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2006年VOA标准英语-US Spy Chief Warns of Long Commitment in Afghan

时间:2007-05-09 02:52:10

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(单词翻译)

By Gary Thomas
Washington
15 November 2006

The head of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency says it will take many years and billions of dollars to stabilize1 Afghanistan.  And another official, the top U.S. military intelligence officer, adds that while the Taleban has sustained losses, it is still able to mount operations against Afghan and coalition2 forces.

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CIA Director Michael Hayden gestures while testifying on Capitol Hill, Nov. 15, 2006
  
In testimony3 to the Senate Armed Services Committee, CIA chief General Michael Hayden said Afghanistan will need sustained international help over an extended period to put the Kabul government on a solid footing to provide for its people. 

"If you ask my view, it will take at least a decade and it will cost billions of dollars," he said.  "And I'll add one more time that the Afghan government will not be able to do it alone.  The capacity of the government needs to be strengthened to deliver basic services to the population.  And, of course, that begins with security."

General Hayden says the Taleban, along with its allies of al-Qaida, has been regrouping.  He says good governance by the Kabul government is key to halting the Taleban's resurgence4.

"The Taleban has clearly built momentum5 over this past year," he added.  "The level of violence that they have inflicted6 has increased significantly.  The group has clearly become more aggressive.  The Taleban almost certainly refocused its attacks in an attempt to stymie7 NATO efforts in southern Afghanistan."


Hamid Karzai (file photo)   
  
The Taleban government was ousted8 five years ago this month by Afghan opposition9 forces with U.S. backing.  Since then, a government has been formed under President Hamid Karzai, and elections have been held.  But the government is viewed by many Afghans as ineffectual in providing basic services, such as clean water and electricity.

Lieutenant10 General Michael Maples11, head of the Defense12 Intelligence Agency, says the Taleban is taking advantage of the government's shortcomings.

"The local government institutions receive limited resources from Kabul and struggle to provide effective governance," he said.  "Unrealized expectations at local levels are likely contributing to an erosion of support for the government.  Nevertheless, President Karzai remains13 the most powerful political figure in Afghanistan and retains the widest support."

Both intelligence officers also pointed14 to the Afghan drug trade as a continuing problem.  General Hayden says many Afghans cultivate opium15 because of their poverty, and the international community should provide alternatives that enable them to make money by other means.

"It may not be by explicit16 choice, but many people of Afghanistan are pushed into that as the only viable17 economic opportunity they might have," he added.  "So I suggest, as a first order [of business], rebuilding the infrastructure18 [to provide] the people of Afghanistan with alternative means of livelihood19."

The drug trade, concentrated in Helmand Province, is widely believed to be responsible for rampant20 corruption21 in Afghanistan.  According to the United Nations, Afghanistan now provides 92 percent of the world's heroin22, and the illicit23 drug trade makes up nearly one-half of that country's Gross Domestic Product.


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1 stabilize PvuwZ     
vt.(使)稳定,使稳固,使稳定平衡;vi.稳定
参考例句:
  • They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
  • His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。
2 coalition pWlyi     
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。
3 testimony zpbwO     
n.证词;见证,证明
参考例句:
  • The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
  • He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。
4 resurgence QBSzG     
n.再起,复活,再现
参考例句:
  • A resurgence of his grief swept over Nim.悲痛又涌上了尼姆的心头。
  • Police say drugs traffickers are behind the resurgence of violence.警方说毒贩是暴力活动重新抬头的罪魁祸首。
5 momentum DjZy8     
n.动力,冲力,势头;动量
参考例句:
  • We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
  • The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。
6 inflicted cd6137b3bb7ad543500a72a112c6680f     
把…强加给,使承受,遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • They inflicted a humiliating defeat on the home team. 他们使主队吃了一场很没面子的败仗。
  • Zoya heroically bore the torture that the Fascists inflicted upon her. 卓娅英勇地承受法西斯匪徒加在她身上的酷刑。
7 stymie FtOwI     
v.妨碍,阻挠
参考例句:
  • Companies have been stymied by the length of time it takes to reach an agreement.由于耗时过长,各公司一直未能达成协议。
  • Relief efforts have been stymied in recent weeks by armed gunmen.最近几周的救援工作一直受到武装分子的阻挠。
8 ousted 1c8f4f95f3bcc86657d7ec7543491ed6     
驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 ); 革职; 罢黜; 剥夺
参考例句:
  • He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
  • He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。
9 opposition eIUxU     
n.反对,敌对
参考例句:
  • The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
  • The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。
10 lieutenant X3GyG     
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。
11 maples 309f7112d863cd40b5d12477d036621a     
槭树,枫树( maple的名词复数 ); 槭木
参考例句:
  • There are many maples in the park. 公园里有好多枫树。
  • The wind of the autumn colour the maples carmine . 秋风给枫林涂抹胭红。
12 defense AxbxB     
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 remains 1kMzTy     
n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹
参考例句:
  • He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
  • The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。
14 pointed Il8zB4     
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。
15 opium c40zw     
n.鸦片;adj.鸦片的
参考例句:
  • That man gave her a dose of opium.那男人给了她一剂鸦片。
  • Opium is classed under the head of narcotic.鸦片是归入麻醉剂一类的东西。
16 explicit IhFzc     
adj.详述的,明确的;坦率的;显然的
参考例句:
  • She was quite explicit about why she left.她对自己离去的原因直言不讳。
  • He avoids the explicit answer to us.他避免给我们明确的回答。
17 viable mi2wZ     
adj.可行的,切实可行的,能活下去的
参考例句:
  • The scheme is economically viable.这个计划从经济效益来看是可行的。
  • The economy of the country is not viable.这个国家经济是难以维持的。
18 infrastructure UbBz5     
n.下部构造,下部组织,基础结构,基础设施
参考例句:
  • We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
  • We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设,发展各类群众文化。
19 livelihood sppzWF     
n.生计,谋生之道
参考例句:
  • Appropriate arrangements will be made for their work and livelihood.他们的工作和生活会得到妥善安排。
  • My father gained a bare livelihood of family by his own hands.父亲靠自己的双手勉强维持家计。
20 rampant LAuzm     
adj.(植物)蔓生的;狂暴的,无约束的
参考例句:
  • Sickness was rampant in the area.该地区疾病蔓延。
  • You cannot allow children to rampant through the museum.你不能任由小孩子在博物馆里乱跑。
21 corruption TzCxn     
n.腐败,堕落,贪污
参考例句:
  • The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
  • The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。
22 heroin IrSzHX     
n.海洛因
参考例句:
  • Customs have made their biggest ever seizure of heroin.海关查获了有史以来最大的一批海洛因。
  • Heroin has been smuggled out by sea.海洛因已从海上偷运出境。
23 illicit By8yN     
adj.非法的,禁止的,不正当的
参考例句:
  • He had an illicit association with Jane.他和简曾有过不正当关系。
  • Seizures of illicit drugs have increased by 30% this year.今年违禁药品的扣押增长了30%。

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