VOA常速英语2008年-Iraq's Maliki Threatens to Bar Sadr From Politi

By Aya Batrawy
Cairo
07 April 2008

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has warned influential¹ Shiite-militia² leader Moqtada al-Sadr to disarm³ his militia or suffer being banned from elections and politics. This was the first time the prime minister singled out al-Sadr's Mahdi Army. Aya Batrawy has more from our Middle East bureau in Cairo.

In a strong message to the influential leader Moqtada al-Sadr, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki warned that the Mahdi Army will have to disband if al-Sadr's group wants to field candidates for the upcoming elections that will likely redistribute power in Iraq.

The prime minister's statement in a CNN interview marked the first time he publicly called for the disarmament of the Mahdi Army. Mr. Maliki, a Shia, took office in 2006 with al-Sadr's support. The cleric later pulled his movement from the government.

After Mr. Maliki called for the disbandment of the Mehdi Army, a top aid to the Shiite cleric said al-Sadr will consult senior Shiite religious leaders in Iraq and Iran and disarm the influential militia if they instruct him to do so.

Saturday, a top leadership council called for Iraqi parties to disband their militias⁴ or risk being barred from taking part in elections and participating in political life. The "Political Council for National Unity⁵" also urged parties that have withdrawn⁶ from the government to rejoin the Cabinet.

Al-Sadr supporters were quick to respond that the prime minister has no constitutional power to interfere⁷ with elections. They said new language in a draft election bill that would ban parties that operate militias from fielding candidates is a direct attempt to sideline al-Sadr.

Iraqi political expert and professor Haidar Saaid said one of the main problems facing Iraq today is that militias continue to operate independently of the government and sometimes directly against it.

He said all militias, including the Mahdi Army, must disband. I see the biggest problem for Iraq is that we do not have a government with sole power. There are groups fighting outside the government that are influencing people's freedom and movement, said Haidar.

Iraqi forces raided the cleric's stronghold Sunday in the Baghdad area of Sadr City. This sparked heavy fighting after a week of relative calm when the cleric called his militias off the street. Hospitals reported that at least 25 people died and more than 90 were wounded in the fighting.

Mr. Maliki said in the broadcast interview that his government has opened the door for confrontation⁸ and will not stop until they are in full control of those areas.

Meanwhile, Iran says the United States has requested a fourth round of talks with the Islamic Republic regarding security in Iraq. The last official meeting between the two sides happened in July of last year.

As Iran's influence in Iraq continues to grow, Washington accuses Iran of arming militias that attack Iraqi and U.S. forces in Iraq.

1 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

2 militia   

n.民兵，民兵组织

参考例句：

• First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面，其次是民兵。
• There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。

3 disarm   

v.解除武装，回复平常的编制，缓和

参考例句：

• The world has waited 12 years for Iraq to disarm. 全世界等待伊拉克解除武装已有12年之久。
• He has rejected every peaceful opportunity offered to him to disarm.他已经拒绝了所有能和平缴械的机会。

4 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

5 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。

6 withdrawn   

vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出

参考例句：

• Our force has been withdrawn from the danger area.我们的军队已从危险地区撤出。
• All foreign troops should be withdrawn to their own countries.一切外国军队都应撤回本国去。

7 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

8 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。