VOA标准英语2014--美国吹捧联盟, 以此对抗伊斯兰国家

 

US Touts¹ Coalition² to Fight Islamic State 美国吹捧联盟, 以此对抗伊斯兰国家

WASHINGTON—

The Obama administration is expressing confidence in the formation of an international coalition to combat Islamic State radicals³ who control swaths of territory in Iraq and Syria. But congressional action in support of the effort is a matter of growing debate.

After meeting with allies and partners in the Middle East, Secretary of State John Kerry says a growing list of nations is prepared to strike against Sunni militants⁴, a point echoed by White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough, who uses the ISIL acronym⁵ for the group.

“What we want to make sure happens is that we have committed partners who can take the fight to ISIL on the ground. And they will have not only support from us form the air, but training and equipment,” said McDonough, speaking on ABC’s This Week program.

That coalition will be essential if Islamic State militants are to be defeated without the deployment⁶ of U.S. ground forces in a combat role.  Another encouraging sign is the formation of broad-based Iraqi government, according to McDonough.

“There is now a new, multi-ethnic government in Baghdad. They will support a unified⁷, capable, multi-ethnic Iraqi force, so that they can take this fight to ISIL,” said McDonough.

A supporting U.S. role has the backing of independent Senator Angus King.

“This cannot be a war of Westerners against Islam.  This has to be an area of the world that is willing to police itself,” said King.

But with lawmakers eager to adjourn⁸ well in advance of the November midterm elections, it is not clear whether or when votes will be held to authorize⁹ any portion of the strategy President Barack Obama outlined last week.  

Republican Senator Susan Collins believes the U.S. commander-in-chief should have acted sooner.

“The president waited far too long to present a strategy to the American people and to Congress.  Now we are being asked to react on a very short timeline, in a matter of days,” said Collins.

President Obama is not asking formal congressional authorization¹⁰ to strike against the Islamic State.  That is a mistake, according to Republican Senator Bob Corker, who nonetheless backs military action.

“Problems occur.  And I think the administration would be so much wiser to get that authorization from Congress on the front end, instead of having over time 535 Monday morning quarterbacks (second-guessers in Congress),” said Corker, referring to the number of lawmakers in the U.S. legislature.

Meanwhile, the Islamic State’s latest atrocity¹¹, the beheading of British aid worker David Haines, is provoking strong reactions on both sides of the Atlantic.  The White House condemned¹² the killing¹³ as barbaric, while British Prime Minister David Cameron said IS militants are “the embodiment of evil.”

1 touts   

n.招徕( tout的名词复数 )；（音乐会、体育比赛等的）卖高价票的人；侦查者；探听赛马的情报v.兜售( tout的第三人称单数 )；招揽；侦查；探听赛马情报

参考例句：

• Many vouchers are returned for cash, allowing touts and middle men to make a healthy margin. 许多月饼券都被兑换成现金，这让券贩子和中间商赚取了不蜚的利润。 来自互联网
• Spotting prey, the customary crowd of hustlers and touts swarmed around, jostling for my business. 照例有大群的拉客黄牛在寻觅猎物，他们争相过来抢我的生意。 来自互联网

2 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。

3 radicals   

n.激进分子( radical的名词复数 )；根基；基本原理；[数学]根数

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals. 一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The worry is that the radicals will grow more intransigent. 现在人们担忧激进分子会变得更加不妥协。 来自辞典例句

4 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。

5 acronym   

n.首字母简略词，简称

参考例句：

• That's a mouthful of an acronym for a very simple technology.对于一项非常简单的技术来说，这是一个很绕口的缩写词。
• TSDF is an acronym for Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facilities.TSDF是处理，储存和处置设施的一个缩写。

6 deployment   

n. 部署,展开

参考例句：

• He has inquired out the deployment of the enemy troops. 他已查出敌军的兵力部署情况。
• Quality function deployment (QFD) is a widely used customer-driven quality, design and manufacturing management tool. 质量功能展开(quality function deployment,QFD)是一个广泛应用的顾客需求驱动的设计、制造和质量管理工具。

7 unified   

(unify 的过去式和过去分词)； 统一的； 统一标准的； 一元化的

参考例句：

• The teacher unified the answer of her pupil with hers. 老师核对了学生的答案。
• The First Emperor of Qin unified China in 221 B.C. 秦始皇于公元前221年统一中国。

8 adjourn   

v.（使）休会，（使）休庭

参考例句：

• The motion to adjourn was carried.休会的提议通过了。
• I am afraid the court may not adjourn until three or even later.我担心法庭要到3点或更晚时才会休庭。

9 authorize   

v.授权，委任；批准，认可

参考例句：

• He said that he needed to get his supervisor to authorize my refund.他说必须让主管人员批准我的退款。
• Only the President could authorize the use of the atomic bomb.只有总统才能授权使用原子弹。

10 authorization   

n.授权，委任状

参考例句：

• Anglers are required to obtain prior authorization from the park keeper.垂钓者必须事先得到公园管理者的许可。
• You cannot take a day off without authorization.未经批准你不得休假。

11 atrocity   

n.残暴，暴行

参考例句：

• These people are guilty of acts of great atrocity.这些人犯有令人发指的暴行。
• I am shocked by the atrocity of this man's crimes.这个人行凶手段残忍狠毒使我震惊。

12 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

13 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。