2007年VOA标准英语-Congress Hears Skeptical Reports From Iraq

By Dan Robinson
Capitol Hill
06 September 2007

A few days before Bush administration reports to Congress on the situation in Iraq, U.S. lawmakers have heard additional views on the capabilities¹ and weaknesses of Iraqi military and police forces, and chances for political progress. VOA's Dan Robinson reports from Capitol Hill, where House and Senate panels received testimony² from former military and government officials.

Assessment3 Commission discuss commission's report during hearing of Senate Armed Services Committee on Capitol Hill, 06 Sept 2007 " hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070908/1350210.jpg" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" />

Members of the Iraqi Security Forces Independent Assessment Commission discuss commission's report during hearing of Senate Armed Services Committee on Capitol Hill, 06 Sept 2007

Appearing before Senate and House committees, retired⁴ Marine⁵ Corps⁶ General James Jones presented a report by the congressionally mandated⁷ Independent Commission on the Security Forces of Iraq, composed of retired military and police officers.

A key conclusion is that Iraqi security forces will be unable to assume primary responsibility for security within the next 18 months, and would still require substantial logistics and other support from the United States.

General Jones discussed another key aspect, namely a finding that Iraq's police forces and Ministry⁸ of Interior suffer from serious issues of competence⁹ as well as sectarian division:

"The commission has recommended disbanding and reorganizing the national police, which is judged to be overly sectarian - composed of 85 percent Shia policemen, heavy-handed in their mission execution, not trusted by people of other ethnic¹⁰ origins," said General Jones. "There are allegations of corruption¹¹ that pervade¹² the force as well."

The commission says a significant reduction of U.S. forces by early 2008 would be possible and prudent¹³, and recommends that the role of U.S. troops be adjusted so they are not seen as an occupation force.

At the same time, Jones personally does not support a timeline for withdrawing U.S. forces, something congressional Democrats¹⁵ are likely to resume pressing for in upcoming legislation.

Lawmakers on two House committees also heard from two former military officers and a former U.S. defense¹⁶ secretary.

Retired Major General John Batiste says while Iraq's army is getting much better there is a long road ahead:

"We have a ways to go," said John Batiste. "We have yet to issue the Iraqi Army, those battalions¹⁷ and brigades that are stood up, the requisite¹⁸ equipment to fight the insurgent¹⁹ on an even playing field, to take our place. It has not happened yet, and quite frankly²⁰ we are running out of time."

Retired General John Keane believes President Bush's military surge strategy is working, adding there would be serious consequences from a premature²¹ withdrawal²²:

"What would happen with a high degree of certainty, is a return to what we saw in 2006," said John Keane. "It would unleash²³ the forces of evil that are in Iraq, to manipulate the people to their own personal gain, and we would return to a very high level of violence. What is check-mating that violence is the presence of security forces who are protecting the people."

Speaking to VOA by telephone, an Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh

agreed with findings about the ability of Iraqi security forces to assume full responsibility for security:

"We do understand and we do confirm and agree that we need more time, we need more effort, we need more training and more equipping in order to take full control," he said.

However, Yassin Majid, an adviser²⁴ to Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, took issue with the commission's findings in an interview with the Associated Press, calling them inaccurate²⁵ and interference in Iraq's internal affairs.

Democrats and Republicans are citing the commission report and a separate highly-critical report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office in underscoring their support or opposition²⁶ to President Bush's Iraq strategy.

Democrat¹⁴ Brian Baird sparked controversy²⁷ after a recent visit to Iraq when he came out in support of giving President Bush's military strategy more time, with these comments to C-SPAN television:

"When one looks at the moral responsibility to the Iraqi people and our strategic interests in the region, a precipitous withdrawal right now when we are finally beginning to see some real progress and changes on the ground I think would be a terrible mistake," said Brian Baird.

