VOA标准英语2014--US Readies Options for Iraq Conflict

 

US Readies Options for Iraq Conflict

WASHINGTON — The United States is repositioning military assets closer to Iraq, as Baghdad braces¹ for a possible attack by Sunni militants² that have seized large swaths of territory in the country.  Meanwhile in Washington, the risks and merits of some form of U.S. military intervention³ in Iraq is a topic of heated debate.

Shi’ites in Baghdad are flocking to recruitment centers to defend their city - the latest sign of worsening sectarian conflict in war-ravaged Iraq.  To the north, militants of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) continue a brutal⁴ and effective campaign, seizing municipalities and military equipment, and posting images of them purportedly⁵ executing all who stand in their way.

The United States ordered an aircraft carrier into the Persian Gulf⁶, which the Pentagon says provides "additional flexibility⁷ should military options be required.”

President Barack Obama said he understands what is at stake.

“Iraqi security forces have proven unable to defend a number of cities, which has allowed the terrorists to overrun a part of Iraq’s territory.  And this poses a danger to Iraq and its people.  And given the nature of these terrorists, it could pose a threat eventually to American interests, as well,” said Obama.

U.S. engagement in Iraq is urgently needed, according to Republican Congressman⁸ Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee.

“We need to stop this, the action needs to be now, not two weeks down the road,” said McCaul, speaking on ABC’s This Week program.

At the same time, he urged a diplomatic effort.

“We need to be very careful with any military strategy. Diplomatically, we need to bring the Sunni-Shia-Kurds together against the extremists,” said McCaul.

Another Republican, Senator Lindsey Graham, said the United States should engage in talks with Iraq's neighbor, Iran, on the crisis.

The White House said options are being prepared and reviewed.

“Any action we may take to provide assistance to Iraq, one security forces has to be joined by a serious and sincere effort by Iraq’s leaders to set aside sectarian differences.  We cannot do it for them.  And, in the absence of this type of political effort, short-term military action, including any assistance we might provide, will not succeed,” said Obama.

For now, Iraq’s exacerbated⁹ sectarian divides are producing more bloodshed and chaos¹⁰ by the day.

1 braces   

n.吊带，背带；托架( brace的名词复数 )；箍子；括弧；（儿童）牙箍v.支住( brace的第三人称单数 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来

参考例句：

• The table is shaky because the braces are loose. 这张桌子摇摇晃晃，因为支架全松了。
• You don't need braces if you're wearing a belt! 要系腰带，就用不着吊带了。

2 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。

3 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

4 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

5 purportedly   

adv.据称

参考例句：

• This is purportedly the oldest tree in the world. 据称这是世界上最古老的一棵树。 来自互联网
• Mayor Oh Se-Hoon launched the campaign last year, purportedly to improve efficiency. 据悉，首尔市市长吴世勋于去年提出了这项旨在提高工作效率的计划。 来自互联网

6 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

7 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。

8 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。

9 exacerbated   

v.使恶化，使加重( exacerbate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The symptoms may be exacerbated by certain drugs. 这些症状可能会因为某些药物而加重。
• The drugs they gave her only exacerbated the pain. 他们给她吃的药只是加重了她的痛楚。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 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。