美国国家公共电台 NPR--Hundreds of retired U.S. military personnel have taken foreign jobs, report says

Hundreds of retired¹ U.S. military personnel have taken foreign jobs, report says

Transcript²

Retired senior U.S. military officials are flocking overseas to work as contractors³ or consultants⁴. NPR's A Martinez talks to Craig Whitlock, who investigated the story for The Washington Post.

A MARTINEZ, HOST:

Hundreds of U.S. military veterans, including retired generals and admirals, have received permission from the U.S. to work for foreign governments, including countries with questionable⁵ human rights records. That's according to an investigation⁶ by The Washington Post. They include retired general and former National Security Agency director Keith Alexander, whose company was approved to work with Saudi Arabia just weeks after the Saudis murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi. We're joined now by one of the Post's reporters, Craig Whitlock, who worked on the investigation. Craig, your reporting shows that around 95% of these requests were approved. Who are these former military members who are working overseas, and what's motivating them?

CRAIG WHITLOCK: So these are all retired military personnel. That means people who had served 20 years in uniform. And it runs the gamut⁷ from retired generals and admirals who often work as high-dollar consultants to foreign militaries, to former grunts⁸ who work as helicopter mechanics, technicians, people who are really keeping the machinery⁹ of foreign militaries up and running. So it runs from high-ranking people to low-ranking.

MARTINEZ: Now, when the U.S. government says it stands for human rights but then allows former military officials to work for these countries, isn't that a contradiction of sorts?

WHITLOCK: Well, it is, but the U.S. relationship with countries like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates is one big contradiction. And it's been that way for decades. But particularly on human rights, United States supplies an enormous quantity of arms and weapons to these countries, but it's never quite reconciled their repressive record on political dissent¹⁰ and human rights. And you mentioned General Alexander. His contract with the Saudis to help them develop a college of cybersecurity was approved, as you pointed¹¹ out, just weeks after the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. And this college he was working on was headed - was overseen¹² by one of Crown Prince Mohammed's top deputies, a guy named Saud Qahtani, who the U.S. government had actually imposed Treasury¹³ sanctions on just a few weeks before General Alexander's application was approved.

MARTINEZ: You know, presumably the generals, the retired generals and admirals, have knowledge of America's most secretive programs. Is there any monitoring of what these veterans are doing with foreign governments?

WHITLOCK: There is upfront. There is a counterintelligence review where the United States government at the Pentagon and at the State Department do a background check on these individuals. They check their security clearances¹⁴. But once they start to work for foreign governments, you know, there really is no monitoring. They're sort of expected to abide¹⁵ by laws to protect classified information or not share secrets that are not authorized¹⁶ by Washington. But nobody's really keeping track of what they do or the extent of it.

MARTINEZ: Now, you've tried to find out how much these people are getting paid, but you're not getting anywhere. What do you think is the reason for this trying to be hidden, it seems?

WHITLOCK: Well, I think - the Pentagon and the Justice Department have said in court that they think it would subject these retired military members to embarrassment¹⁷ or even harassment¹⁸ if the public were to find out. And that's something that we're still pursuing.

MARTINEZ: That's Craig Whitlock, investigative reporter for The Washington Post. Craig, thank you.

WHITLOCK: You bet.

1 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 contractors   

n.（建筑、监造中的）承包人( contractor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Contractors winning construction jobs had to kick back 2 per cent of the contract price to the mafia. 赢得建筑工作的承包商得抽出合同价格的百分之二的回扣给黑手党。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 consultants   

顾问( consultant的名词复数 )； 高级顾问医生，会诊医生

参考例句：

• a firm of management consultants 管理咨询公司
• There're many consultants in hospital. 医院里有很多会诊医生。

5 questionable   

adj.可疑的，有问题的

参考例句：

• There are still a few questionable points in the case.这个案件还有几个疑点。
• Your argument is based on a set of questionable assumptions.你的论证建立在一套有问题的假设上。

6 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

7 gamut   

n.全音阶，(一领域的)全部知识

参考例句：

• The exhibition runs the whole gamut of artistic styles.这次展览包括了所有艺术风格的作品。
• This poem runs the gamut of emotions from despair to joy.这首诗展现了从绝望到喜悦的感情历程。

8 grunts   

（猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的第三人称单数 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说； 石鲈

参考例句：

• With grunts of anguish Ogilvie eased his bulk to a sitting position. 奥格尔维苦恼地哼着，伸个懒腰坐了起来。
• Linda fired twice A trio of Grunts assembling one mortar fell. 琳达击发两次。三个正在组装迫击炮的咕噜人倒下了。

9 machinery   

n.(总称)机械，机器；机构

参考例句：

• Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗？
• Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。

10 dissent   

n./v.不同意，持异议

参考例句：

• It is too late now to make any dissent.现在提出异议太晚了。
• He felt her shoulders gave a wriggle of dissent.他感到她的肩膀因为不同意而动了一下。

11 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

12 overseen   

v.监督，监视( oversee的过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was overseen stealing the letters. 他被人撞见在偷信件。 来自辞典例句
• It will be overseen by ThomasLi, director of IBM China Research Laboratory. 该实验室由IBM中国研究院院长李实恭(ThomasLi)引导。 来自互联网

13 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

14 clearances   

清除( clearance的名词复数 )； 许可； （录用或准许接触机密以前的）审查许可； 净空

参考例句：

• But I can't get to him without clearances. 但是没有证明我就没法见到他。
• The bridge and the top of the bus was only ten clearances. 桥与公共汽车车顶之间的间隙只有十厘米。

15 abide   

vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受

参考例句：

• You must abide by the results of your mistakes.你必须承担你的错误所造成的后果。
• If you join the club,you have to abide by its rules.如果你参加俱乐部，你就得遵守它的规章。

16 authorized   

a.委任的，许可的

参考例句：

• An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。

17 embarrassment   

n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫

参考例句：

• She could have died away with embarrassment.她窘迫得要死。
• Coughing at a concert can be a real embarrassment.在音乐会上咳嗽真会使人难堪。

18 harassment   

n.骚扰，扰乱，烦恼，烦乱

参考例句：

• She often got telephone harassment at night these days.这些天她经常在夜晚受到电话骚扰。
• The company prohibits any form of harassment.公司禁止任何形式的骚扰行为。