The shooting rampage in Arizona that left six people dead and 14 injured has re-ignited concerns about security for politicians. Government prosecutors have portrayed the attack as an assassination attempt on an Arizona congresswoman, who was critically wounded. But providing security for members of Congress is logistically, financially, and politically difficult.
亚利桑那州发生的6死14伤的枪击事件使政治人物的安全问题再度引起关注。但给国会议员配备保安在后勤上、财务上和政治上都是困难的。
When Representative Gabrielle Giffords was shot, security was virtually nonexistent because most members of Congress neither have it nor want it. But in the wake of the Arizona incident, questions are being raised about both the need and feasibility of new security measures for them, especially when they are in their home districts and states.
当加布里埃尔.吉福兹众议员遭到枪击时，周围实际上没有保安人员，因为大多数国会议员没有、也不想要保安跟随。亚利桑那枪击事件之后，为国会议员提供新的保安措施的必要性和可行性问题浮出水面。
Former Secret Service agent Joe LaSorsa, who served on the detail protecting President Ronald Reagan, says politicians do not like living in a so-called "security bubble" because they feel that cuts them off from voters.
前秘密特工乔.拉索尔萨曾做过里根总统的随身警卫。他说，政治人物不喜欢待在一个所谓的“安全气泡”里，因为他们觉得那样就把他们跟选民隔开了。
"In a democracy our politicians are required to go out and press flesh, they are required to go out there and meet the people,” LaSorsa said. “And they have been accustomed to traditionally not being exposed to an overwhelming amount of violence directed towards individuals, especially individuals like congressmen and senators. But with the number of individuals out there in our society who are mentally ill, they do face a greater degree of exposure than ever before."
拉索尔萨说：“在民主社会，政治人物必须走出去接触人，跟人民见面。传统上，他们、特别是国会参议员和众议员，不会面对大量暴力，他们对此也习以为常。可是，鉴于我们社会中存在精神病患者，政治人物的确面临比以往任何时候都大的风险。”
Members of Congress have been spending more time in their home districts than in Washington because of the need to raise funds to cover burgeoning campaign costs. It is also easier to get home now that cheaper and more convenient transportation is available.
国会议员在他们家乡选区待的时间比在华盛顿长，因为他们需要筹集资金来支付不断增长的竞选费用。由于交通更加便宜和便利，返回家乡也更加容易。
LaSorsa, who owns a business training bodyguards, says simply providing members of Congress with bodyguards gives them a false sense of security.
拉索尔萨经营着一个训练保镖的公司。他说，仅仅给国会议员配备保镖会给他们一种虚假的安全感。
"It is a comfort level that they think they are getting when they hire an individual to escort them,” LaSorsa added. “And then they believe, 'Oh, now I have security so I am okay.' Well, that is not always the case. You do have security, yes. You have a presence, yes. You have someone escorting you. But that does not mean that you are both not going to become targets because you do not know where the attack is coming from."
“当他们雇一个人护送他们时，他们会有一定程度的安全感。他们想，‘现在我有保安，所以我没事。’可是，并不总是如此。你是有了保安，有人护送。可是，这不意味着你们两人不会成为袭击目标，因为你不知道袭击会从哪里来。”
Another ex-Secret Service agent, Christopher Falkenberg, says personal protection has to be accompanied by good intelligence on potential threats.
另一位前秘密特工克里斯托弗.法尔肯伯格说，贴身保卫必须跟有关潜在威胁的准确情报相配合。
"The most thoughtful approach to preventing these types of crimes is really a preventive one in which the effort has to be identifying people who are making threats and who are likely to be violent and intervening with them before they become violent,” said Falkenberg. “That by far is the most effective mechanism for maintaining the security of a public figure, including a public servant. The use of bodyguards and Secret Service details and agents, while it is very important, is really a last line of defense."
他说：“防止这类犯罪的最周全方法其实是预防，就是努力识别发出威胁的人和可能采取暴力行动的人，并在他们使用暴力之前就进行干预。这才是保护公共人物安全的最有效机制。使用保镖和秘密部队随身警卫虽然非常重要，但只能算是最后一道防线。”
But security experts point out that even advance investigation may not have ever picked up on alleged shooter, Jared Loughner, since he is not known to have made any threat against Congresswoman Giffords. But Loughner’s bizarre behavior caused him to be ousted from a local community college.
但安全专家们指出，即使事先调查也可能不会发现枪击嫌疑人贾里德.洛克奈尔，因为人们不知道他是否威胁过吉福兹众议员。不过，洛克奈尔的怪异举止致使他被一个地方社区学院开除。
Congressional leaders have full-time security provided by the Capitol Police, a force that protects the Capitol building and its environs. Rank-and-file members can request security if they feel they are under threat. But in most cases, members get security in their home district from local law enforcement if they request it. Analysts believe such requests will be more frequent in light of the Arizona shooting.
国会领袖们有国会警方配备的全时保安。国会山警方保卫国会大厦及周边地区。一般议员如果感觉受到威胁，可以请求配备保安。不过，在大多数情况下，议员们在家乡时，可以请求当地执法部门配备保安。分析人士认为，亚利桑那枪击事件后，这种请求会更加频繁。
Some people have suggested expanding the Capitol Police’s size and jurisdiction. But Chris Falkenberg, now head of Insite Security in New York, says it is more likely Congress will move to reimburse local and state police for protective security costs.
有些人建议扩大国会警方的规模和权限。不过，现任纽约驻地保安公司负责人的克里斯托弗.法尔肯伯格认为，更有可能的是，由国会报销地方和州警察部门的安全警卫费用。
"Representatives have really busy schedules,” Falkenberg added. “They do a lot of public events. I think it will be difficult to get local law enforcement to support those consistently. Perhaps one answer is going to be Congress, which is easily able to fund all these programs. Because, number one, they are the people in danger and, number two, they hold the purse strings – maybe they [can] release money to compensate local law enforcement for providing security."
他说：“议员们的日程很紧。他们参加很多公开活动。我认为，让地方执法部门一直支持这些活动，有困难。或许一个答案在国会，它有能力给所有这些活动提供资金。因为，第一，国会议员是处于危险中的人，第二，国会管钱。他们大概能够拨款补贴地方执法部门，为国会议员配备保安。”
Some lawmakers are known to carry guns in states or localities where the law permits it. But Capitol Police Chief Terrance Gainer says he does not think it is a good idea for members of Congress to carry guns for personal protection.
据悉，一些议员在法律允许的州或地方携带枪支。不过，国会纠仪长特伦斯.盖纳尔说，他不认为国会议员带枪自卫是个好主意。 |