VOA常速英语2008年-Security, Corruption Slow Restoration of Iraqi

By Daniel Schearf
Irbil
13 March 2008

Iraqi officials say much work is needed to secure and restore the port of Umm Qasr in the oil-rich province of Basra. They charge criminals and corrupt¹ officials have been working together to siphon off wealth while terrorists are sabotaging² reconstruction³. Daniel Schearf reports from the northern Iraqi city of Irbil.

Iraq's government has held a conference in the southeast city of Basra Wednesday to discuss efforts at reconstructing the important port of Umm Qasr.

Iraqi officials say there are about 80 shipwrecks⁴ littering the coastal⁵ area and blocking shipping⁶ lanes that need to be removed. They say the port also needs to be dredged so larger ships can get closer for loading and unloading. They also want to almost double the tonnage of ships the port currently handles.

 

Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister Barham Saleh said some improvements were being made, but criminal gangs and corrupt officials were colluding together, slowing their efforts.

Salah says gangs are stealing everything good in the area. He says all the government agencies need to work together to stop these bandits that corrupt the country's treasures and prevent the distribution of wealth for all Iraqis.

The British troops bombed Umm Qasr during the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq and took over security. Reconstruction efforts started almost immediately, but sabotage⁷ has slowed the work.

Mowaffak al-Rubaie is Iraq's National Security Advisor⁸. He says corruption⁹ and bad elements in the port are one of the groups supporting terrorism in Iraq.

Residents of Basra say crime and terrorism have flourished since the Britain handed control back to Iraqi forces in December.

Thousands of people protested in Basra over the weekend demanding police do more to stop rampant¹⁰ crime and restore order.

Britain's Defense¹¹ Secretary Des Browne made a surprise visit to Iraq Wednesday and pledged support at the conference, held at the Basra airport.

"The oil infrastructure¹² and this magnificent airport we are in today and the port of Umm Qasr are potentially some of Iraq's most valuable assets," he said.

But Browne said they should not underestimate the challenges they are facing. He said it would require a strong commitment from the Iraqi government to achieve the minimum level of security required for international shipping codes. He said without that accreditation¹³ the big international shipping companies would refuse to use the port.

Britain still has about 4,000 troops in Iraq but is considering withdrawing a large portion in the coming months.

1 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

2 sabotaging   

阴谋破坏（某事物）( sabotage的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Mr Smith fiercely denied any question of sabotaging the talks. 史密斯先生坚决拒绝任何企图阻挠谈话的提问。
• Failed in sabotaging APEC summit in Sydney of Australia. 澳大利亚悉尼APEC会议遭遇惨败。

3 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。

4 shipwrecks   

海难，船只失事( shipwreck的名词复数 )； 沉船

参考例句：

• Shipwrecks are apropos of nothing. 船只失事总是来得出人意料。
• There are many shipwrecks in these waters. 在这些海域多海难事件。

5 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

6 shipping   

n.船运（发货，运输，乘船）

参考例句：

• We struck a bargain with an American shipping firm.我们和一家美国船运公司谈成了一笔生意。
• There's a shipping charge of ￡5 added to the price.价格之外另加五英镑运输费。

7 sabotage   

n.怠工，破坏活动，破坏；v.从事破坏活动，妨害，破坏

参考例句：

• They tried to sabotage my birthday party.他们企图破坏我的生日晚会。
• The fire at the factory was caused by sabotage.那家工厂的火灾是有人蓄意破坏引起的。

8 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

9 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

10 rampant   

adj.(植物)蔓生的；狂暴的，无约束的

参考例句：

• Sickness was rampant in the area.该地区疾病蔓延。
• You cannot allow children to rampant through the museum.你不能任由小孩子在博物馆里乱跑。

11 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。

12 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

13 accreditation   

n.委派，信赖，鉴定合格

参考例句：

• a letter of accreditation 一份合格证明书
• This paper gives an overview of the Verification, Validation and Accreditation (VV&A) in High Level Architecture(HLA). 对基于高层体系结构(High Level Architecture,简称HLA)的仿真系统的校核、验证与确认(Verification, Validation and Accreditation,简称VV&A)问题进行了详细的介绍及分析。 来自互联网