完成世界极限运动的人:VOA常速英语:Clinton Criticizes Syria’s Assad in M...

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said late Monday that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has “systematically” violated all terms of the Arab League-mediated peace plan for his country.  In a policy speech, Clinton said the United States supports democratic reform in the Middle East without reservation.

Aides say Clinton made the speech to clearly affirm that although the United States had close ties to ousted or endangered Middle East strongmen in the past, it now stands in solidarity with all of those in the region who seek inclusive democracies.

Addressing the National Democratic Institute in Washington, Clinton conceded that the United States has not always pushed reform hard enough, and too often has accepted the notion advanced by Middle East autocrats that supporting them was the only way to fend off extremism.

Clinton, speaking to an audience that included reform activists from across the region, said the United States now recognizes that “the real choice is between reform and unrest.”

“The truth is that the greatest single source of instability in today’s Middle East is not the demand for change; it is the refusal to change," she said. "That is certainly true in Syria, where a crackdown on small, peaceful protests drove thousands into the streets and thousands more over the borders.  It is true in Yemen, where President [Ali Abdullah] Saleh has reneged repeatedly on his promises to transition to democracy and suppressed his people’s rights and freedoms.  And it is true in Egypt.”

Clinton said that if power in Egypt remains in the hands of a few unelected officials, the country will have missed a historic opportunity and planted the seeds for future unrest.

But she reserved her sharpest criticism for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who she said has spurned every provision of the Arab League peace plan he accepted last week to protect Syrian civilians.

“He has systematically violated each of its basic requirements," said Clinton. "He has not released all detainees.  He has not allowed free and unfettered access to journalists or Arab League monitors.  He has not withdrawn all armed forces from populated areas.  And he has certainly has not stopped all acts of violence.  In fact, the regime has increased violence against civilians in places like the city of Homs.  Now, Assad may be able to delay change.  But he cannot deny his people’s legitimate demands indefinitely.”

Clinton reiterated Washington's call for the Syrian leader to step down and said that until he does, the United States and world community will continue to increase pressure on him and what she termed “his brutal regime.”

The secretary of state also castigated Syria’s main diplomatic ally, Iran, accusing the government there  of “breathtaking” hypocrisy by claiming to support democracy abroad, while killing peaceful protestors on the streets of Tehran.

Clinton said the United States is prepared to work with elected Islamist parties provided, among other things, they abide by the rule of law, respect the rights of women and minorities, and let go of power if defeated at the polls.

Clinton also expressed impatience with the stalled effort to revive peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.  She said it would be shortsighted to think that either side can simply put peacemaking on hold until the current upheaval is over.  She said the stalemate in the Arab-Israeli conflict “is one more status quo in the Middle East that cannot be sustained.”

词汇讲解：

1. violate vt.违反, 违背；亵渎；侵犯, 妨碍
例句：The country violates the international agreements.
那个国家违背了国际协议。

2. reservation n. 保留意见; 保留态度
例句：I have my reservations about his ability to do the job.
我对于他做该项工作的能力保留看法。

3. affirm v. 断言; 证实;肯定属实；申明
例句：They affirmed to the facts.
他们证明这些是事实。

4. concede v. 承认
例句：I conceded that I had made a mistake.
我承认我犯了一个错误。

5. recognize vt. 承认(事实);认清
例句：I recognized that I had made a mistake.
我认识到自己犯了一个错误。

6. refusal n. 拒绝
例句：The plan was doomed to fail by their refusal to give it any financial support.
由于他们拒绝给予任何资助, 该计划注定要失败。

7. sharp adj. 苛刻的;严厉的;易怒的
例句：She's got a sharp tongue.
她说话很刻薄。

8. spurn vt. 一脚踢开;拒绝接受
例句：They spurn all our offers of help.
他们拒绝接受我们提出的一切援助。

9. provision n. 供应, 提供, 供给; 规定, 条款, 条件
例句：The government is responsible for the provision of education for all the children.
政府有责任向所有儿童提供教育。

10. castigate vt.严厉责骂、批评或惩罚(某人)
例句：The film mercilessly castigates the old society.
影片对旧社会进行了无情的鞭挞。

11. upheaval n. 动乱;激变;剧变
例句：Mass unemployment may lead to social upheaval.
大批失业会导致社会动乱。

短语讲解：

1. Addressing the National Democratic Institute in Washington, Clinton conceded that the United States has not always pushed reform hard enough, and too often has accepted the notion advanced by Middle East autocrats that supporting them was the only way to fend off extremism.

fend off挡开;避开
例句：The politician fended off the question.
那位政治家避开了这个问题。

2. It is true in Yemen, where President [Ali Abdullah] Saleh has reneged repeatedly on his promises to transition to democracy and suppressed his people’s rights and freedoms.

renege on违约,食言
例句：He has never reneged on a promise.
他从来不食言。

3. Clinton said that if power in Egypt remains in the hands of a few unelected officials, the country will have missed a historic opportunity and planted the seeds for future unrest.

in the hands of在…掌握中;交托给;由…处理[负责];被…控制
例句：His fate lies in the hands of the jury.
他的命运掌握在陪审团的手中。

4. Clinton reiterated Washington's call for the Syrian leader to step down and said that until he does, the United States and world community will continue to increase pressure on him and what she termed “his brutal regime.”

step down辞职，下台
例句：The manager had to step down on account of poor health.
那位经理由于身体不好, 只能辞职不干。

5. The secretary of state also castigated Syria’s main diplomatic ally, Iran, accusing the government there of “breathtaking” hypocrisy by claiming to support democracy abroad, while killing peaceful protestors on the streets of Tehran.

accuse of指责, 谴责; 控告
例句：We accused him of taking bribes.
我们控告他受贿。

6. Clinton said the United States is prepared to work with elected Islamist parties provided, among other things, they abide by the rule of law, respect the rights of women and minorities, and let go of power if defeated at the polls.

abide by遵守, 信守
例句：You must abide by what you have said.
你说话要算数。