VOA常速英语2008年-Petraeus Calls for Minimum 45-Day Pause in US I

By Al Pessin
Washington
08 April 2008

The top U.S. military commander in Iraq and the U.S. ambassador told Congress Tuesday that progress in Iraq is "fragile" and "reversible," and called for continuing U.S. commitment, including an open-ended pause in U.S. troop withdrawals² after the last of the surge forces leave in July.  VOA's Al Pessin reports.

General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker used the words "fragile" and "reversible" several times during their lengthy³ testimony⁴.  Because of that, General Petraeus says he told President Bush he does not want to decide at least until sometime in September whether there can be further U.S. troop withdrawals without jeopardizing⁵ fledgling security gains and political progress.

"I recommended to my chain of command that we continue the drawdown of surge combat forces and that upon withdrawal¹ of the last surge brigade combat team in July we undertake a 45-day period of consolidation⁶ and evaluation," he said.  "At the end of that period, we will commence a process of assessment⁷ to examine the conditions on the ground, and over time determine when we can make recommendations for further reductions."

Some members of the Senate Armed Services Committee objected to what they see as an "open ended" pause in U.S. withdrawals.  But General Petraeus said he needs time to assess the impact of the loss of one quarter of his U.S. combat power and that further reductions must be based on the situation at the time.

"The operational considerations include recognition that the military surge has achieved progress, but that that progress is reversible," he added.  "Iraqi security forces have strengthened their capabilities⁸, but still must grow further.  Withdrawing too many forces too quickly could jeopardize⁹ the progress of the past year.  And performing the necessary tasks in Iraq will require sizable conventional forces, as well as Special Operations Forces and advisor¹⁰ teams."

He did not dispute one senator's suggestion that the pause could be several months long.  The general expressed specific opposition¹¹ to the desire by some members of Congress for a more extensive withdrawal plan, which they believe would put pressure on the Iraqi government to move faster in developing its security forces and reaching political accommodation on key issues.

"This approach does not allow establishment of a set withdrawal timetable," he explained.  "However, it does provide the flexibility¹² those of us on the ground need to preserve the still-fragile security gains our troopers have fought so hard and sacrificed so much to achieve."

General Petraeus said the threat from Sunni militants¹³ of al-Qaida in Iraq has been significantly reduced, but the group is still lethal¹⁴.  He also singled out Iran for playing what he called a "particularly damaging" role in Iraq by supporting and "directing" violent breakaway Shiite groups, which he called "the greatest long-term threat to the viability¹⁵ of a democratic Iraq."

At the same hearing, Ambassador Ryan Crocker said almost everything about Iraq is hard.  But he said success is closer than it was last September, the last time he and General Petraeus testified.

"Developments over the last seven months have strengthened my sense of a positive trend," he said.  "Immense challenges remain and progress is uneven¹⁶ and often frustratingly¹⁷ slow.  But there is progress.  Sustaining that progress will require continuing U.S. resolve and commitment.  What has been achieved is substantial, but it is also reversible."

Ambassador Crocker warned skeptical¹⁸ members of Congress that the United States will be judged more by what happens in Iraq in the coming years, than by what has happened in the five years since the U.S.-led invasion.  He said progress is "real," but "still fragile," and urged the Congress to "stay with" the "current course."

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 withdrawals   

n.收回，取回，撤回( withdrawal的名词复数 )；撤退，撤走；收回[取回，撤回，撤退，撤走]的实例；推出（组织），提走（存款），戒除毒瘾，对说过的话收回，孤僻

参考例句：

• He has made several withdrawals from his bank account. 他从银行账户上提了几次款。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It is not the bank's policy to deduct interest on withdrawals. 提款需扣除利息这并非是本银行的政策。 来自辞典例句

3 lengthy   

adj.漫长的，冗长的

参考例句：

• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。
• The professor wrote a lengthy book on Napoleon.教授写了一部有关拿破仑的巨著。

4 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

5 jeopardizing   

危及，损害( jeopardize的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Plans may also become inefficient in the attainment of objectives by jeopardizing group satisfactions. 用危及群体利益方法去达到目标的计划，也是无效率的。
• That boosted government revenues in the short term, but is now jeopardizing them. Morales将天然气工业，电信业和部分采矿业收归国有的举措吓跑了投资者们。

6 consolidation   

n.合并,巩固

参考例句：

• The denser population necessitates closer consolidation both for internal and external action. 住得日益稠密的居民，对内和对外都不得不更紧密地团结起来。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• The state ensures the consolidation and growth of the state economy. 国家保障国营经济的巩固和发展。 来自汉英非文学 - 中国宪法

7 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

8 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

9 jeopardize   

vt.危及，损害

参考例句：

• Overworking can jeopardize your health.工作过量可能会危及你的健康。
• If you are rude to the boss it may jeopardize your chances of success.如果你对上司无礼，那就可能断送你成功的机会。

10 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

11 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。

12 flexibility   

n.柔韧性，弹性，（光的）折射性，灵活性

参考例句：

• Her great strength lies in her flexibility.她的优势在于她灵活变通。
• The flexibility of a man's muscles will lessen as he becomes old.人老了肌肉的柔韧性将降低。

13 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

14 lethal   

adj.致死的；毁灭性的

参考例句：

• A hammer can be a lethal weapon.铁锤可以是致命的武器。
• She took a lethal amount of poison and died.她服了致命剂量的毒药死了。

15 viability   

n.存活(能力)

参考例句：

• What is required to achieve or maintain such viability? 要达到或维持这种生存能力需要什么？
• Scientists are experimenting to find ways to ensure the viability of seeds for even longer periods of time. 正如我们所说，科学家正在试验努力寻找让种子的生命力更加延长的方法。

16 uneven   

adj.不平坦的，不规则的，不均匀的

参考例句：

• The sidewalk is very uneven—be careful where you walk.这人行道凹凸不平—走路时请小心。
• The country was noted for its uneven distribution of land resources.这个国家以土地资源分布不均匀出名。

17 frustratingly   

参考例句：

• Some programs set this limit too close, resulting in frustratingly temperamental scroll behavior. 一些程序将这种限制设置得太窄，导致滚屏的行为变幻无常，令人沮丧。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• But the process is frustratingly slow. 但这过程慢得让人郁闷。 来自互联网

18 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。