VOA标准英语2008年-Iraqi Troops Prepare for Next Stage of Amarah O

By Suzanne Presto¹
Irbil
17 June 2008

Iraqi government forces are preparing for the next phase of a planned crackdown on militants² and outlaws³ in the capital of southeastern Iraq's Maysan province. VOA's Suzanne Presto reports from the northern city of Irbil.
　

An Iraqi National Policeman stands guard during a search for weapons in Amarah, 320 kilometers southeast of Baghdad,17 June 2008

The commander of military operations in Maysan, Tarik Abdul Wahab, met with local tribal⁴ and religious leaders in the provincial⁵ capital Amarah on Tuesday. Wahab informed them about the next phase of the military operation in the city, which is set to begin in earnest on June 19.

The commander told Iraqi state television, al-Iraqiya, that he explained the dangers that civilians⁶ could face, as well as ways to minimize those dangers. He said the leaders, especially the imams, asked many questions on behalf of Amarah's citizens. Commander Wahab added that the religious leaders will go to back the mosques⁷ and explain the security measures and operation to the public.

The military announced the operation several days ago. Helicopters dropped leaflets across Amarah on Saturday, urging residents to remain in their homes and not to interfere⁸ with the operation. Late Sunday, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki issued a statement giving militants until June 18 to surrender their medium and heavy weapons in exchange for money.

Amarah borders Iran, and it is believed to be a major region for weapons smuggling⁹.

A spokesman for Iraq's Interior Ministry¹⁰, Abdul Kareem Khalaf, praised Mr. Maliki's decision to order the operation. He said the citizens of Maysan had been waiting a long time for the military to take action against outlaws in the region.

An Islamic imam who was present at the military commander's briefing told al-Iraqiya that the upcoming operation is needed in order to save lives. He added that the city's leaders support this mission that targets outlaws, and that the Iraqi forces will need the cooperation of Amarah's citizens.

Maysan is a majority Shi'ite province. Officials say Amarah is a stronghold for anti-American cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and his Mahdi Army militia¹¹. Sadr has said his followers¹² will not resist the government troops.

In recent months, the Iraqi army has staged similar offensives in Baghdad's Sadr City, Basra and Mosul in an effort to clear the cities of militants and to improve stability in the country.

1 presto   

adv.急速地；n.急板乐段；adj.急板的

参考例句：

• With something so important,you can't just wave a wand and presto!在这么重大的问题上，你想挥动一下指挥棒，转眼就变过来,办不到！
• I just turned the piece of wire in the lock and hey presto,the door opened.我把金属丝伸到锁孔里一拧，嘿，那门就开了。

2 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。

3 outlaws   

歹徒，亡命之徒( outlaw的名词复数 )； 逃犯

参考例句：

• During his year in the forest, Robin met many other outlaws. 在森林里的一年，罗宾遇见其他许多绿林大盗。
• I didn't have to leave the country or fight outlaws. 我不必离开自己的国家，也不必与不法分子斗争。

4 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。

5 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

6 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

7 mosques   

清真寺； 伊斯兰教寺院，清真寺； 清真寺，伊斯兰教寺院( mosque的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Why make us believe that this tunnel runs underneath the mosques? 为什么要让我们相信这条隧洞是在清真寺下？
• The city's three biggest mosques, long fallen into disrepair, have been renovated. 城里最大的三座清真寺，过去年久失修，现在已经修复。

8 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。

9 smuggling   

n.走私

参考例句：

• Some claimed that the docker's union fronted for the smuggling ring.某些人声称码头工人工会是走私集团的掩护所。
• The evidence pointed to the existence of an international smuggling network.证据表明很可能有一个国际走私网络存在。

10 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

11 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。

12 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。