2006年VOA标准英语-Bush, Maliki Pledge to Accelerate Training of I

By Meredith Buel
Washington
30 November 2006

President Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki are pledging to accelerate the training of Iraqi security forces so the Iraqi government can fight terrorists and provide stability for the country. Their remarks came as U.S. media reported a bipartisan panel on Iraq will recommend a gradual pullback of U.S. military forces from Iraq, but will stop short of recommending a timetable for their withdrawal¹. VOA correspondent Meredith Buel has more from Washington.

 
President George W. Bush, (r), shakes hands with Iraqi PM Nouri al-Maliki during their meeting,  30 Nov 2006, in Amman, Jordan
As they wrapped up their summit in Jordan, President Bush called Prime Minister Maliki a strong leader, saying the success of his government is crucial to Iraq's future.

Mr. Bush says they both agreed on the need to hasten the turnover² of security responsibilities to Iraqi forces.

"We agreed on the importance of speeding up the training of Iraqi security forces. Our goal is to insure that the prime minister has more capable forces under his control so his government can fight the terrorists and the death squads³ and provide security and stability in his country," he said.

President Bush says the United States is not looking for what he called a "graceful⁴ exit" from the war in Iraq and says U.S. forces will remain in the country "until the job is complete" and as long as the government wants them there.

"I told the prime minister that our goal in Iraq is to strengthen his government and to support his efforts to build a free Iraq that can govern itself, sustain itself and defend itself and is an ally in the war against the terrorists," he said.

Mr. Maliki indicated that neighboring Iran and Syria can play a role in stabilizing⁵ Iraq, but he insisted no nation would be allowed to interfere⁶ with the country's domestic affairs.

"Our doors are open and our desire is strong that between us and our neighbors we will have strong relationships based on mutual⁷ respect and staying away from everybody's internal business. Iraq is for Iraqis and its borders will be sound and we will not allow anybody to violate these borders or interfere in our internal affairs," he said.

During their news conference, the two leaders did not discuss a timetable for the transfer of security responsibilities to Iraqi forces. However, in an interview with a U.S. television network (ABC), Mr. Maliki says his troops will be ready to take full control by June of next year.

 
President Bush answers reporter's question during joint⁸ press conference with Iraqi PM Nouri al-Maliki,30 Nov. 2006
The president and prime minister met for several hours Thursday, but three-way talks with Jordan's King Abdullah scheduled for Wednesday evening were abruptly⁹ cancelled.

That left Bush administration officials scrambling¹⁰ to deny the change was related to the publication of a previously¹¹ classified White House memo¹² raising concerns about the Iraqi prime minister's ability to stop sectarian violence.

The summit ended on the same day American media reported that a bi-partisan panel reviewing U.S. policy in Iraq would recommend a gradual pullback of U.S. military forces, but no specific timetable for the withdrawal.

News reports say the Iraq Study Group will recommend 15 combat brigades be redeployed beginning as early as next year, but will not specify¹³ if they should be pulled back to bases in Iraq, transferred to neighboring countries or brought home.

The panel will reportedly propose that U.S. soldiers in Iraq shift from active combat to operations supporting Iraqi security forces.

A senior military analyst¹⁴ with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Anthony Cordesman, says it will take years before the situation in Iraq is stable.

"Over time this is a country with major resources. It does have the infrastructure¹⁵, the education and the institutions to recover. Political parties, if they are not dragged into an all-out civil war will gain experience, have agendas, have experienced political leaders. You may, in three to five years, see something you can define as success. But I think the point really is three to five years, not 18 to 24 months or four to six. To get to a good case, an almost good case, takes time, patience and resources," he said.

The Iraq Study Group is scheduled to present its report to Pesident Bush and the U.S. Congress Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters on Air Force One as the president flew back to the United States, National Security Advisor¹⁶ Stephen Hadley predicted Mr. Bush would begin making changes in Iraq policy in "weeks rather than months."

1 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

2 turnover   

n.人员流动率，人事变动率；营业额，成交量

参考例句：

• The store greatly reduced the prices to make a quick turnover.这家商店实行大减价以迅速周转资金。
• Our turnover actually increased last year.去年我们的营业额竟然增加了。

3 squads   

n.（军队中的）班( squad的名词复数 )；（暗杀）小组；体育运动的运动（代表）队；（对付某类犯罪活动的）警察队伍

参考例句：

• Anti-riot squads were called out to deal with the situation. 防暴队奉命出动以对付这一局势。 来自辞典例句
• Three squads constitute a platoon. 三个班组成一个排。 来自辞典例句

4 graceful   

adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的

参考例句：

• His movements on the parallel bars were very graceful.他的双杠动作可帅了!
• The ballet dancer is so graceful.芭蕾舞演员的姿态是如此的优美。

5 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

6 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

7 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

8 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

9 abruptly   

adv.突然地，出其不意地

参考例句：

• He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。
• I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。

10 scrambling   

v.快速爬行( scramble的现在分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞

参考例句：

• Scrambling up her hair, she darted out of the house. 她匆忙扎起头发，冲出房去。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• She is scrambling eggs. 她正在炒蛋。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

12 memo   

n.照会，备忘录；便笺；通知书；规章

参考例句：

• Do you want me to send the memo out?您要我把这份备忘录分发出去吗？
• Can you type a memo for me?您能帮我打一份备忘录吗？

13 specify   

vt.指定，详细说明

参考例句：

• We should specify a time and a place for the meeting.我们应指定会议的时间和地点。
• Please specify what you will do.请你详述一下你将做什么。

14 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

15 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。

16 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。