CNN news 2011-12-27 加文本

短语讲解：

1. I mean, the decision of Prime Minister Maliki who represents the Shia party to go after a Sunni vice president almost before the U.S. military had finished switching off the lights as they left, that was -- politically, that absolutely smacked off some kind of vendetta, some almost Shia versus Sunni kind of vendetta.

go after追逐;追求
例句：He is going after that pretty girl.
他在追求那个漂亮的女孩子。
switch off关闭
例句：Make sure the current is switched off before you leave on holiday.
你出去度假前一定要把电源关上。

2. And then today's bombings, although they may not be directly connected to that event, they contribute to a sense in Iraq that now that the Americans are gone, all kind of knives will be unsheathed and be stabbed in every which direction.

contribute to促成
例句：Your suggestion has greatly contributed to the accomplishment of our work.
你的建议大大地促进了我们工作的完成。

3. ased on my own reporting, we reported here in THE SITUATION ROOM yesterday that the CIA director, General David Petraeus, made a surprise visit to Iraq in recent days, trying to calm things down.

calm down（使）平静，镇静，安静
例句：She tried to calm him down.
她设法使他平静下来。

4. Well, they're not entirely sure what he stands for.

stand for为…而奋斗; 拥护
例句：He stood for the cause of liberty and justice.
他为自由和正义的事业而奋斗。

5. That means that despite this effort, despite having a huge embassy there, despite all this long standing relationship between the United States and the Iraqi government, we didn't know that such a big thing was coming down the pike.

come down (降)落到(某人)头上
例句：Things like this don't come down on one suddenly.
这类事并非一下就落到一个人的头上。

6. And let's not forget, Bobby, and you spent a lot of time in Baghdad over the years, former "TIME" magazine bureau chief there, there are still, even though all U.S. troops are out, 17,000 Americans in Iraq, most of them in the Green Zone as you point out.

point out指出
例句：If I make any mistakes, please point them out.
如果我出了错, 请指出来。

7. I'm sure you're worried about them. I'm very worried about their security.

worry about担忧, 烦恼
例句：He worried about how to make his living.
他为如何谋生发愁。

8. Their lives are also at incredible risk.

at risk有危险
例句：The disease is spreading, and all children under five are at risk.
这疾病在蔓延, 五岁以下的小孩都有危险。

9. And so, there's a lot of reason for us to be alarmed and keeping a very, very close eye on how things are going in Baghdad.

keep an eye on照看, 照管; 留心; 注意
例句：Basking on the balcony, Granny can still keep an eye on the children.
老奶奶一面在阳台上晒太阳, 一面还能照看孩子们。

10. I think which is why Biden reached out to Talabani because now, the Kurds represent the U.S.'s best hope of having some sort of influence because it's a coalition government and nobody can really rule Iraq the way the politics is set up without the support of the Kurds.

reach out (使)伸出
例句：I reached out a hand and caught the ball.
我伸手抓住了球。
set up建立，建造, 创立, 竖立
例句：Plenty of foreign firms have set up factories here.
很多外国公司已在这里开办工厂。