2007年VOA标准英语-Gates: Foreign Fighters Passing Through Syria t

By Al Pessin
Pentagon
14 March 2007

U.S. Defense² Secretary Robert Gates says dozens of foreign fighters are moving into Iraq from Syria every month, mostly to conduct suicide attacks against Iraqi civilians³. VOA's Al Pessin reports from the Pentagon.

 
Robert Gates (file photo)
Secretary Gates told the Pentagon's own television channel most of the attacks on U.S. and coalition⁴ forces are roadside bombs planted by people working with al-Qaida or Iraqi militants⁵. He said foreign fighters have a different method, and usually a different target.

"Most of the foreign fighters, as I read the intelligence, many of the foreign fighters are, in fact, suicide bombers⁷. And they come across the border from Syria, perhaps several dozen a month, and they are responsible for a lot of these attacks. These foreign fighters are coming into Iraq principally to kill Iraqis, not to kill coalition forces. There are clearly some that do [kill coalition forces], but by and large they're killing⁸ Iraqis," said Gates.

 
US Army Black Hawk⁹ helicopter flies over central Baghdad, 11 Mar¹ 2007
In Iraq Wednesday, suicide bombers struck in Baghdad and Kirkuk, killing four civilians. On Sunday, a suicide bomber⁶ killed more than 30 Iraqi Shi'ite pilgrims on their way back to Baghdad from the holy city of Karbala.

U.S. officials have frequently called on Syria and Iran to stop fueling violence in Iraq, and officials from both countries participated in a meeting in Baghdad on Saturday designed to convince Iraq's neighbors to help ease the tension, rather than adding to it.

Secretary Gates told the Pentagon Channel Iran's role in the Iraqi violence involves providing material for high-powered roadside bombs, but he said it is not clear whether top Iranian officials are involved in the effort.

The secretary also said it is too early to fully¹⁰ evaluate the new Baghdad security plan, but he said his top priority is to improve the security situation in Iraq so U.S. troops can leave the country without leaving chaos¹¹ behind.

1 mar   

vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟

参考例句：

• It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
• Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

2 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。

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 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。

5 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

6 bomber   

n.轰炸机，投弹手，投掷炸弹者

参考例句：

• He flew a bomber during the war.他在战时驾驶轰炸机。
• Detectives hunting the London bombers will be keen to interview him.追查伦敦爆炸案凶犯的侦探们急于对他进行讯问。

7 bombers   

n.轰炸机( bomber的名词复数 )；投弹手；安非他明胶囊；大麻叶香烟

参考例句：

• Enemy bombers carried out a blitz on the city. 敌军轰炸机对这座城市进行了突袭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Royal Airforce sill remained dangerously short of bombers. 英国皇家空军仍未脱离极为缺乏轰炸机的危境。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

9 hawk   

n.鹰，骗子；鹰派成员

参考例句：

• The hawk swooped down on the rabbit and killed it.鹰猛地朝兔子扑下来,并把它杀死。
• The hawk snatched the chicken and flew away.老鹰叼了小鸡就飞走了。

10 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。

11 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。