2006年VOA标准英语-Bush Optimistic About Iraq

By Scott Stearns
White House
21 March 2006

 
President Bush
  
President Bush says there is more fighting ahead in Iraq, but he is confident U.S. troops will be victorious¹.  Mr. Bush held a White House news conference as American forces begin their fourth year in Iraq.

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Despite continuing violence, President Bush says he is confident about Iraq's future.

"We can see the outlines of a free and secure Iraq that we and the Iraqi people have been fighting for," said Mr. Bush.

With nearly two-thirds of Americans disapproving² of how he is handling that war, President Bush is on a public outreach campaign to reassure³ people about his strategy for success in Iraq.

Between a Monday speech in Ohio and another scheduled for West Virginia on Wednesday, the president kept that campaign going, telling White House reporters that it is important for Americans to understand how much progress is being made.

"Terrorists have not given up," said Mr. Bush.  "They are tough minded.  They like to kill.  There is going to be more tough fighting ahead.  [There is] no question that sectarian violence must be confronted by the Iraqi government and a better-trained police force.  Yet we are making progress, and that is important for the American people to understand."

The president says he is encouraged by Iraqi politicians working toward a government of national unity⁴ and rejects suggestions that the nation is slipping into civil war.

With 50 to 60 Iraqis dying everyday, Iraqi Interim⁵ Prime Minister Iyad Allawi told the British Broadcasting Corporation that, "If this is not civil war, then God knows what civil war is."

President Bush says there are certainly challenges ahead.

"But I see progress," he explained.  "You know, I have heard people say, 'Oh you know he is just optimistic for the sake of optimism.' Well look, I believe we are going to succeed.  And I understand how tough it is.  Do not get me wrong.  You make it abundantly clear how tough it is.  I hear it from our troops.  I read the reports every night.  But I believe this is a moment when the Iraqis had the chance to fall apart and they did not."

The president says he bases that optimism on the fact that Iraq's army has not split into sectarian factions⁶ and religious leaders have worked to calm tensions following last month's bombing of a sacred Shi'ite shrine⁷ in Samarra.

Mr. Bush says part of the terrorist strategy is to create what he calls horrific images of reprisal⁸ killings⁹, car bombings and kidnappings that Americans see on television.

"It creates a sense of concern amongst our people," he said.  "And that makes sense and I know that.  And it is one of the reasons why it is important for me to continue to speak out and explain why we have a strategy for victory, why we can succeed.  And I am going to say it again.  If I did not believe we could succeed, I would not be there.  I would not put those kids there.  I meet with too many families who have lost a loved one to not be able to look them in the eye and say we are doing the right thing."

President Bush says he is doing the right thing because democracy in Iraq will inspire a part of the world that he says is desperate for reform.

1 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。

2 disapproving   

adj.不满的，反对的v.不赞成( disapprove的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Mother gave me a disapproving look. 母亲的眼神告诉我她是不赞成的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Her father threw a disapproving glance at her. 她父亲不满地瞥了她一眼。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 reassure   

v.使放心，使消除疑虑

参考例句：

• This seemed to reassure him and he continued more confidently.这似乎使他放心一点，于是他更有信心地继续说了下去。
• The airline tried to reassure the customers that the planes were safe.航空公司尽力让乘客相信飞机是安全的。

4 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。

5 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

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 shrine   

n.圣地，神龛，庙；v.将...置于神龛内，把...奉为神圣

参考例句：

• The shrine was an object of pilgrimage.这处圣地是人们朝圣的目的地。
• They bowed down before the shrine.他们在神龛前鞠躬示敬。

8 reprisal   

n.报复，报仇，报复性劫掠

参考例句：

• There is no political alternative but a big reprisal.政治上没有旁的选择只能是大规模报复。
• They bombed civilian targets in reprisal.他们炮轰平民目标作为报复。

9 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。