2006年VOA标准英语-Britain's Tony Blair Opposes Saddam Death Penal
时间：2019-01-04 作者：英语课 分类：2006年VOA标准英语（十一月)
By Sonja Pace
London
06 November 2006
Britain's PM Tony Blair answers questions from media during his monthly press conference in 10, Downing Street, November 6, 2006
British Prime Minister Tony Blair says the conviction of Saddam Hussein on charges of crimes against humanity is a stark 1 reminder 2 of conditions in Iraq under the former leader's regime. Mr. Blair refused to directly support the sentence, however, noting Britain's opposition 3 to the death penalty.
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Mr. Blair told reporters in London the verdict handed down against Saddam Hussein is a reminder of the "sheer terror" of that regime.
"The trial of Saddam gives us a chance to see again what the past in Iraq was - the brutality 4, the tyranny, the hundreds-of-thousands of people that he killed, the wars in which there were a million casualties," he said.
Mr. Blair said he viewed it as a sign of optimism that Saddam was tried by an Iraqi court for crimes he committed against his own people.
But, in a very testy 5 exchange with one reporter, Mr. Blair refused to support the Iraqi court's sentence. Questions on the issue persisted, and the prime minister later was more direct.
"We are against the death penalty - we're against the death penalty, whether it's Saddam or anybody else," concluded Mr. Blair.
The verdict against Saddam has received mixed reactions. U.S. President Bush praised the trial as an important achievement for Iraq's young democracy.
The European Union, which opposes the death penalty, said the former Iraqi leader should not be executed. The human rights group, Amnesty International also opposes the death penalty and criticized the trial itself as not having been fair or impartial 6.
The death sentence for Saddam and two co-defendants was handed down Sunday. Their sentences are subject to an automatic appeal.
- The young man is faced with a stark choice.这位年轻人面临严峻的抉择。
- He gave a stark denial to the rumor.他对谣言加以完全的否认。
- I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
- It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。
- 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。
- The brutality of the crime has appalled the public. 罪行之残暴使公众大为震惊。
- a general who was infamous for his brutality 因残忍而恶名昭彰的将军
- Ben's getting a little testy in his old age.上了年纪后本变得有点性急了。
- A doctor was called in to see a rather testy aristocrat.一个性格相当暴躁的贵族召来了一位医生为他检查。