The Iraq War Ended

The US _military officially declared end of Iraq War with a _{flag-lowering} ceremony on Dec. 15， 2011. And the next day， it handed over its last base in Iraq to the Iraqi _authorities.

“The cost was high—in blood and treasure for the United States and also for the Iraqi people，” American’s Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said. “But those lives have not been lost in vain， a free， _democratic Iraq was worth the sacrifice.”

On Dec. 31， 2011， Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki announced Dec. 31， which is the day of _fulfillment of the _withdrawal of all foreign troops from the country， as the National Day of Iraq.

The National Day of Iraq deserved to be celebrated， but a lot of people expressed worry， including Leon Panetta. He said， “Iraq will be tested in the days ahead by _terrorism and by those who would seek to divide it， by economic and social issues， by the demands of _democracy itself.”

The Iraq War was started by the United States in 2003 and _toppled the _regime of Saddam Hussein. In the bloody eight years， almost 4，500 US soldiers and tens of thousands of Iraqis lost their lives in the war.

The underlined word “fulfillment”（in Paragraph 3） probably means_______according to the text.

A. completion B. obedience

C. performance D. satisfaction

(Find the KEY in this issue)

military 軍方，軍隊

flag-lowering 降旗

authority 當局，官方

democratic 民主的

withdrawal 撤退

terrorism 恐怖主義

democracy 民主

topple 推翻

regime 政權(quán)