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VOA标准英语2013--Syria Violence May Worsen Post-Assad

时间：2013-01-22 08:54:48

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Syria Violence May Worsen Post-Assad

"Of course, the worst case in Syria is more than imaginable: It's possible," said. Middle East expert Alia Brahimi of the London School of Economics.

"What is looking more likely is that if the regime were to collapse1, you would get the worst-case scenario2 of revenge killings3 and inter-communal violence. And you would also probably see violent power struggles from within the victorious4 opposition5, and then of course regional actors coming in to back their own horses," Brahimi.

It's a bleak6 scenario, but not a surprising one. Syria is split among Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims, various clans7 and sects9, and Islamic militants10 and liberals.

"Syria is a crisis that may not be resolved for years to come, precisely11 because it plays into all these underlying12 sectarian and regional power struggles," Brahimi said.

Brahimi is referring to Iran, a Shi'ite power that backs Syria's Shi'ite leaders from the Alawite sect8 -- who in turn facilitate its influence in Lebanon -- and Saudi Arabia and other Gulf13 states that would like to see a Sunni-led Syria and a weaker Iran.

Beyond that, Western powers would like to see a liberal, democratic Syria, while Russia is determined14 to protect its influence in the country.

But experts like Chris Doyle, at the Council for Arab-British Understanding, say an extended Syrian civil war is not inevitable15 if the various domestic and international players can be convinced their interests will be protected.

"If the regime was to fall from power right now there would be a huge power struggle within Syria. If, however, there is some sort of political solution, a very clear transition process, then there is some chance that Syria can exit this dreadful crisis with something to look forward to," Doyle said.

But that would require agreement on the most contentious16 issue -- whether President Assad would resign immediately or stay at least for a transitional period. Neither side is budging17 on that.

"It's possible to resolve this. It's just that nobody really wants to at the moment," Brahimi said.

And that means Syrians are likely facing more months, if not years, of fighting -- whether Assad is in office or not. 


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1 collapse aWvyE     
vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷
参考例句：
  • The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
  • The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。
2 scenario lZoxm     
n.剧本，脚本；概要
参考例句：
  • But the birth scenario is not completely accurate.然而分娩脚本并非完全准确的。
  • This is a totally different scenario.这是完全不同的剧本。
3 killings 76d97e8407f821a6e56296c4c9a9388c     
谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发
参考例句：
  • His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
  • The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。
4 victorious hhjwv     
adj.胜利的，得胜的
参考例句：
  • We are certain to be victorious.我们定会胜利。
  • The victorious army returned in triumph.获胜的部队凯旋而归。
5 opposition eIUxU     
n.反对，敌对
参考例句：
  • 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。
6 bleak gtWz5     
adj.(天气)阴冷的；凄凉的；暗淡的
参考例句：
  • They showed me into a bleak waiting room.他们引我来到一间阴冷的会客室。
  • The company's prospects look pretty bleak.这家公司的前景异常暗淡。
7 clans 107c1b7606090bbd951aa9bdcf1d209e     
宗族( clan的名词复数 )； 氏族； 庞大的家族； 宗派
参考例句：
  • There are many clans in European countries. 欧洲国家有很多党派。
  • The women were the great power among the clans [gentes], as everywhere else. 妇女在克兰〈氏族〉里，乃至一般在任何地方，都有很大的势力。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
8 sect 1ZkxK     
n.派别，宗教，学派，派系
参考例句：
  • When he was sixteen he joined a religious sect.他16岁的时候加入了一个宗教教派。
  • Each religious sect in the town had its own church.该城每一个宗教教派都有自己的教堂。
9 sects a3161a77f8f90b4820a636c283bfe4bf     
n.宗派，教派( sect的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • Members of these sects are ruthlessly persecuted and suppressed. 这些教派的成员遭到了残酷的迫害和镇压。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He had subdued the religious sects, cleaned up Saigon. 他压服了宗教派别，刷新了西贡的面貌。 来自辞典例句
10 militants 3fa50c1e4338320d8495907fdc5bdbaf     
激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • 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。
11 precisely zlWzUb     
adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地
参考例句：
  • It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
  • The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。
12 underlying 5fyz8c     
adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的
参考例句：
  • The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.小说隐含的主题是十分严肃的。
  • This word has its underlying meaning.这个单词有它潜在的含义。
13 gulf 1e0xp     
n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂
参考例句：
  • The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
  • There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。
14 determined duszmP     
adj.坚定的；有决心的
参考例句：
  • I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
  • He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。
15 inevitable 5xcyq     
adj.不可避免的，必然发生的
参考例句：
  • Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。
  • The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。
16 contentious fa9yk     
adj.好辩的，善争吵的
参考例句：
  • She was really not of the contentious fighting sort.她委实不是好吵好闹的人。
  • Since then they have tended to steer clear of contentious issues.从那时起，他们总想方设法避开有争议的问题。
17 budging 7d6a7b3c5d687a6190de9841c520110b     
v.（使）稍微移动( budge的现在分词 )；（使）改变主意，（使）让步
参考例句：
  • Give it up, plumber. She's not budging. 别费劲了，水管工。她不会改变主意的。 来自互联网
  • I wondered how Albert who showed no intention of budging, felt about Leopold's desertion. 对于从未有迁徙打算的艾伯特来说，我不知道它会怎样看待利奥波德这样弃它而去呢。 来自互联网

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