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2007年VOA标准英语-New US Commander Says Iraq Situation Can Be Sal

时间:2007-05-18 02:56:22

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By Al Pessin
Pentagon
30 January 2007


The U.S. Navy admiral nominated to take command of all U.S. forces in the Middle East, Central Asia and East Africa says the situation in Iraq can be salvaged2, but it will require hard work by the military, Iraqi leaders and the country's neighbors. VOA's Al Pessin reports from the Pentagon.

 
Adm. William Fallon gestures while testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Capitol Hill, 30 Jan 2007 

Admiral William Fallon told the Senate Armed Services Committee he would not have agreed to lead U.S. Central Command if he did not believe there is a chance for success in Iraq, which he called the command's top priority.

"I believe the situation in Iraq can be turned around. But time is short," he said. "There are no guarantees. But you can depend on me for my best effort."

The admiral declined to be drawn3 into discussions of the specifics of President Bush's new security plan for Baghdad, including whether the planned 21,000 U.S. troop increase will be enough and whether their deployment4 will be contingent5 on promised Iraqi government actions. He said he and the new Iraq commander, General David Petraeus, need to work out the details of their approach.

"It seems pretty obvious to me that what we have been doing has not been working," he said. "We have not been getting the results that we desire. And we clearly have to do something different."

The admiral, who now commands U.S. forces in the Pacific region, said he was chosen for this job because he knows how to run a large regional command and because he has had success in Asia working with the governments of several countries to make progress on difficult security issues. He said he plans to play a similar role at Central Command, but he made clear he will not cede6 full responsibility to his subordinate ground commanders in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"There's an expectation that I'd be working outside the borders of Iraq to try to get the neighborhood, for example, to help us, and to try to work these other issues like Afghanistan," he said. "But I'm not going to hesitate to dive down and to ask the tough questions if I don't think we're getting results. And that's the key thing that's missing in this entire program of late is the results that are absolutely necessary if we're going to be able to wrap this up and get our troops back."

And Admiral Fallon said a lot of the responsibility for progress in Iraq is on the Iraqi military and government, whose leaders he has not yet met.

"I am anxious to see the kind of demonstrated leadership that I believe is essential for the Iraqi government to make progress with its people," he said. "But I'm also sensitive to the fact that this is a very challenging situation."

The admiral indicated that in some cases U.S. expectations have been too high, and that he might recommend focusing on a few key goals, while leaving other plans for later. He did not specify7 what those goals might be.

Regarding the other war that will come under his responsibility, Admiral Fallon described the situation in Afghanistan as "fragile," and said he hopes to work with its neighbors to see what more they can do to help.

"There's a lot that isn't being done," he said. "In fact, I see an awful lot of sitting and watching by the neighborhood. And it's high time that that changed."

The admiral praised Pakistan's efforts, but said even there more could be done, particularly if tensions with India continue to ease, potentially freeing more Pakistani military forces to operate in terrorist havens8 in the northwest of the country.

Admiral Fallon called Iran's role in his new region "destabilizing" and "troubling," and he did not rule out talking to Iranian officials about it. He said he has found in Asia that dialogue is useful at reducing tensions even when the two sides do not agree on everything. The admiral also mentioned the Horn of Africa as an area that will require his attention in the coming months, if he is confirmed by the Senate, as expected.

 
Carl Levin (file photo)
Senators on the Armed Services Committee from both political parties praised Admiral Fallon, indicating he will be confirmed by the full Senate, perhaps as early as this week. The committee chairman, Senator Carl Levin, said the admiral's experience in a diplomatic role in Asia will serve him well in his new command.

"One of the critical attributes that any geographic9 combatant commander must have is an ability to understand the geopolitical context of the region, as well as the political dynamics10 internal to the countries that comprise the region," he said.

 
John McCain, 30 Jan 2007 
The senior Republican Party senator on the committee, John McCain, who is expected to make a run for president, spoke11 of the urgency of Admiral Fallon's new duties.

"This war has been mishandled," he said. "No one doubts that mistakes have been made in Iraq. And no one disagrees that the consequences, a failed state there, are potentially catastrophic. This is probably our last opportunity, this change in strategy, to salvage1 a very difficult situation."

Admiral Fallon and General Petraeus are expected to be in their new commands within the next month, just as the additional U.S. troops are arriving and President Bush's new Iraq strategy is being implemented12.


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1 salvage ECHzB     
v.救助,营救,援救;n.救助,营救
参考例句:
  • All attempts to salvage the wrecked ship failed.抢救失事船只的一切努力都失败了。
  • The salvage was piled upon the pier.抢救出的财产被堆放在码头上。
2 salvaged 38c5bbbb23af5841708243ca20b38dce     
(从火灾、海难等中)抢救(某物)( salvage的过去式和过去分词 ); 回收利用(某物)
参考例句:
  • The investigators studied flight recorders salvaged from the wreckage. 调查者研究了从飞机残骸中找到的黑匣子。
  • The team's first task was to decide what equipment could be salvaged. 该队的首要任务是决定可以抢救哪些设备。
3 drawn MuXzIi     
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的
参考例句:
  • All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
  • Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。
4 deployment 06e5c0d0f9eabd9525e5f9dc4f6f37cf     
n. 部署,展开
参考例句:
  • He has inquired out the deployment of the enemy troops. 他已查出敌军的兵力部署情况。
  • Quality function deployment (QFD) is a widely used customer-driven quality, design and manufacturing management tool. 质量功能展开(quality function deployment,QFD)是一个广泛应用的顾客需求驱动的设计、制造和质量管理工具。
5 contingent Jajyi     
adj.视条件而定的;n.一组,代表团,分遣队
参考例句:
  • The contingent marched in the direction of the Western Hills.队伍朝西山的方向前进。
  • Whether or not we arrive on time is contingent on the weather.我们是否按时到达要视天气情况而定。
6 cede iUVys     
v.割让,放弃
参考例句:
  • The debater refused to cede the point to her opponent.辩论者拒绝向她的对手放弃其主张。
  • Not because I'm proud.In fact,in front of you I cede all my pride.这不是因为骄傲,事实上我在你面前毫无骄傲可言。
7 specify evTwm     
vt.指定,详细说明
参考例句:
  • We should specify a time and a place for the meeting.我们应指定会议的时间和地点。
  • Please specify what you will do.请你详述一下你将做什么。
8 havens 4e10631e2b71bdedbb49b75173e0f818     
n.港口,安全地方( haven的名词复数 )v.港口,安全地方( haven的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • Your twenty havens would back out at the last minute anyhow. 你那二十个避难所到了最后一分钟也要不认帐。 来自辞典例句
  • Using offshore havens to avoid taxes and investor protections. 使用海面的港口避免税和投资者保护。 来自互联网
9 geographic tgsxb     
adj.地理学的,地理的
参考例句:
  • The city's success owes much to its geographic position. 这座城市的成功很大程度上归功于它的地理位置。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Environmental problems pay no heed to these geographic lines. 环境问题并不理会这些地理界限。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
10 dynamics NuSzQq     
n.力学,动力学,动力,原动力;动态
参考例句:
  • In order to succeed,you must master complicated knowledge of dynamics.要取得胜利,你必须掌握很复杂的动力学知识。
  • Dynamics is a discipline that cannot be mastered without extensive practice.动力学是一门不做大量习题就不能掌握的学科。
11 spoke XryyC     
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
12 implemented a0211e5272f6fc75ac06e2d62558aff0     
v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 );执行;贯彻;使生效
参考例句:
  • This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革,经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

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