VOA标准英语2008年-Insurgents Using New Homemade Rocket Weapon in

U.S. commanders in Iraq are concerned that Shiite insurgents² are using a new type of high-powered homemade weapon that uses rockets made in Iran and elsewhere. In the most recent attack, on Tuesday in northeastern Baghdad, an Iraqi soldier and a U.S. soldier were wounded. VOA's Al Pessin reports from the Pentagon.

The U.S. military calls the weapons Improvised³ Rocket-Assisted Munitions⁴ (IRAM). They are propane gas tanks loaded with explosives and lashed⁵ to rockets. Several IRAMs can be packed in the back of an open truck, and launched by remote control.

One report refers to them as flying roadside bombs, a reference to another relatively⁶ crude but highly effective insurgent¹ weapon that has been the leading cause of death among U.S. and coalition⁷ troops in Iraq.

"It does concern us," said Major General Michael Oates. "It is a home-made, multiple-launch rocket system. And it is very dangerous."

Major General Michael Oates is commander of U.S. and coalition forces in central Iraq, south of Baghdad. He is concerned even though he has not seen any IRAMs in his area. The new weapons have so far only been found in Baghdad, where the U.S. military says they have been used by Shiite militias⁸ affiliated⁹ with Iran, and often powered by Iranian-made rockets.

But Major General Oates says he does not know for sure whether Iran is providing the material, technology or training for the IRAMs.

"I'm not prepared to state that it's Iranian-made or Iranian-influenced," he added. "I don't have any information that would lead me to believe that. It is an improvised explosive, therefore it's not manufactured the way it is employed. So, somebody is having to train someone to modify this weapon system. Where that training is coming from, I just don't know the specifics on right now."

U.S. officials have accused Iranian agents of providing equipment and training for high-powered roadside bombs that have killed several U.S. troops. The Iranian government has denied the charge, even though Iranian operatives have been captured inside Iraq allegedly working on the project.

The Improvised Rocket-Assisted Munitions have been launched into several small American bases, killing¹⁰ three U.S. troops and wounding 15. But the most deadly IRAM incident involved an aborted¹¹ attack in early June, in which several of the bombs exploded prematurely¹², killing 16 Iraqi civilians¹³ and two attackers.

In a VOA interview, the spokesman for coalition forces in Baghdad, Lieutenant¹⁴ Colonel Steve Stover, says the IRAMs first appeared late last year, and there have been fewer than 10 such attacks. He says that's far fewer than attacks by roadside bombs, car bombs, snipers, mortars¹⁵ or conventional rockets.

"The IRAM itself, much like those other weapons systems, is something that we're trying to stay one step ahead of," he explained. "So, what we're trying to do is find the networks that are making these things. There is an award for it, that leads to the cell leaders or the people who are making the devices."

Lieutenant Colonel Stover says the military is also taking steps to defend against the new weapons, but he would not provide details.

He says the rocket-propelled bombs are difficult to hide, because they are launched on rails that often stick out the back of the trucks where they are mounted. He says they are shot high into the air, but only travel a short distance.

"It's a home-made system," he noted¹⁶. "It's something that somebody was taught to make. I mean, I'm not saying it's a very extremely crude device, but if you take a rail, you put that in the back of a truck, you put a rocket on it and you light a fuse. It depends on how high you put the rail, that's how high it's going to go."

Lieutenant Colonel Stover says while many of the rockets used in IRAMs were made in Iran, the military has found some that were made in Russia and China.

　

 

1 insurgent   

adj.叛乱的，起事的；n.叛乱分子

参考例句：

• Faruk says they are threatened both by insurgent and government forces.法鲁克说，他们受到暴乱分子和政府军队的双重威胁。
• The insurgent mob assembled at the gate of the city park.叛变的暴徒聚在市立公园的门口。

2 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

3 improvised   

a.即席而作的,即兴的

参考例句：

• He improvised a song about the football team's victory. 他即席创作了一首足球队胜利之歌。
• We improvised a tent out of two blankets and some long poles. 我们用两条毛毯和几根长竿搭成一个临时帐蓬。

4 munitions   

n.军火，弹药；v.供应…军需品

参考例句：

• The army used precision-guided munitions to blow up enemy targets.军队用精确瞄准的枪炮炸掉敌方目标。
• He rose [made a career for himself] by dealing in munitions.他是靠贩卖军火发迹的。

5 lashed   

adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥

参考例句：

• The rain lashed at the windows. 雨点猛烈地打在窗户上。
• The cleverly designed speech lashed the audience into a frenzy. 这篇精心设计的演说煽动听众使他们发狂。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

7 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

8 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

9 affiliated   

adj. 附属的, 有关连的

参考例句：

• The hospital is affiliated with the local university. 这家医院附属于当地大学。
• All affiliated members can vote. 所有隶属成员都有投票权。

10 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

11 aborted   

adj.流产的，失败的v.（使）流产( abort的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）（某事物）中止；（因故障等而）（使）（飞机、宇宙飞船、导弹等）中断飞行；（使）（飞行任务等）中途失败

参考例句：

• The rocket flight had to be aborted because of difficulties with computer. 因电脑出故障，这次火箭飞行只好中辍。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They aborted the space flight finally. 他们最后中止了这次宇航飞行。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 prematurely   

adv.过早地，贸然地

参考例句：

• She was born prematurely with poorly developed lungs. 她早产，肺部未发育健全。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• His hair was prematurely white, but his busy eyebrows were still jet-black. 他的头发已经白了，不过两道浓眉还是乌黑乌黑的。 来自辞典例句

13 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。

14 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

15 mortars   

n.迫击炮( mortar的名词复数 )；砂浆；房产；研钵

参考例句：

• They could not move their heavy mortars over the swampy ground. 他们无法把重型迫击炮移过那片沼泽地。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Where the hell are his mortars? 他有迫击炮吗？ 来自教父部分

16 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。