VOA标准英语2010年-Afghanistan, Iran Become Issues in Bri

Labour's Prime Minister Gordon Brown, right, Conservative Party leader David Cameron, left, and Liberal Democrat¹ Party leader Nick Clegg, take part in Britain's third televised election debate in Birmingham, England, Thursday, April 29, 2010. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is seeking political redemption in his country's third and final live televised debate after an open microphone caught him dismissing a retired² Labour voter as a "bigoted³ woman." (AP Photo / Jeff Overs, BBC Pool)

On May 6 British voters go to the polls to elect a new government. With thousands of troops fighting in Afghanistan, the election is being held against a backdrop of rising British casualties, plus the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran also remains⁴ on the agenda. Until recently the election result seemed fairly certain but as Henry Ridgwell reports from London, the rise of a newcomer could have big implications for the future of Britain's foreign policy.

Three men are battling to become Britain's next prime minister.

The winner will govern a country at war.

Britain has some 10,000 troops in Afghanistan. Losses are approaching 300.

Despite wavering public support, all three main parties appear determined⁵ to push ahead with the mission. Conscious that a faraway and costly⁶ war doesn't play well with voters, incumbent⁷ Gordon Brown insists the troops are fighting to keep Britain safe "We have got to be clear that we cannot allow terrorists to have territory in the world that then they use as a base to attack the United Kingdom," he said.

But opinion polls point to a change of leader after May 6. And that's likely to prompt the new government to reconsider the Afghan strategy.

"I think that there will be a refocusing of how the UK can operate within Pakistan and Afghanistan, but also there will be some serious questions about whether or not the UK can maintain this expeditionary role, potentially punching above its weight," said Alex Neill, head of the Asia program at the Royal United Services Institute.

TV debates, a first in British politics, have thrust the outsider Nick Clegg of the Liberal Democrats⁸ into the role of kingmaker in a close election. He favors an all or nothing approach to Afghanistan, either more  resources, or a complete pullout.

If Afghanistan represents the immediate⁹ issue, Iran is the long term challenge. In recent years Britain has turned up the rhetoric¹⁰, putting Iran alongside the likes of North Korea as a potential nuclear enemy.

Clegg's Liberal Democrats want to phase out Britain's own nuclear weapons, but his rivals, including Prime Minister Gordon Brown, say this would send the wrong message to Tehran. "Get real about the danger we face if we have North Korea, Iran and other countries with nuclear weapons and we give up our own," Mr. Brown said.

"This is extraordinary, to say 'get real.' What is dangerous is to commit to spend a whole lot of money that we might not have on a system that most certainly won't help when the world is changing, when we're facing new threats, where now more and more military experts are saying there are different alternatives," said Clegg. "You want to hold a review and you want to exclude the one big issue which should be right at the heart of that review."

"I thought I'd never utter these words but I agree with Gordon. You cannot put off this decision." said Conservative Party candidate David Cameron.

Agreement could be key for the next parliament. A close result would force the parties to share power. So, would a coalition¹¹ government - with the dovish Liberal Democrats as kingmakers - change British policy on Iran?

"In terms of foreign policy where Iran comes in, all three parties are following the same interventionist policies which gave us the Iraq war, the wars in Afghanistan and elsewhere in the world and I think on that even the Liberal Democrats - despite being perceived as softer - they're following the same underlying¹² policies. On the other hand they are kind of worried of course that in the face of opponents such as the Conservatives they do not want to be seen as weak," said Mohammed Kamaali, who heads the Campaign against Military Action and Sanctions against Iran.

Britain has traditionally prided itself on punching above its weight on the international scene. But its economy is weighed down by record public debt.

And whatever his ideology¹³ or beliefs - Britain's next leader may find that it's the economy that is the ultimate driver of policy at home and abroad.

 
 

1 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。

2 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。

3 bigoted   

adj.固执己见的，心胸狭窄的

参考例句：

• He is so bigoted that it is impossible to argue with him.他固执得不可理喻。
• I'll concede you are not as bigoted as some.我承认你不象有些人那么顽固。

4 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。

5 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

6 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

7 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

8 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》

9 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。

10 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

11 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。

12 underlying   

adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的

参考例句：

• The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.小说隐含的主题是十分严肃的。
• This word has its underlying meaning.这个单词有它潜在的含义。

13 ideology   

n.意识形态，(政治或社会的)思想意识

参考例句：

• The ideology has great influence in the world.这种思想体系在世界上有很大的影响。
• The ideal is to strike a medium between ideology and inspiration.我的理想是在意识思想和灵感鼓动之间找到一个折衷。