VOA常速英语2008年-Bush Says No Talks With Raul Castro

By Scott Stearns
White House
28 February 2008

President Bush says he has no plan to meet with Cuba's new president, Raul Castro, because he represents nothing more than an extension of the policies of his brother, Fidel Castro. Mr. Bush says it would send the wrong signal to people around the world if the president of the United States meets with tyrants². VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns has the story.

President Bush says he has tried to stay out of this year's presidential campaign, vowing³ to wait until his Republican Party has chosen its nominee⁴.

But at a White House news conference Thursday, the president was asked what he thinks about one of the opposition⁵ candidates saying America, would be better off if the president met with some of nation's biggest adversaries⁶ -- in particular, Iran and Cuba.

Mr. Bush said the United States must never embrace tyrants because that would sow confusion about U.S. foreign policy. "It'll send the wrong message. It'll send a discouraging message to those who wonder whether America will continue to work for the freedom of prisoners. It'll give great status to those who have suppressed human rights and human dignity," he said.

Democratic candidate Senator Barack Obama said the United States should play a more direct role in seeking talks with leaders in countries such as Iran, North Korea, Syria and Cuba.

Obama has said he would meet with all of those leaders without preconditions during his first year in office.

On Cuba, President Bush said it would be wrong for an American president to meet with Raul Castro after he and his brother Fidel have ruined an island and imprisoned⁷ people because of their beliefs. "Sitting down at the table, having your picture taken with a tyrant¹ such as Raul Castro, for example, lends the status of the office and the status of our country to him. He gains a lot from it by saying, 'Look at me. I am now recognized by the President of the United States,'" he said.

In a Democratic debate last July, Obama likened his willingness to meet with foreign enemies to the dialogue that Republican President Ronald Reagan and Democratic President John Kennedy had with the then Soviet⁸ Union. "The notion that somehow not talking to countries is punishment to them, which has been the guiding diplomatic principle of this administration, is ridiculous," he said.

Obama is leading the race to become the Democratic Party's presidential nominee heading into important contests Tuesday in Ohio and Texas against the previous frontrunner, New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton.

1 tyrant   

n.暴君，专制的君主，残暴的人

参考例句：

• The country was ruled by a despotic tyrant.该国处在一个专制暴君的统治之下。
• The tyrant was deaf to the entreaties of the slaves.暴君听不到奴隶们的哀鸣。

2 tyrants   

专制统治者( tyrant的名词复数 )； 暴君似的人； （古希腊的）僭主； 严酷的事物

参考例句：

• The country was ruled by a succession of tyrants. 这个国家接连遭受暴君的统治。
• The people suffered under foreign tyrants. 人民在异族暴君的统治下受苦受难。

3 vowing   

起誓，发誓（vow的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild its collapsed bridge. 布什总统承诺将帮助明尼阿波利斯重建坍塌的大桥。
• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild this collapse bridge. 布什总统发誓要帮助明尼阿波利斯重建起这座坍塌的桥梁。

4 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

5 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。

6 adversaries   

n.对手，敌手( adversary的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• That would cause potential adversaries to recoil from a challenge. 这会迫使潜在的敌人在挑战面前退缩。 来自辞典例句
• Every adversaries are more comfortable with a predictable, coherent America. 就连敌人也会因有可以预料的，始终一致的美国而感到舒服得多。 来自辞典例句

7 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。

8 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。