CNN 2011-03-19

The fuse was first lit in Wisconsin, but the bargaining rights controversy¹ is beginning to burn "Cross Country."

That's what it looked like at the Tennessee state capital in Nashville where hundreds of public employees rally for better wages and bargaining rights while staring down state police who were trying to stop demonstrators from disrupting committee meetings. Seven people in all were hauled off to jail.

In Ohio, similar shows of pro-union support where state workers there facing off against senate bill No. 5, a measure that if approved, would curb² their collective bargaining rights. Critics call it union busting³.

And check out this close call on I-70 in St. Louis. Police trying to get a handle on post-accident traffic get their squad⁴ car -- well, you see it right there. In a replay, if you look closely -- this is the replay, you can see one of the officers jumping the median rail to safety as the cruiser goes spinning out of control. Oh, unbelievably neither officer was hurt.

So, American troops are doing what they can to protect themselves, but let's face it. It's a scary situation, and we don't know that it won't get worse. Retired⁵ Lieutenant⁶ General Russel Honore is here. He led the military response to Hurricane Katrina.  General, welcome.

Good morning.

This might be the most challenging hazardous⁷ humanitarian⁸ mission ever. So how comfortable would you be taking troops in?

Well, those troops are well trained and well protected and the good thing is they have sensors⁹ and they have meters that tell them their level of exposure.

And on the aircraft carrier and the sister ships, they have the capability¹⁰ to treat and monitor, as well as clean and decontaminate between missions, Carol.

But, General, they haven't really been through anything like this. I mean, do they drill for something like this before they go? I mean, there is no precedent¹¹ for a situation like this.

Well, absolutely. I mean, there's still a nuclear threat out there. We have the nuclear power carrier Reagan off the coast. The Navy is well trained in this. They have to deal with the nuclear technology on a daily basis because that aircraft carrier.

So there couldn't be a better force. The other great thing is that what the Navy brings to our Department of Defense¹² and to the world is the ability to be able to operate offshore¹³ and the position itself where you can get the mission done without having to take space in the contaminated area.

You know we have about 38,000 military and 45,000 family members in Japan who are very worried right now.

Exactly. And if I were a loved one and I'm like viewing this, you know, on my television set here in the United States and I hear the protection for these troops flying helicopter missions is to keep their windows closed and their sleeves rolled down and the protection for these people living on U.S. bases in Japan is to keep their windows closed and their ventilation systems closed, I would still be pretty scared.

And, Carol, I can assure you from the information I have, the commanders on the ground are using every means to keep the families informed, but people are worried. You know, on one hand, the State Department has issued no travel to Japan, only essential travel to Japan.

The Department of Defense has said stop move. If you're en route, don't come. That sends a different mixed message to the families who should be worried, all worried, but the military is doing all they can to assure them that they are not at risk at this time if they take those precautions.

I will tell you to take a look and look at a line and if they start issuing iodide pills, then they will be close to a decision point when that decision would be made by the U.S.

They have already done that. They have suggested that some of our military personnel take these pills. Is there a point where it becomes so dangerous, where the risks are so great that the U.S. military will say we got to get out of here, we can't help you anymore?

I would say when you start giving that to family members, that you will start seeing some evacuations starting to take place. That would be that point.

That would be that point? So, in your opinion, the U.S. military should stay until what happens?

Absolutely. The military, the uniform military has to stay until they accomplished¹⁴ a mission. You know, humanitarian missions are just as important as the war fight missions we do, Carol. They are one and the same.

When we get a mission, the objective is to accomplish it and take all of the precautions that we possibly can to keep our troops safe and out of harm's way.

I guess, you know, just as a person not in the military, obviously, I mean, when you go into the military you expect to be shot at, you expect bombs to go off, but do you expect to be possibly poisoned with radiation?

Well. Absolutely not, but we are trained for operating in a radiological exposed area. That's why you have the best military in the world and you pay all of the taxes you pay to support that 300 ship navy and those 350,000 troops you got in the army and the Air Force and the Navy. We are trained in that, we got the equipment, and they will do the right thing with the right information.

1 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

2 curb   

n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制

参考例句：

• I could not curb my anger.我按捺不住我的愤怒。
• You must curb your daughter when you are in church.你在教堂时必须管住你的女儿。

3 busting   

打破，打碎( bust的现在分词 )； 突击搜查（或搜捕）； （使）降级，降低军阶

参考例句：

• Jim and his wife were busting up again yesterday. 吉姆和他的妻子昨天又吵架了。
• He figured she was busting his chops, but it was all true. 他以为她在捉弄他，其实完全是真的。

4 squad   

n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组

参考例句：

• The squad leader ordered the men to mark time.班长命令战士们原地踏步。
• A squad is the smallest unit in an army.班是军队的最小构成单位。

5 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。

6 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

7 hazardous   

adj.(有)危险的，冒险的；碰运气的

参考例句：

• These conditions are very hazardous for shipping.这些情况对航海非常不利。
• Everybody said that it was a hazardous investment.大家都说那是一次危险的投资。

8 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

9 sensors   

n.传感器，灵敏元件( sensor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were more than 2000 sensors here. 这里装有两千多个灵敏元件。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Significant changes have been noted where sensors were exposed to trichloride. 当传感器暴露在三氯化物中时，有很大变化。 来自辞典例句

10 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

11 precedent   

n.先例，前例；惯例；adj.在前的，在先的

参考例句：

• Is there a precedent for what you want me to do?你要我做的事有前例可援吗？
• This is a wonderful achievement without precedent in Chinese history.这是中国历史上亘古未有的奇绩。

12 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

13 offshore   

adj.海面的，吹向海面的；adv.向海面

参考例句：

• A big program of oil exploration has begun offshore.一个大规模的石油勘探计划正在近海展开。
• A gentle current carried them slowly offshore.和缓的潮流慢慢地把他们带离了海岸。

14 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。