2006年VOA标准英语-Debate Intensifies Over US Troop Withdrawals fr

By Meredith Buel
Washington
17 November 2006

Recent elections for the U.S. Congress and continuing bloodshed in Baghdad have renewed debate over whether there should be a timetable for American-led coalition¹ forces to leave Iraq. Many critics of the war say the time has come to accelerate the turnover² of the country to Iraqi security forces, but some analysts³ agree with the Bush administration view that a rapid withdrawal⁴ would bring disaster. VOA correspondent Meredith Buel has more in this background report from Washington.

 
US troops of 172nd Stryker Brigade patrol streets of central Baghdad, Nov. 7, 2006 
During a recent forum⁵ before the Middle East Institute, a Washington-based research organization, regional specialists debated the question of how and when U.S. forces should begin leaving Iraq.

Brian Katulis, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, says it is time to begin a measured but steady withdrawal.

"On the military component⁶ I would stress two words - phased and gradual," he said. "I think we are in for a phased and gradual deployment⁷ over a multi-year period. A phased approach would enable the U.S. to continue training the Iraqi forces and provide crucial support to Iraqis. But, importantly, sending notice that we are not going to stay there forever would send a signal to Iraqis and countries in the Middle East region that the United States does not intend to occupy Iraq indefinitely."

High-ranking Democratic members of the U.S. Congress, who will be in the majority when the new session begins in January, agree with that view. They say that a drawdown of U.S. troops will pressure Iraqi forces to take a larger role in security operations.

But the Bush administration says now is not the time to reduce the U.S. military presence in Iraq.

 
Gen. John Abizaid, Nov. 15, 2006
The top U.S. commander in the Middle East, General John Abizaid, told a U.S. congressional committee Wednesday that the number of U.S. troops might even need to be increased in the short term to speed up the training of Iraqi security forces.

General Abizaid says setting a timetable for U.S. soldiers to leave Iraq would be counterproductive.

"At this stage in the campaign, we'll need flexibility⁸ to manage our force and to help manage the Iraqi force," he said. "Force caps and specific timetables limit that flexibility."

Ambassador David Satterfield is a senior adviser⁹ to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and the State Department's coordinator¹⁰ for Iraq.

Satterfield, who has spent the last 18 months in Baghdad, says the Bush administration opposes timetables, but is flexible regarding its Iraq strategy.

"Transitioning means recognizing strategic dynamics¹¹ in the region, in Iraq, adjusting and adapting to those dynamics," he said. "It does not mean a change in course with respect to the fundamental goals we have: a stable, peaceful, democratic Iraq, an ally in the war against terror, at peace at home and at peace in the region. It does mean a constant reexamination of the tactics and the strategies to get us to that point along with our Iraqi partners."

Administration officials argue that setting timetables for troop withdrawals¹² will embolden¹³ insurgents¹⁴ and terrorists in Iraq.

 
David Satterfield (file photo)
Ambassador Satterfield says the fighting in Iraq's western Anbar province has evolved from a conflict with Iraqi insurgents to a battle with al-Qaida terrorists.

"There is very little question anymore that the whip hand [dominant position] in Anbar is held by al-Qaida, not the Baathists," he said. "That is an extremely threatening development because I don't have to spell out the consequences of any region of Iraq becoming an al-Qaida controlled, government-excluded, free zone where al-Qaida could develop its resources, not just to expand its ability to challenge in Iraq, but to challenge outside Iraq as well."

Qubad Talabany is the Kurdistan Regional Government's representative to the United States and is the son of Iraq's President Jalal Talabani.

He says it is clear President Bush is under domestic pressure to change policy in Iraq, but he says timetables will hurt the country's effort to become peaceful and democratic.

"Iraq is a traumatized country, traumatized by its horrific past and, at times, by its faltering¹⁵ present," he said. "Iraq has been held to political timetables that have been convenient to Washington for too long. It is not fair on Iraqis, and in my opinion, won't yield the right results. While we understand that the patience of the American public is dwindling¹⁶, we warn that pushing things to move within the confines of an unworkable or unrealistic timetable will only lead to failure and aid our enemies."

 
Co-chairmen of the Iraq Study Group Lee Hamilton (l) and James Baker¹⁷ 
In an effort to find a strategy that supports the Iraqi government and satisfies critics who want a rapid U.S. troop withdrawal, the Bush administration says it will consider the recommendations of a high-level policy review led by former Secretary of State James Baker and former Congressman¹⁸ Lee Hamilton. The independent panel is expected to make its recommendations next month. The administration is also undertaking¹⁹ a separate Iraq policy review of its own.

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 turnover   

n.人员流动率，人事变动率；营业额，成交量

参考例句：

• The store greatly reduced the prices to make a quick turnover.这家商店实行大减价以迅速周转资金。
• Our turnover actually increased last year.去年我们的营业额竟然增加了。

3 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

4 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。

5 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

6 component   

n.组成部分，成分，元件；adj.组成的，合成的

参考例句：

• Each component is carefully checked before assembly.每个零件在装配前都经过仔细检查。
• Blade and handle are the component parts of a knife.刀身和刀柄是一把刀的组成部分。

7 deployment   

n. 部署,展开

参考例句：

• He has inquired out the deployment of the enemy troops. 他已查出敌军的兵力部署情况。
• Quality function deployment (QFD) is a widely used customer-driven quality, design and manufacturing management tool. 质量功能展开(quality function deployment,QFD)是一个广泛应用的顾客需求驱动的设计、制造和质量管理工具。

8 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。

9 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。

10 coordinator   

n.协调人

参考例句：

• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下，负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。
• How am I supposed to find the client-relations coordinator? 我怎么才能找到客户关系协调员的办公室？

11 dynamics   

n.力学，动力学，动力，原动力；动态

参考例句：

• In order to succeed,you must master complicated knowledge of dynamics.要取得胜利，你必须掌握很复杂的动力学知识。
• Dynamics is a discipline that cannot be mastered without extensive practice.动力学是一门不做大量习题就不能掌握的学科。

12 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

13 embolden   

v.给…壮胆，鼓励

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。
• The Prime Minister was steadily emboldened by the discovery that he faced no opposition.发现自己并未遭到反对，首相渐渐有了信心。

14 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

15 faltering   

犹豫的，支吾的，蹒跚的

参考例句：

• The economy shows no signs of faltering. 经济没有衰退的迹象。
• I canfeel my legs faltering. 我感到我的腿在颤抖。

16 dwindling   

adj.逐渐减少的v.逐渐变少或变小( dwindle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The number of wild animals on the earth is dwindling. 地球上野生动物的数量正日渐减少。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He is struggling to come to terms with his dwindling authority. 他正努力适应自己权力被削弱这一局面。 来自辞典例句

17 baker   

n.面包师

参考例句：

• The baker bakes his bread in the bakery.面包师在面包房内烤面包。
• The baker frosted the cake with a mixture of sugar and whites of eggs.面包师在蛋糕上撒了一层白糖和蛋清的混合料。

18 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。

19 undertaking   

n.保证，许诺，事业

参考例句：

• He gave her an undertaking that he would pay the money back with in a year.他向她做了一年内还钱的保证。
• He is too timid to venture upon an undertaking.他太胆小，不敢从事任何事业。