VOA标准英语2009-Iraqis Celebrate Day of National Sovereignty

Iraqis are staging a national celebration to mark the impending¹ June 30th withdrawal² of U.S. troops from most cities, towns and villages. Celebrations in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, include music, dance and poetry.
　
People celebrate in Basra, Iraq's 2nd largest city, 550 kilometers (340 miles) southeast of Baghdad, 29 Jun 2009

Iraqi government TV has been playing patriotic³ music to celebrate the U.S. military withdrawal from cities, towns and villages across the country, officially set to be completed by Tuesday June 30th.

Iraqi military vehicles were also covered with flowers to celebrate the event, and military parades, complete with band music, were organized in Diyala and Diwania provinces.

The government declared a "Day of National Sovereignty" to mark the event, and has invited ordinary citizens to join evening celebrations at Baghdad's Zawra Park for a festival of music and poetry.

Interior Minister Jawad Boulani told journalists the U.S. withdrawal is almost complete and Iraqi forces are capable of maintaining order across the country.

He says he believes Iraq's security situation is under control. "I do not think we need to declare a curfew," he insisted.

Major General Abdul Karim Khalaf, operations director for the Iraqi Interior Ministry⁴, told al-Iraqia TV that all police and army units have been deployed⁵ across the country and that scheduled leaves have been canceled.

General Ray Odierno, who commands U.S. forces in Iraq, told Fox TV on Sunday the United States has already completed the handover of Iraqi cities to the Iraqi government.

"We have already met the deadline. We have already moved out of the cities. We have solely⁶ been doing it over the last eight months and the final units have moved out of the cities over the last several weeks," Odierno said.

Iraqi Defense⁷ Ministry spokesman General Mohammed al-Askeri listed all the areas where army forces have taken control. He also expressed confidence in the army's ability to maintain order.

A young policeman in Diyala province told al-Rifidain TV he thinks his men are "ready to assume their responsibilities" and the Iraqi people "want the army to be united and for politicians not to interfere⁸ with the security situation."

There have been a number of deadly bombings in Baghdad and Kirkuk in recent days. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki indicated several weeks ago that he thought insurgent⁹ groups would likely step up their attacks before the June 30th U.S. pullout.

He has repeatedly maintained that Iraq's 750,000 member security forces are capable of maintaining order in the country, but urged Iraqi citizens to cooperate with the army and police by informing them of possible attacks.

1 impending   

a.imminent, about to come or happen

参考例句：

• Against a background of impending famine, heavy fighting took place. 即将发生饥荒之时，严重的战乱爆发了。
• The king convoke parliament to cope with the impending danger. 国王召开国会以应付迫近眉睫的危险。

2 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。

3 patriotic   

adj.爱国的，有爱国心的

参考例句：

• His speech was full of patriotic sentiments.他的演说充满了爱国之情。
• The old man is a patriotic overseas Chinese.这位老人是一位爱国华侨。

4 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。

5 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

6 solely   

adv.仅仅，唯一地

参考例句：

• Success should not be measured solely by educational achievement.成功与否不应只用学业成绩来衡量。
• The town depends almost solely on the tourist trade.这座城市几乎完全靠旅游业维持。

7 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

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 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。