PBS高端访谈:美国韩国展开新一次联合军演

 　　Defense¹ Secretary James Mattis said today that a reduction in U.S. troops participating in joint² military exercises with South Korea this week is not related to increased tensions with North Korea.

　　More than 17,000 U.S. troops are expected to be a part of the Ulchi Freedom Guardian³ Drills that start Monday and last for 10 days.

　　Twenty-five thousand participated last year. North Korea called the bi-annual exercises, quote, reckless behavior driving the situation into the uncontrollable phase of a nuclear war.

　　For some perspective, I'm joined from Denver, Colorado, by Ambassador Christopher Hill, the chief U.S. negotiator with North Korea from 2005 until 2009, who has also served as a U.S. ambassador to South Korea.

　　Unrelated that we are decreasing the number of troops?

　　Yes, I think it is unrelated. I mean, over the years, we've had more troops and fewer troops.

　　It kind of depends on what they are exercising, what sort of maneuvers⁴ are they doing and what sort of units are coming often from the U.S. mainland to participate.

　　So, I think what is also pretty clear is these are exercises aimed at protecting South Korea

　　and they're exercises pursuant to the U.S. commitment in the U.S. Republic of Korea alliance where we will come to South Korea's protection if they are attacked.

　　You know, the North perceives this as drills that are staging area of an invasion of the North.

　　I mean, it's -- the perception correct or not, but this is clearly for them a source of some consternation⁵ every time they happen.

　　Or maybe it isn't, because yes, they have complained about these exercises ever since they first started,

　　but they also know because they have pretty smart people looking at these things that these are defensively oriented exercises,

　　exercises designed to have U.S. military work closely with our counterparts in ROK counterparts in the event of a North Korean invasion.

　　Give us a sense of the readiness that exists along the peninsula between Japan, the Koreas and elsewhere.

　　Obviously, it was ratcheted up, the rhetoric⁶ between both sides in the past couple of weeks, and the firing of the test missiles in the first place.

　　How ready and prepared are all of these countries to stop a missile that might take off from North Korea from hitting anyplace that we care about?

　　Well, antiballistic missile technology is not as advanced as ballistic missile technology.

　　So, the hope is that we can hit these incoming missiles with kind of latest generation anti-ballistic technology, including the so-called THAAD System, the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System.

　　I'm not among those people who believe that we're about to, you know, be involved in a missile war with North Korea, let alone a nuclear war. But we need to continue to upgrade these systems.

　　You know, as we do these military drills, how realistic is sort of a military option against the North considering how many people live in Seoul just 35 miles from the border?

　　To launch a so-called preemptive strike against North Korean nuclear facilities, first of all,

　　it's hard to say we would have the capability⁷ really of getting all these nuclear facilities.

　　You know, North Korea is a pretty riveted⁸ country, pretty dug in country.

　　I mean, they've got all kinds of tunnels and places underground to store things. So, I think, one, that would be pretty difficult.

　　And secondly⁹, there are some 20 million South Koreans within in range of some 14,000 North Korean artillery¹⁰ tubes and while we have tremendous anti-battery capability,

　　I mean, I would not want to be a North Korean firing an artillery shell at the South because within seconds, we would eliminate that installation.

　　But nonetheless, they would be able to get a number of these shots off and we would have rather substantial civilian¹¹ casualties. And frankly¹² we'd be into a second Korean War.

　　All right. Ambassador Christopher Hill, thanks so much. Thank you. undefined

1 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。

2 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

3 guardian   

n.监护人；守卫者，保护者

参考例句：

• The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。
• The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。

4 maneuvers   

n.策略，谋略，花招( maneuver的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He suspected at once that she had been spying upon his maneuvers. 他立刻猜想到，她已经侦察到他的行动。 来自辞典例句
• Maneuvers in Guizhou occupied the Reds for four months. 贵州境内的作战占了红军四个月的时间。 来自辞典例句

5 consternation   

n.大为吃惊，惊骇

参考例句：

• He was filled with consternation to hear that his friend was so ill.他听说朋友病得那么厉害，感到非常震惊。
• Sam stared at him in consternation.萨姆惊恐不安地注视着他。

6 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

7 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。

8 riveted   

铆接( rivet的过去式和过去分词 )； 把…固定住； 吸引； 引起某人的注意

参考例句：

• I was absolutely riveted by her story. 我完全被她的故事吸引住了。
• My attention was riveted by a slight movement in the bushes. 我的注意力被灌木丛中的轻微晃动吸引住了。

9 secondly   

adv.第二，其次

参考例句：

• Secondly,use your own head and present your point of view.第二，动脑筋提出自己的见解。
• Secondly it is necessary to define the applied load.其次，需要确定所作用的载荷。

10 artillery   

n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队)

参考例句：

• This is a heavy artillery piece.这是一门重炮。
• The artillery has more firepower than the infantry.炮兵火力比步兵大。

11 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

12 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。