2006年VOA标准英语-US Commander Says Iraq Violence to Continue, Bu

By Al Pessin
Washington
12 October 2006

General George Casey

The commander of coalition¹ forces in Iraq says the high level of violence in the country is likely to continue for the 'next couple of months,' but there is progress toward stabilizing² the country at the same time. General George Casey spoke³ to reporters at the Pentagon after meeting with President Bush and Defense⁴ Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

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General Casey says he, his deputy and Iraqi officials are constantly reviewing their strategy and tactics, but he offered no specific plan for how to end the current wave of violence. "The operational strategy to deal with the increases in violence is something that I'm working very closely with Pete Chiarelli. The broad strategy, where we are working to bring the levels of the insurgency⁵ down as we bring the Iraqi security forces up, I believe, is still a valid⁶ framework for what we are doing there in Iraq," he said.

U.S. casualties in Iraq remain high, but General Casey said the violence has largely shifted from an anti-US insurgency to sectarian violence. Still, the general says he still believes Iraq is not in a civil war. "If you add the intensities⁷ of Ramadan and the fact that the new government is just standing⁸ up, this makes for a difficult situation that's likely to remain that way for some time. That said, violence and progress coexist in Iraq, and we shouldn't be distracted from the positive things that are going on there, amidst all the violence," he said.

Among those 'positive things,' General Casey cited progress in developing the new Iraqi Army and police forces, reforms in the Interior Ministry⁹ and the development of provincial¹⁰ governments so that two have already taken control of their areas and several more will do so by the end of the year. He also said the new prime minister is working hard on his national reconciliation¹¹ effort.

General Casey disputed an article published in a British medical journal this week estimating that 655,000 Iraqi civilians¹³ have been killed in fighting since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003. He said the highest figure he has seen is 50,000, and other U.S. officials noted¹⁴ Wednesday that coalition forces work hard to minimize civilian¹² casualties while the various insurgent¹⁵ groups target civilians deliberately¹⁶.

The general also noted that 80-to-90 per cent of the violence is within 50 kilometers of Baghdad. Still, he said the level of violence in Iraq is too high. "We shouldn't try to sugar-coat this. The levels of violence over the last few weeks are as high as they have been," he said.

Earlier, President Bush re-stated his determination to stick with the U.S. mission in Iraq, and he also said he is open to changing tactics if General Casey feels the need to. The two men met Wednesday morning. "What's important for the president is when I open up that door in there and General Casey walks in, he feels confident to tell me what's on his mind, Jim. 'Here's what's going right and here's what's going wrong and here's what we're doing about it.' And so, for those folks saying, you know, 'make sure there's flexibility,' I couldn't agree more with you," he said.

General Casey did not say what he told President Bush, or whether he has any major tactical changes in mind. But he noted that he cancelled his plan to begin substantial U.S. troop withdrawals¹⁷ by the end of this year. He also said recent efforts to reduce the violence in Baghdad have been successful, although they have not worked as quickly as he would have liked.

"We are not comfortable with the levels of sectarian violence in Baghdad, and neither is the Iraqi government. We're working with them to take measures to deal with that. The plan that we have in place in Baghdad has affected¹⁸ the levels of sectarian violence in Baghdad, (but) not as quickly as we would have liked," he said.

General Casey says the coalition and Iraqi forces are facing a multi-faceted enemy, ranging from Shiite militias¹⁹ to fighters who want the U.S. forces out to Sunni extremists who are supported by the Al-Qaida terrorist network. And he repeated administration complaints that Iran and Syria have been supporting some of those elements.

The general said he does not need more U.S. troops, at least for now. But he added that it is difficult to determine whether more troops would have a significant impact on the violence outside the specific area where they were deployed²⁰. Some members of congress and other experts have called for sending more troops, but U.S. officials have said sending more troops could inspire more violence.

1 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。

2 stabilizing   

n.稳定化处理[退火]v.（使）稳定， （使）稳固( stabilize的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The disulfide bridges might then be viewed primarily as stabilizing components. 二硫桥可以被看作是初级的稳定因素。 来自辞典例句
• These stabilizing design changes are usually not desirable for steady-state operation. 这些增加稳定性的设计改变通常不太符合稳态工作的要求。 来自辞典例句

3 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

4 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。

5 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

6 valid   

adj.有确实根据的；有效的；正当的，合法的

参考例句：

• His claim to own the house is valid.他主张对此屋的所有权有效。
• Do you have valid reasons for your absence?你的缺席有正当理由吗？

7 intensities   

n.强烈( intensity的名词复数 )；（感情的）强烈程度；强度；烈度

参考例句：

• At very high intensities, nuclear radiations cause itching and tingling of the skin. 当核辐射强度很高时，它能使皮肤感到发痒和刺痛。 来自辞典例句
• They ask again and again in a variety of ways and intensities. 他们会以不同的方式和强度来不停地问，直到他得到自己想要的答案为止。 来自互联网

8 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

9 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

10 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

11 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

12 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

13 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。

14 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

15 insurgent   

adj.叛乱的，起事的；n.叛乱分子

参考例句：

• Faruk says they are threatened both by insurgent and government forces.法鲁克说，他们受到暴乱分子和政府军队的双重威胁。
• The insurgent mob assembled at the gate of the city park.叛变的暴徒聚在市立公园的门口。

16 deliberately   

adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地

参考例句：

• The girl gave the show away deliberately.女孩故意泄露秘密。
• They deliberately shifted off the argument.他们故意回避这个论点。

17 withdrawals   

n.收回，取回，撤回( withdrawal的名词复数 )；撤退，撤走；收回[取回，撤回，撤退，撤走]的实例；推出（组织），提走（存款），戒除毒瘾，对说过的话收回，孤僻

参考例句：

• He has made several withdrawals from his bank account. 他从银行账户上提了几次款。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It is not the bank's policy to deduct interest on withdrawals. 提款需扣除利息这并非是本银行的政策。 来自辞典例句

18 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

19 militias   

n.民兵组织，民兵( militia的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias. 部队并不打算解除战斗中的民兵武装。 来自辞典例句
• The neighborhood was a battleground for Shiite and Sunni militias. 那里曾是什叶派和逊尼派武装分子的战场。 来自互联网

20 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。