2007年VOA标准英语-Iraq's Shi'ite PM Visits Sunni Stronghold of Ra

By Barry Newhouse
Baghdad
13 March 2007

Iraq's Shi'ite Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki has made his first visit to the Sunni stronghold city of Ramadi in western Iraq. VOA's Barry Newhouse reports from Baghdad the trip was promoted as a symbolic¹ visit by the Shi'ite leader to the heart of al-Anbar province's Sunni insurgency².

Iraq's al-Anbar province governor Maamoun Sami Rashid al-Alwani (L), Prime Minister Nur al-Maliki (C) arrive in Ramadi 13 March 2007

The prime minister's unannounced visit to Ramadi comes as U.S. forces continue to arrive in al-Anbar province as part of the expanding troop surge.

Mr. Maliki met with tribal³ leaders and al-Anbar's governor, saying the central government is working to solve the violent province's many problems.

The prime minister said Iraqi officials are focusing on improving security, government services and the economy in al-Anbar. He also said local officials told him there is a desperate need for many basic things such as food rations⁴.

U.S. officials say al-Anbar, a vast province that stretches west of Baghdad to the Syrian and Saudi Arabian borders, is a key city in the country's Sunni insurgency and a stronghold for al-Qaida in Iraq. Several thousand of the more than 25,000 additional American forces being sent to Iraq are headed to al-Anbar, which has been the deadliest province for American forces in Iraq.

The U.S. military has fought a long-running Sunni insurgency in the area, despite massive military operations over the years in cities such as Fallujah and Ramadi.

Marine⁵ Captain Paul Duncan, who is based in Ramadi, says part of the problem in securing the area before was the military's tactics.

"For the longest time, al-Qaida was sending their fighting forces to Ramadi sort of towards their version of a boot camp for terrorism," he said.  "And then the old school mentality⁶ of  'to go in, clear the area and then leave it'  just didn't work. You need that sustained presence."

In recent months, with more coalition⁷ forces conducting daily operations throughout the city, Captain Duncan says Sunni tribes that had long fought U.S. forces in al-Anbar, are turning against local al-Qaida groups.

"When we first came in about a year ago, there were six tribes working with us, about 12 to 15 actively⁸ working against us and about three to four on the fence," he added.  "Now, we have 16 tribes actively working for us, still about three on the fence and six working against us. But as soon as we are able to provide security in their areas, we believe they are going to flip⁹ as well."

Iraqi and U.S. officials credit part of their successes in al-Anbar province to Sheikh Abdul Satar Abu Risha, a Sunni tribal leader who has been instrumental in persuading tribes to turn against al-Qaida forces in the region.

Since tribal leaders decided¹⁰ to work with Iraqi and U.S. forces, military and police recruitment rates have increased and more police stations have sprung up in the Ramadi.

But as more Iraqi and U.S. forces enter Baghdad to try to stabilize¹¹ the capital, American officials have predicted that insurgents¹² leaving the city could try to destabilize regions further away. Diyala province, northeast of Baghdad, has seen a spike¹³ in violence in recent months and worsening sectarian fighting between Sunni and Shi'ite militias¹⁴. On Tuesday, 700 more U.S. troops arrived in Diyala to try to crack down on the fighting.

1 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。

2 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

3 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

4 rations   

定量( ration的名词复数 )； 配给量； 正常量； 合理的量

参考例句：

• They are provisioned with seven days' rations. 他们得到了7天的给养。
• The soldiers complained that they were getting short rations. 士兵们抱怨他们得到的配给不够数。

5 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

6 mentality   

n.心理，思想，脑力

参考例句：

• He has many years'experience of the criminal mentality.他研究犯罪心理有多年经验。
• Running a business requires a very different mentality from being a salaried employee.经营企业所要求具备的心态和上班族的心态截然不同。

7 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。

8 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

9 flip   

vt.快速翻动；轻抛；轻拍；n.轻抛；adj.轻浮的

参考例句：

• I had a quick flip through the book and it looked very interesting.我很快翻阅了一下那本书，看来似乎很有趣。
• Let's flip a coin to see who pays the bill.咱们来抛硬币决定谁付钱。

10 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

11 stabilize   

vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定

参考例句：

• They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
• His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。

12 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

13 spike   

n.长钉，钉鞋；v.以大钉钉牢，使...失效

参考例句：

• The spike pierced the receipts and held them in order.那个钉子穿过那些收据并使之按顺序排列。
• They'll do anything to spike the guns of the opposition.他们会使出各种手段来挫败对手。

14 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