VOA标准英语2009年-Iraq's Maliki Unveils Broad Coalition
时间：2019-02-12 作者：英语课 分类：VOA标准英语2009年(十月)
By Elizabeth Arrott
Cairo
01 October 2009
Iraqi PM Nouri al-Maliki (C) during a meeting where he announced a new political bloc 1 for upcoming elections, Baghdad, 01 Oct 2009
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has announced a broad-based coalition 2 to take part in general elections set for January. The bloc hopes to offer an alternative to sectarian-driven politics.
The State of Law coalition includes Sunni Muslims, Kurds and Christians 3, people who have had little voice in Iraqi national politics since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.
Announcing the formation of the broader group Thursday in Baghdad, Mr. al-Maliki said it represents an historic point in the establishment of a new Iraqi state.
The coalition of 40 parties includes some of the Shi'ite prime minister's key allies, including oil minister Hussain al-Shahristani, as well as influential 4 Sunni tribal 5 leaders, including those who led the rebellion against al-Qaida inspired militants 6.
The Shi'ite prime minister is also stressing the secular 7 nature of the grouping, in a bid to court voters weary of years of sectarian violence.
Reidar Visser is an academic specializing in Iraq with the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs.
"The overwhelming tendency in Iraqi politics for the past two years at the popular level has been towards non-sectarianism, towards less emphasis of sectarian identities," Visser said. "But the political parties have been lagging behind in a way."
The broadened State of Law coalition will go up against the leading Shi'ite bloc, the Supreme 8 Islamic Iraqi Council, former allies of Mr. al-Maliki who have the backing of conservative Shi'ite Iran.
The issue of foreign influence is, of course, high on the list of voter concerns, after more than six years of the U.S. presence. Reidar Vissar says Mr. al-Maliki may have successfully negotiated that problem.
"Maliki is seen as someone who is moving towards a more independent relationship, a more equal relationship, someone who has certainly moved Iraq towards some more independent position as far as the American influence is concerned," Visser said.
Voting for a new parliament is set for January, the first general election since 2005.
- A solid bloc of union members support the decision.工会会员团结起来支持该决定。
- There have been growing tensions within the trading bloc.贸易同盟国的关系越来越紧张。
- 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。
- Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
- His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。
- He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
- He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。
- 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。
- 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。
- We live in an increasingly secular society.我们生活在一个日益非宗教的社会。
- Britain is a plural society in which the secular predominates.英国是个世俗主导的多元社会。