2006年VOA标准英语-US Grapples With Arab Elections that Produ

By Mohamed Elshinnawi
Washington, DC
06 February 2006
 
watch Arab Democracy report
 
In his latest State of the Union address, President Bush urged the Arab World to embrace democracy and free elections. The recent Egyptian, Iraqi and Palestinian elections show that democracy in the Arab World can unleash¹ political forces that are not friendly to the United States.  VOA's Mohamed Elshinnawi has more.

"The United States of America supports democratic reform across the broader Middle East,” said U.S. President George W. Bush in his address to Congress.

President Bush has declared that spreading democracy in Iraq and the greater Middle East will benefit the region.

But recent history shows that Islamic political groups have reaped the benefits, at the expense of secular², authoritarian³ regimes.

And the Palestinian elections demonstrate that pro-American factions⁴ do not always win, even if the U.S. is the promoter of democracy in the region.

Marina Ottaway  
  
Marina Ottaway, a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, says the United States needs to modify its approach. "What I expect to happen is that the US will be very cautious in pushing for elections as soon as possible and particularly national level elections because it was quite clear that if democracy calls, the Islamists answer."  

Dr. Ottoway says authoritarian regimes will lose free elections and if Islamists win, the U.S. can work with them.

"There is a wing in most of these organizations that is really pushing for democracy, and they are among the best advocates for democracy that you find in the Middle East now. And I will argue that they really believe what they are saying, you know, there is always this doubt -- is this just tactical and so on -- I think there is definitely a group in all these Islamist organizations that believes in the value of democracy and is ready to make the compromises that are necessary."

Other analysts⁵ say there is no democratic alternative to the Islamists because unelected regimes have imprisoned⁶ and harassed⁷ all other opposition⁸ voices.

Christine Nazer, Director of Communications at the Arab American Institute in Washington, says the U.S. should be building up moderate factions in Arab countries. 

Christine Nazer  
  
"I think the best strategy for the U.S. to follow is to empower the moderates by helping⁹ them through aid, through building institutions, economic growth, trade so many ways U.S can empower moderates It is not necessary for the U.S. to come out and say we are not happy with the outcome of an election, the smarter way especially in the Arab World would be to empower moderates and bring about change that it can come from within."

Dr. Tamara Cofman, Research Fellow at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy in Washington says there is no alternative for the US to be involved in some way in the democratization of the Middle East:

"American engagement in the region is a fact, America's strategic interests in the region are strong and many, so the U.S. can not take a neutral stance on the future of this very important part of the world. The U.S. is going to be engaged in one fashion or another. Given that, I think it is important, it is wise for the U.S. to have put itself on the side of democracy and freedom in the region."

But, analysts say, the U.S. has to find some way to deal with victorious¹⁰ Islamists, while it promotes democratic alternatives.

1 unleash   

vt.发泄，发出；解带子放开

参考例句：

• They hope to create allies to unleash against diseases,pests,and invasive species.他们希望创造出一些新群体来对付疾病、害虫和一些有侵害性的物种。
• Changing water levels now at times unleash a miasma of disease from exposed sewage.如今，大坝不时地改变水位，从暴露的污水释放出了疾病瘴气。

2 secular   

n.牧师，凡人；adj.世俗的，现世的，不朽的

参考例句：

• We live in an increasingly secular society.我们生活在一个日益非宗教的社会。
• Britain is a plural society in which the secular predominates.英国是个世俗主导的多元社会。

3 authoritarian   

n./adj.专制(的)，专制主义者，独裁主义者

参考例句：

• Foreign diplomats suspect him of authoritarian tendencies.各国外交官怀疑他有着独裁主义倾向。
• The authoritarian policy wasn't proved to be a success.独裁主义的政策证明并不成功。

4 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

5 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

6 imprisoned   

下狱，监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was imprisoned for two concurrent terms of 30 months and 18 months. 他被判处30个月和18个月的监禁，合并执行。
• They were imprisoned for possession of drugs. 他们因拥有毒品而被监禁。

7 harassed   

adj. 疲倦的，厌烦的 动词harass的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He has complained of being harassed by the police. 他投诉受到警方侵扰。
• harassed mothers with their children 带着孩子的疲惫不堪的母亲们

8 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。

9 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

10 victorious   

adj.胜利的，得胜的

参考例句：

• We are certain to be victorious.我们定会胜利。
• The victorious army returned in triumph.获胜的部队凯旋而归。