美国国家公共电台 NPR--A former U.S. special forces translator reflects on the fall of Kabul

A former U.S. special forces translator reflects on the fall of Kabul

Transcript¹

An Afghan American naval² reservist and non-profit founder³ reflects on the U.S. troop withdrawal⁴ from Afghanistan, one year later.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

One year ago today, the United States completed its troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. The U.S. airlifted out more than 100,000 civilians⁵, including many Afghans who aided the United States during its 20-year war. Others still want out. And we talked with some during our recent reporting there. Safi Rauf is trying to help them.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

Rauf is an Afghan American who once worked as an interpreter for U.S. Special Forces in Afghanistan. As Kabul fell to the Taliban last August, he offered help with the evacuation.

SAFI RAUF: Our team that was on the ground, you know, I was on phone with them, directing them what to do, who to pick and where to go because different federal agencies and different U.S. departments, agencies, were calling us and giving us, you know, the information about people. And as I was talking to these team members, in the background, the shooting never stopped.

FADEL: Rauf is the founder of the Human First Coalition⁶, an organization trying to resettle Afghans.

INSKEEP: And after the evacuation one year ago, Rauf says he felt compelled to go back to Afghanistan. The new Taliban rulers arrested him and imprisoned⁷ him for 105 days. He says he was held in a dark basement and went on a hunger strike.

RAUF: Men wielding⁸ pipes came down, and they beat me until they were tired so that I would break my hunger strike. But I did not break my hunger strike. After that, they gave us everything we asked for, including food and blankets. But that was about Day 45.

FADEL: The Biden administration negotiated his freedom, and he returned to his mission of helping⁹ Afghans leave.

RAUF: So there's very few flights leaving. You cannot get all of these people out before the Taliban targets them and the Taliban executes them.

FADEL: And he's frustrated¹⁰ by the continued delays.

RAUF: I'm really angry because, you know, we're a year down the road, and nothing has changed. The U.S. government is doing absolutely nothing about it. They're doing the bare minimum. Two nights ago, I came back from UAE. There is thousands of people stranded¹¹ in detention¹² center. These were the people that were evacuated¹³ to Abu Dhabi by the U.S. government, by other private organizations. There's thousands of Afghans who are stuck there.

INSKEEP: Rauf argues this is a national security issue and that the United States should be seen as keeping its word.

1 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。

2 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

3 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

4 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

5 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

6 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

7 imprisoned   

下狱，监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was imprisoned for two concurrent terms of 30 months and 18 months. 他被判处30个月和18个月的监禁，合并执行。
• They were imprisoned for possession of drugs. 他们因拥有毒品而被监禁。

8 wielding   

手持着使用（武器、工具等）( wield的现在分词 )； 具有； 运用（权力）； 施加（影响）

参考例句：

• The rebels were wielding sticks of dynamite. 叛乱分子舞动着棒状炸药。
• He is wielding a knife. 他在挥舞着一把刀。

9 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

10 frustrated   

adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
• The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 stranded   

a.搁浅的，进退两难的

参考例句：

• He was stranded in a strange city without money. 他流落在一个陌生的城市里， 身无分文，一筹莫展。
• I was stranded in the strange town without money or friends. 我困在那陌生的城市，既没有钱，又没有朋友。

12 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

13 evacuated   

撤退者的

参考例句：

• Police evacuated nearby buildings. 警方已将附近大楼的居民疏散。
• The fireman evacuated the guests from the burning hotel. 消防队员把客人们从燃烧着的旅馆中撤出来。