伊拉克战场上的英雄狗狗

近几个月来，伊拉克的安全局势再一次恶化，随着3月大选的临近，安保工作也进入了最关键的时刻。日前，从美国紧急调运至巴格达的25只嗅爆犬已经开始了紧张的排爆训练，他们有望在大选期间成为遏制恐怖分子的一股强大力量。我们人类最好的动物朋友也将时刻保护我们的生命安全，在最危险的地方。

Both the dogs and handlers are still in training, getting to know each other. Trying to form a bomb that will allow them to both survive and fight on the frontline of Iraq's war on terror. Gen. Mohammed Hajer is the head of the police dog directory.

"Security work requires the constant use of new tactics." He says, adding that "Had the government brought more dogs than years ago, a lot of attacks could have been prevented."

"Miersa is very friendly right now. But when she heads the streets of Baghdad, she will have a very critical job in a very dangerous environment. The handlers here are all fully aware of the risks that they and the dogs will be undertaking."

Abdul Sattar says, he believes that with Miersa, he can save many lives.

"If I die--and there is that chance, it's better that one person die than many." He says matter-of-factly. "And anyways, for us Iraqis, our lives are always short."

These dogs recently arrived in Baghdad from the US, the first 25 of a a rush order when the news broke that the explosive detectors the Iraqi government has spent millions of dollars on were useless.

"So now that the Iraqis have began to realize that device does not work out here. It has, you know, required them to go back to the traditional techniques, using bomb dogs and physical searches to check for explosives."

They are techniques that Iraqis are going to need to perfect. Over the last six months, the trend has largely been one of coordinated attacks against high profile targets.

Vehicles packed with explosives breezily drove through Baghdad undetected in August, October, December and January.

"There are lots of challenges when you are trying to detect for explosives. In the city like Baghdad, we have 7 million people and 100,000 vehicles. Probably one of the greatest challenges is how fast you can conduct inspections without creating, you know, large backups and disturbances within the city."

Baghdad is already enveloped in anxiety as the capital braces itself for more attacks in the lead-up to the March 7th elections. Now in this ever-changing battle field, reinforcement from bomb hunting dogs, a move the security forces hope the stubborn insurgency won't be able to counter.

Arwa Damon, cnn, Baghdad.

生词汇总：

handler: someone who trains an animal, especially a dog 训犬师

matter-of-factly: 实事求是地,切合实际地;就事论事地

rush order: 这个词组原来用在商业往来上是指“订批急活”的意思，在这里是指，紧急调运这首批25只嗅爆犬。

reinforcement: more soldiers, police etc who are sent to a battle, fight etc to make their group stronger 援军；增援警力