2006年VOA标准英语-Bush Outlines Administration's Goals for I

By Scott Stearns
White House
10 January 2006
 

George W. Bush  
  
President Bush says there will be more violence in Iraq in 2006, but he also expects to see considerable political progress and a reduction of U.S. forces.

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President Bush says the new year brings new challenges for Iraq as politicians try to form a new government and security forces continue to battle insurgents¹.

"We will see more tough fighting and we will see more sacrifice in 2006 because the enemies of freedom in Iraq continue to sew violence and destruction," he said.  "We will also see more progress toward victory.  Victory will come when the terrorists and Saddamists can no longer threaten Iraq's democracy."

The president says December parliamentary elections show progress toward that democracy, but he cautioned Americans to be patient.  He said they should not be surprised if Iraqis make mistakes and face setbacks in efforts to build a government because the Iraqi people are still overcoming the legacy² of three decades of dictatorship.

Despite those obstacles, Mr. Bush says Iraqis have shown they can come together.  Minority Sunnis are thought to make up the bulk of the continuing insurgency³, but Sunni turnout in the last election was up, giving them what Mr. Bush says will be more influence in the next government.

"It is important that Sunnis who abandoned violence to join the political process now see the benefits of peaceful participation," added Mr. Bush.  "Sunnis need to learn how to use their influence constructively⁴ in a democratic system to benefit their community and the country at large.  And Shi'ia and Kurds need to understand that successful free societies protect the rights of the minorities against the tyranny of the majority."

Mr. Bush says a country that divides into factions⁶ and dwells on old grievances⁷ risks sliding back into tyranny.  He told a meeting of American military veterans that compromise, consensus⁸, and power sharing are the only path to national unity⁵ and lasting⁹ democracy.

The president says U.S. troop levels in Iraq will fall below the pre-election baseline of 138,000.  Later this year, if Iraqi security forces continue to make progress, he says there may be further possible adjustments to troop strength.  But the president made clear that this would be based on military assessments¹⁰ and not what he calls an artificial timetable set by Washington politicians.

Opposition¹¹ Democrats¹² are calling for the president to set clearer benchmarks for when more U.S. troops might come home.

President Bush says carrying on this war will face an added challenge in the months ahead as campaigning begins for U.S. Congressional elections in November.  There is a vigorous debate about the war and Mr. Bush says American voters can tell the difference between those who are being responsible in that debate and those who are not.

"They know the difference between honest critics who question the way the war is being prosecuted¹³ and partisan¹⁴ critics who claim that we acted in Iraq because of oil, or because of Israel, or because we misled the American people," he explained.  "And they know the difference between a loyal opposition that points out what is wrong and defeatists who refuse to see that anything is right."

When soldiers hear politicians in Washington questioning their mission, President Bush says, that hurts morale¹⁵.  He says America will remain engaged in Iraq and will settle for nothing less than what he calls complete victory.

1 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

2 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

3 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

4 constructively   

ad.有益的，积极的

参考例句：

• Collecting, by occupying spare time so constructively, makes a person contented, with no time for boredom. 如此富有意义地利用业余时间来进行收藏，会使人怡然自得，无暇烦恼。
• The HKSAR will continue to participate constructively in these activities. 香港会继续积极参与这些活动。

5 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

6 factions   

组织中的小派别，派系( faction的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The gens also lives on in the "factions." 氏族此外还继续存在于“factions〔“帮”〕中。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• rival factions within the administration 政府中的对立派别

7 grievances   

n.委屈( grievance的名词复数 )；苦衷；不满；牢骚

参考例句：

• The trade union leader spoke about the grievances of the workers. 工会领袖述说工人们的苦情。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• He gave air to his grievances. 他申诉了他的冤情。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？

9 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

10 assessments   

n.评估( assessment的名词复数 )；评价；（应偿付金额的）估定；（为征税对财产所作的）估价

参考例句：

• He was shrewd in his personal assessments. 他总能对人作出精明的评价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Surveys show about two-thirds use such assessments, while half employ personality tests. 调查表明，约有三分之二的公司采用了这种测评；而一半的公司则采用工作人员个人品质测试。 来自百科语句

11 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

12 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》

13 prosecuted   

a.被起诉的

参考例句：

• The editors are being prosecuted for obscenity. 编辑因刊载污秽文字而被起诉。
• The company was prosecuted for breaching the Health and Safety Act. 这家公司被控违反《卫生安全条例》。

14 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。

15 morale   

n.道德准则，士气，斗志

参考例句：

• The morale of the enemy troops is sinking lower every day.敌军的士气日益低落。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。