的；n.叛乱分子

参考例句：

• Faruk says they are threatened both by insurgent and government forces.法鲁克说，他们受到暴乱分子和政府军队的双重威胁。
• The insurgent mob assembled at the gate of the city park.叛变的暴徒聚在市立公园的门口。

3 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

4 assessments   

n.评估( assessment的名词复数 )；评价；（应偿付金额的）估定；（为征税对财产所作的）估价

参考例句：

• He was shrewd in his personal assessments. 他总能对人作出精明的评价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Surveys show about two-thirds use such assessments, while half employ personality tests. 调查表明，约有三分之二的公司采用了这种测评；而一半的公司则采用工作人员个人品质测试。 来自百科语句

5 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。

6 liberate   

v.解放，使获得自由，释出，放出；vt.解放，使获自由

参考例句：

• They did their best to liberate slaves.他们尽最大能力去解放奴隶。
• This will liberate him from economic worry.这将消除他经济上的忧虑。

7 sanctuaries   

n.避难所( sanctuary的名词复数 )；庇护；圣所；庇护所

参考例句：

• The designation of special marine reserves and marine sanctuaries shall be subject to the State Council for approval. 海洋特别保护区、海上自然保护区的确定，须经国务院批准。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• After 1965 he acquiesced when they established sanctuaries on that soil. 1965年以后，他默认了他们在那块土地上建立庇护所。 来自辞典例句

8 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。

9 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

10 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

11 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。

12 solidify   

v.(使)凝固，(使)固化，(使)团结

参考例句：

• Opinion on this question began to solidify.对这个问题的意见开始具体化了。
• Water will solidify into ice if you freeze it.水冷冻会结冰。