2007年VOA标准英语-Bush Tells Troops Congress Must Fund Iraq War

By Paula Wolfson
White House
04 April 2007

President Bush took the battle over funding for the Iraq war to a U.S. military base on Wednesday. VOA's Paula Wolfson reports from the White House, the president spent the day with troops at Fort Irwin, California.

President Bush with troops at Fort Irwin, California, 4 Apr 2007

The president stood before a room packed with soldiers and their families. He told them Congress must fund the war now without conditions.

"We cannot allow honest differences in Washington to harm our troops in battle or their families here at home," said President Bush.

The House of Representatives has linked emergency funding for the war to a pull-out of U.S. forces by the end of August 2008. The Senate version of the bill speaks of a withdrawal¹ within one year as a goal.

The president has made clear both are unacceptable. And in his remarks at Fort Irwin, he stressed Congress must not tell the generals how to do their job.

"Their bills impose an artificial deadline for withdrawal for Iraq," he said. "Their bills substitute the judgment² of Washington politicians for the judgment of our military commanders."

Fort Irwin is home to the army's top desert training center for combat units. It specializes in the specific skills needed to counter terrorists and insurgents³, such as detecting homemade explosives.

Mr. Bush spent several hours at the facility, watching training demonstrations⁴, and meeting with troops. It was the first stop on a six-day break from Washington that will include Easter observances in Texas, and a trip to Arizona to talk about immigration on Monday.

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 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

3 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

4 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。