VOA常速英语2008年-US Defense Secretary Calls for Dramatic Changes

U.S. Defense¹ Secretary Robert Gates says the United States needs to overhaul² its approach to national security.

Gates told U.S. lawmakers Tuesday there needs to be what he called a "fairly dramatic change" to better protect the U.S. from terrorists and other threats. He said the United States is operating under an outdated³ security model designed 60 years ago to fight and win the Cold War.

Gates, and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, testified before the House Armed Services Committee about the need for better coordination⁴ between the Pentagon and the State Department. They said this is especially important in countries like Iraq and Afghanistan, where military gains must be supported by improvements to local infrastructure⁵.

They also said that the departments need more funding and more staff.

Rice and Gates warned lawmakers the changes need to be made gradually, and not with sweeping⁶ legislation.

Rice said she could see the State Department eventually becoming the lead agency, although both said most of the funding should go through the Defense Department since many of the joint⁷ missions have a larger military component⁸.