2006年VOA标准英语-General Says Allegations May Impede US Efforts

By Gary Thomas
Washington
31 May 2006

View Bush comments on Iraq allegations (Real Video)  

US Marines on patrol in Haditha, Iraq (file photo)  
  
A senior military officer says the allegations of a massacre² of civilians³ by U.S. Marines in Iraq may hurt military operations there.  The comments came after published reports contradicted initial official accounts of the incident.

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Speaking at the Pentagon Wednesday, Brigadier General Carter Ham would not directly comment on the ongoing⁴ probes into the deaths of at least 15 civilians in the town of Haditha in November.

"There are as most of you know two investigations⁶ under way.  It would be inappropriate from here to talk about what may or may not come from those investigations," general Ham saya.

U.S. Marines operating in Haditha have said the civilians were killed by a bomb and gunfire during an insurgent⁷ attack on the Marines. But local civilians have sharply disputed that account, saying the Marines massacred unarmed civilians.  A report published in Wednesday's New York Times says a military investigator⁸ turned up information earlier this year that appeared to contradict the Marines' story and back up the residents' claims.

Marine¹ General Peter Pace salutes⁹ as President Bush arrives on stage for a Memorial Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery  
  
President Bush said Wednesday he is troubled by the allegations and pledged a thorough investigation⁵.

General Ham, who is deputy director of operations for the Joint¹⁰ Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon, says the allegations, whether true or not, can have a negative impact on U.S military operations in Iraq.

"As the Coalition¹¹ forces operate inside Iraq, we need the consent of the Iraqi government in order to operate in the manner in which we would like to operate, which is in support of them," general Ham saya. "Allegations such as this, regardless of how they're borne out by the facts, can have an effect on the ability of U.S. forces to continue to operate."
 
White House press secretary Tony Snow said the results of the probe would be made public in matter of, as he put it, weeks not months.

1 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• 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。

2 massacre   

n.残杀，大屠杀；v.残杀，集体屠杀

参考例句：

• There was a terrible massacre of villagers here during the war.在战争中，这里的村民惨遭屠杀。
• If we forget the massacre,the massacre will happen again!忘记了大屠杀，大屠杀就有可能再次发生！

3 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

4 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

5 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

6 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

7 insurgent   

adj.叛乱的，起事的；n.叛乱分子

参考例句：

• Faruk says they are threatened both by insurgent and government forces.法鲁克说，他们受到暴乱分子和政府军队的双重威胁。
• The insurgent mob assembled at the gate of the city park.叛变的暴徒聚在市立公园的门口。

8 investigator   

n.研究者，调查者，审查者

参考例句：

• He was a special investigator for the FBI.他是联邦调查局的特别调查员。
• The investigator was able to deduce the crime and find the criminal.调查者能够推出犯罪过程并锁定罪犯。

9 salutes   

n.致敬，欢迎，敬礼( salute的名词复数 )v.欢迎，致敬( salute的第三人称单数 )；赞扬，赞颂

参考例句：

• Poulengey salutes, and stands at the door awaiting orders. 波仑日行礼，站在门口听侯命令。 来自辞典例句
• A giant of the world salutes you. 一位世界的伟人向你敬礼呢。 来自辞典例句

10 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

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。