2007年VOA标准英语-US Military in Iraq Reports Success Against Ter

By Alex Villareal
Washington
28 September 2007

A U.S. military commander in Iraq says coalition¹ forces have crippled the core leadership group of al-Qaida in Iraq in a series of raids over the past few months. VOA's Alex Villarreal reports from Washington.

Chief of staff of the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq, Brigadier General Joseph Anderson, said a U.S. airstrike earlier this week killed senior foreign terrorist Abu Usama al-Tunisi, who he called one of the most important leaders within al-Qaida in Iraq.

Speaking to reporters in Washington via videoconference from Baghdad, the general said the elimination² of Tunisi demonstrates the force's success in isolating³ and destroying al-Qaida cells.

"This is a dangerous terrorist who is no longer a part of al-Qaida in Iraq. His death deals a significant blow to their operation," he said.

General Anderson says Tunisi operated in the town of Yusufiyah south of Baghdad, where he oversaw⁴ the movement of foreign terrorists into Iraq, equipped them with bombs and helped them merge⁵ with terrorist cells. He described the Tunisian national as a close associate and likely successor to al-Qaida in Iraq's overall leader, Egyptian national, Abu Ayyub al-Masri.

General Anderson said U.S. forces plan to strip al-Qaida in Iraq of its power by decapitating its foreign leadership.

"Will the AQI network in Iraq have the mobility⁶, the power, the capability⁷ to conduct the attacks they've been conducting at the same levels with the leadership being severed⁸? I think the answer is no," he added.  "I don't think the Iraqis will fill in those roles without the foreign influence coming in."

Tunisi's death near the city of Musayyib followed a series of raids that captured several of his associates.

General Anderson said foreign terrorists commit most high profile attacks in Iraq, including 80 percent of suicide bombings.

Until recently, the commander said between 60 and 80 foreign terrorists were entering Iraq each month.  He said border security efforts have cut that number in half.

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 elimination   

n.排除，消除，消灭

参考例句：

• Their elimination from the competition was a great surprise.他们在比赛中遭到淘汰是个很大的意外。
• I was eliminated from the 400 metres in the semi-finals.我在400米半决赛中被淘汰。

3 isolating   

adj.孤立的，绝缘的v.使隔离( isolate的现在分词 )；将…剔出（以便看清和单独处理）；使（某物质、细胞等）分离；使离析

参考例句：

• Colour filters are not very effective in isolating narrow spectral bands. 一些滤色片不能很有效地分离狭窄的光谱带。 来自辞典例句
• This became known as the streak method for isolating bacteria. 这个方法以后就称为分离细菌的划线法。 来自辞典例句

4 oversaw   

v.监督，监视( oversee的过去式 )

参考例句：

• He will go down as the president who oversaw two historic transitions. 他将作为见证了巴西两次历史性转变的总统，安然引退。 来自互联网
• Dixon oversaw the project as creative director of Design Research Studio. 狄克逊监督项目的创意总监设计研究工作室。 来自互联网

5 merge   

v.(使)结合，(使)合并，(使)合为一体

参考例句：

• I can merge my two small businesses into a large one.我可以将我的两家小商店合并为一家大商行。
• The directors have decided to merge the two small firms together.董事们已决定把这两家小商号归并起来。

6 mobility   

n.可动性，变动性，情感不定

参考例句：

• The difference in regional house prices acts as an obstacle to mobility of labour.不同地区房价的差异阻碍了劳动力的流动。
• Mobility is very important in guerrilla warfare.机动性在游击战中至关重要。

7 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

8 severed   

v.切断，断绝( sever的过去式和过去分词 )；断，裂

参考例句：

• The doctor said I'd severed a vessel in my leg. 医生说我割断了腿上的一根血管。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We have severed diplomatic relations with that country. 我们与那个国家断绝了外交关系。 来自《简明英汉词典》