John Boehner, the House Republican minority leader cautions against drawing conclusions before next week's testimony to Congress by Iraq commander General David Petraeus and the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq:

"We are all anxious to know what the next steps in Iraq are likely to be so that we can ensure success and ensure that Iraqis take greater control of their own destiny which would then allow our troops to begin coming home," he said.

However there were indications at week's end of increasing support from some Republicans in both chambers²⁸ for various bipartisan legislative²⁹ proposals to begin some form of U.S. troop withdrawals³⁰, although with no specific completion date.

1 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

2 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

3 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？

4 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

5 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

6 corps   

n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组

参考例句：

• The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

7 mandated   

adj. 委托统治的

参考例句：

• Mandated desegregation of public schools. 命令解除公立学校中的种族隔离
• Britain was mandated to govern the former colony of German East Africa. 英国受权代管德国在东非的前殖民地。

8 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

9 competence   

n.能力，胜任，称职

参考例句：

• This mess is a poor reflection on his competence.这种混乱情况说明他难当此任。
• These are matters within the competence of the court.这些是法院权限以内的事。

10 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

11 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

12 pervade   

v.弥漫，遍及，充满，渗透，漫延

参考例句：

• Science and technology have come to pervade every aspect of our lives.科学和技术已经渗透到我们生活的每一个方面。
• The smell of sawdust and glue pervaded the factory.工厂里弥漫着锯屑和胶水的气味。

13 prudent   

adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的

参考例句：

• A prudent traveller never disparages his own country.聪明的旅行者从不贬低自己的国家。
• You must school yourself to be modest and prudent.你要学会谦虚谨慎。

14 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。

15 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》

16 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。

17 battalions   

n.（陆军的）一营（大约有一千兵士）( battalion的名词复数 )；协同作战的部队；军队；（组织在一起工作的）队伍

参考例句：

• God is always on the side of the strongest battalions. 上帝总是帮助强者。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Two battalions were disposed for an attack on the air base. 配置两个营的兵力进攻空军基地。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

18 requisite   

adj.需要的，必不可少的；n.必需品

参考例句：

• He hasn't got the requisite qualifications for the job.他不具备这工作所需的资格。
• Food and air are requisite for life.食物和空气是生命的必需品。

19 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。

20 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

21 premature   

adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的

参考例句：

• It is yet premature to predict the possible outcome of the dialogue.预言这次对话可能有什么结果为时尚早。
• The premature baby is doing well.那个早产的婴儿很健康。

22 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。

23 unleash   

vt.发泄，发出；解带子放开

参考例句：

• They hope to create allies to unleash against diseases,pests,and invasive species.他们希望创造出一些新群体来对付疾病、害虫和一些有侵害性的物种。
• Changing water levels now at times unleash a miasma of disease from exposed sewage.如今，大坝不时地改变水位，从暴露的污水释放出了疾病瘴气。

24 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

25 inaccurate   

adj.错误的，不正确的，不准确的

参考例句：

• The book is both inaccurate and exaggerated.这本书不但不准确，而且夸大其词。
• She never knows the right time because her watch is inaccurate.她从来不知道准确的时间因为她的表不准。

26 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。

27 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

28 chambers   

n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅

参考例句：

• The body will be removed into one of the cold storage chambers. 尸体将被移到一个冷冻间里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Mr Chambers's readable book concentrates on the middle passage: the time Ransome spent in Russia. Chambers先生的这本值得一看的书重点在中间：Ransome在俄国的那几年。 来自互联网

29 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

30 withdrawals   

n.收回，取回，撤回( withdrawal的名词复数 )；撤退，撤走；收回[取回，撤回，撤退，撤走]的实例；推出（组织），提走（存款），戒除毒瘾，对说过的话收回，孤僻

参考例句：

• He has made several withdrawals from his bank account. 他从银行账户上提了几次款。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It is not the bank's policy to deduct interest on withdrawals. 提款需扣除利息这并非是本银行的政策。 来自辞典例句