2007年VOA标准英语-Bush Reiterates Support for Iraq Strategy in We

By Scott Stearns
White House
15 September 2007

President Bush says he will bring nearly 6,000 U.S. troops home from Iraq by the end of the year because security there is improving. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns reports, opposition¹ Democrats² want more troops home sooner.

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President Bush queues up with troops for lunch at the Marines Corps Base in Quantico, Virginia, 14 Sep 2007

President Bush used his weekly radio address to recap Thursday's nationwide address in which he announced that 5,700 U.S. troops will be withdrawn⁴ from Iraq by the end of the year.

"The principle that guides my decisions on troop levels is 'return on success,'" he said.  "The more successful we are, the more troops can return home. And in all we do, I will ensure that our commanders on the ground have the troops and flexibility⁵ they need to defeat the enemy."

The president says he is accepting recommendations to further reduce troop levels. That could leave 130,000 Americans in Iraq by the middle of next year.

Mr. Bush says evidence of improving security in Iraq includes a reduction in sectarian violence in Baghdad and the break-up of Iranian-backed militant⁶ groups.

A public opinion poll by the Associated Press this past week says nearly two-thirds of Americans disapprove⁷ of the president's handling of the war.

Mr. Bush is again trying to rebuild some support by continuing to link the war in Iraq with security at home.

President Bush (file photo)

"The success of a free Iraq is critical to the security of the United States," he added.  "If we were to be driven out of Iraq, extremists of all strains would be emboldened⁸. Al Qaida could find new recruits and new sanctuaries⁹. And a failed Iraq could increase the likelihood that our forces would someday have to return and confront extremists even more entrenched¹⁰ and even more deadly."

Opposition Democrats say the war is not making Americans safer. On Thursday, Rhode Island Senator Jack¹¹ Reed said the conflict is undermining America's interests throughout the world and is stretching the armed forces toward the breaking point.

In the Democrats' Saturday radio address, Congressman¹² Tom Lantos said the president's decision to send more troops to Iraq earlier this year was a mistake, because Iraq's leaders failed to use that opportunity to reconcile political differences.

Congressman Tom Lantos

"The Administration's myopic¹³ policies in Iraq are deeply flawed," he said.  "So is it any wonder that on the subject of Iraq, more and more Americans have little confidence in this Administration? We can no longer take their assertions on Iraq at face value."

In the coming week, Senate Democrats hope to convince enough members of the president's own political party to join them in legislation that would require that troops spend as much time at home as on their most recent overseas tour.

President Bush has repeatedly said that he will make decisions about the troops based on recommendations from commanders in the field, not politicians in Washington.

1 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。

2 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》

3 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。

4 withdrawn   

vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出

参考例句：

• Our force has been withdrawn from the danger area.我们的军队已从危险地区撤出。
• All foreign troops should be withdrawn to their own countries.一切外国军队都应撤回本国去。

5 flexibility   

n.柔韧性，弹性，（光的）折射性，灵活性

参考例句：

• Her great strength lies in her flexibility.她的优势在于她灵活变通。
• The flexibility of a man's muscles will lessen as he becomes old.人老了肌肉的柔韧性将降低。

6 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。

7 disapprove   

v.不赞成，不同意，不批准

参考例句：

• I quite disapprove of his behaviour.我很不赞同他的行为。
• She wants to train for the theatre but her parents disapprove.她想训练自己做戏剧演员，但她的父母不赞成。

8 emboldened   

v.鼓励，使有胆量( embolden的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Emboldened by the wine, he went over to introduce himself to her. 他借酒壮胆，走上前去向她作自我介绍。
• His success emboldened him to expand his business. 他有了成就因而激发他进一步扩展业务。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 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

10 entrenched   

adj.确立的，不容易改的(风俗习惯)

参考例句：

• Television seems to be firmly entrenched as the number one medium for national advertising.电视看来要在全国广告媒介中牢固地占据头等位置。
• If the enemy dares to attack us in these entrenched positions,we will make short work of them.如果敌人胆敢进攻我们固守的阵地，我们就消灭他们。

11 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

12 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。

13 myopic   

adj.目光短浅的，缺乏远见的

参考例句：

• The Government still has a myopic attitude to spending.政府在开支问题上仍然目光短浅。
• Myopic views could be potentially damaging for us.目光短浅会给我们带来严重的后果。