VOA标准英语2008年-Bush to Encourage Peace Efforts During Mideast

By Paula Wolfson
Washington
07 January 2008

President Bush heads to the Middle East this week to encourage Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts, and strengthen ties with Gulf¹ states. VOA White House Correspondent Paula Wolfson reports it will be one of the longest and most ambitious trips of his presidency².

The trip follows up on the U.S. sponsored Mideast conference held in November in Annapolis, Maryland.

President Bush says his goal is to keep the momentum³ going.

"This is a region of great strategic importance to the United States, and I am looking forward to my visit," said Mr. Bush.

The trip will mark his first visit to Israel and the West Bank as president, followed by stops in Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

The work will begin almost immediately after his arrival Wednesday in Jerusalem, with a series of meetings with Israeli leaders. The next day, there will be similar talks with the Palestinian side in Ramallah - the West Bank headquarters of the Palestinian Authority.

President Bush says he knows the peace process is difficult, and hard choices are required on both sides.

"It will require tough decisions on complex questions. But I am optimistic about the prospects," he said. "And I will make clear that America is deeply committed to helping⁵ both parties realize the historic vision we share: two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security."

The president says he will seek support for the peace process in the Arab states on his tour. He says he also wants to talk to their leaders about the importance of bolstering⁶ the young democracies in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the need for a unified⁷ stand on Iran.

White House National Security Advisor⁸ Stephen Hadley predicts everywhere he goes in the region there will be one common theme that the threat posed by extremists and terrorists must be overcome.

"I think the main thing that the president can bring is a message of hope for the region, a commitment to finding a way towards supporting those who support freedom and democracy and justice in the region," said Hadley.

But some observers wonder just how effective an American president with only one year left in office can be in the Middle East.

"The odds⁹ are very strong that the most this administration can do is leave a legacy¹⁰ for the next administration," said security affairs expert Anthony Cordesman, of the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.  He says Mideast leaders are keeping a close watch on the U.S. election process.

Cordesman adds the goal of reaching an Israeli-Palestinian agreement by the end of the Bush presidency is likely to prove elusive¹¹.

"It Is good to talk about 2008; we certainly should not abandon the goal," he added. "But I think the reality is much more probable that this process will move well into the next administration if it succeeds."

Cordesman says dramatic breakthroughs are unlikely on this trip. But he stresses that does not mean President Bush should stay home. He says leaders in the region do not expect immediate⁴ solutions, but need to know the president is engaged.

"What really is important is they know the president is involved, that there is an opportunity to express politely their complaints and concerns, that there is the ability at least to move forward in limited areas, a symbolic¹² accommodation," continued Cordesman. "And I am sure we will see some of those to ease some of the visible tensions between the United States and their own publics. And this kind of contact, if it is well managed and it does not make excessive demands, is very constructive¹³."

In a series of interviews in the days prior to his departure from Washington, President Bush said he is going to the Middle East because he believes conditions are, as he put it, ripe for peace. During a session with al-Hurra, the U.S. government's Arabic-language satellite television network, he was asked how he hopes to be remembered in the region.

"I hope they remember me as the guy who was willing to fight extremists who murdered the innocent to achieve political objectives, and at the same time had great faith in the average citizen of the Middle East to self-govern," said Mr. Bush.

The president acknowledged he is not popular in parts of the region. But he said he hopes people see his vision for the future is one of peace. 

1 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

2 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

3 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

4 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

5 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

6 bolstering   

v.支持( bolster的现在分词 )；支撑；给予必要的支持；援助

参考例句：

• Why should Donahue's people concern themselves with bolstering your image? 唐纳休的人为什么要费心维护你的形象？ 来自辞典例句
• He needed bolstering and support. 他需要别人助他一臂之力。 来自辞典例句

7 unified   

(unify 的过去式和过去分词)； 统一的； 统一标准的； 一元化的

参考例句：

• The teacher unified the answer of her pupil with hers. 老师核对了学生的答案。
• The First Emperor of Qin unified China in 221 B.C. 秦始皇于公元前221年统一中国。

8 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

9 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？

10 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

11 elusive   

adj.难以表达(捉摸)的；令人困惑的；逃避的

参考例句：

• Try to catch the elusive charm of the original in translation.翻译时设法把握住原文中难以捉摸的风韵。
• Interpol have searched all the corners of the earth for the elusive hijackers.国际刑警组织已在世界各地搜查在逃的飞机劫持者。

12 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。

13 constructive   

adj.建设的，建设性的

参考例句：

• We welcome constructive criticism.我们乐意接受有建设性的批评。
• He is beginning to deal with his anger in a constructive way.他开始用建设性的方法处理自己的怒气。