2006年VOA标准英语-US Senate Rejects Proposals to Withdraw Troops

By Deborah Tate
Capitol Hill
22 June 2006

The Republican-led U.S. Senate has rejected two Democrat¹-sponsored proposals to begin withdrawing American troops from Iraq this year.

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US Capitol, Washington DC   
  
As expected, Republicans backing President Bush to stay the course in Iraq prevailed.

The Senate voted 86-13 to oppose a plan put forward by Senator John Kerry, a Massachusetts Democrat, to withdraw all U.S. troops from Iraq by July 1 of next year.

The Senate then voted 60-39 to reject a proposal by Senator Carl Levin, a Michigan Democrat, to begin a troop pullout this year, but with no set date for completion of such a withdrawal².

Both plans were proposed as amendments³ to a defense⁴ bill. 

 
John McCain (file photo) 
  
Republicans, including Senator John McCain of Arizona, warned that withdrawing U.S. troops before the Iraqi army is fully⁵ prepared to defend the country against an intractable insurgency⁶ would lead to more violence and possible civil war.

"To abandon the fledgling Iraqi army police to the insurgents⁷, the militias⁸ and the terrorists would risk chaos⁹ in Iraq, and chaos in Iraq would mean disaster," he said.

Kerry, who unsuccessfully challenged President Bush for the White House in 2004, defended his proposal, saying it would give Iraqis the true sovereignty they are seeking, and would redirect the efforts of U.S. troops where they are most needed in the war on terror.

"This plan honors the investment of our troops," he said. "In fact, what it does is provide a better way of not only empowering the Iraqis, but of empowering the United States of America to fight a more effective war on terror."

John Warner (file photo)  
  
But the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Republican Senator John Warner of Virginia, argued that both Kerry's and Levin's proposals would signal to the rest of the world that the United States was not serious about fulfilling its commitment in Iraq.

"Both of these amendments would send a message, which would indicate that there is some wavering, some equivocation¹⁰ here at home in supporting our president as commander-in-chief, and that goes to the basic credibility of the United States of America, which is on the line in these votes," he said.

Levin, the top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, said the United States has demonstrated its commitment in Iraq, in terms of lives and dollars.

Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., left, accompanied by Senate Minority Leader Harry¹¹ Reid., center, and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., talk to reporters on Capitol Hill, June 22, 2006  
  
"We have proven our credibility over 2,500 times, because we have lost more than 2,500 of our troops," he said. "We have proven our credibility over 17,000 times, in terms of the number of people who have been wounded in Iraq. We have proven our credibility with hundreds of billions of dollars to give the Iraqis an opportunity to have a nation. It is up to them to seize that opportunity."

The Senate debate was both emotional and partisan¹².

In an attempt to score political points ahead of November's congressional elections, Republicans criticized Democrats¹³ for supporting what they called a policy of retreat.

"Withdrawal is not an option, surrender is not a solution," said Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee.

Democrats, who hope to capitalize on what public opinion polls show is an unpopular war in Iraq, criticized Republicans for backing President Bush in what they see as a failed policy in Iraq.

"I believe it is long past time to change course in Iraq, and start to end the president's open-ended commitment," said Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the Senate's top Democrat.

The Senate votes come a week after the Republican-led House of Representatives rejected any timeline for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq

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 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。

3 amendments   

（法律、文件的）改动( amendment的名词复数 )； 修正案； 修改； （美国宪法的）修正案

参考例句：

• The committee does not adequately consult others when drafting amendments. 委员会在起草修正案时没有充分征求他人的意见。
• Please propose amendments and addenda to the first draft of the document. 请对这个文件的初稿提出修改和补充意见。

4 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

5 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

6 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网

7 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

8 militias   

n.民兵组织，民兵( militia的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias. 部队并不打算解除战斗中的民兵武装。 来自辞典例句
• The neighborhood was a battleground for Shiite and Sunni militias. 那里曾是什叶派和逊尼派武装分子的战场。 来自互联网

9 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

10 equivocation   

n.模棱两可的话，含糊话

参考例句：

• These actions must be condemned without equivocation. 对这些行为必须毫不含糊地予以谴责。 来自辞典例句
• With caution, and with some equivocation, Bohr took a further step. 玻尔谨慎地而又有些含糊其词地采取了更深入的步骤。 来自辞典例句

11 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

12 partisan   

adj.党派性的；游击队的；n.游击队员；党徒

参考例句：

• In their anger they forget all the partisan quarrels.愤怒之中，他们忘掉一切党派之争。
• The numerous newly created partisan detachments began working slowly towards that region.许多新建的游击队都开始慢慢地向那里移动。

13 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》