IN THE NEWS - Bush Announces New Steps to Aid Afghanistan

IN THE NEWS - Bush Announces New Steps to Aid Afghanistan
By Cynthia Kirk

Broadcast: Saturday, June 19, 2004

This is Steve Ember with In the News in VOA Special English.

President Bush this week announced more steps to help Afghanistan. He met at the White House Tuesday with Afghan President Hamid Karzai. At a news conference, they spoke¹ of progress toward democracy. Mister Bush said Afghanistan is no longer, in his words, "a terrorist factory sending thousands of killers² into the world."

He offered American training for Afghan politicians. Other steps include more schools for Afghan children, as well as training and aid for businesswomen. And Mister Bush said the two countries plan to seek a trade agreement and expand an education exchange program.

Afghanistan was formerly³ ruled by the Taliban group which provided refuge for al-Qaida. After al-Qaida attacked the United States on September eleventh, two-thousand-one, American-led forces ousted⁴ the Taliban.

Since then, international efforts have helped improve schools, health care and roads. Afghanistan has a new constitution. Women have more rights. And the country is preparing for elections in September.

But officials are worried about violence in the provinces and threats from the Taliban and allied⁵ Islamic groups. This week, Al Jazeera television showed what it said were new images of al-Qaida members training in Afghanistan. But the American commander there and a terrorism expert said the tape was likely made somewhere else.

The Afghan government has limited control outside Kabul. Parts of the country are still controlled by local leaders and militants⁶. President Karzai has promised to disarm⁷ the groups.

Late this week, local commanders took control of the capital of Ghor province. Officials said ten men died in fighting. The governor fled.

The United States has about twenty-thousand troops in Afghanistan. They face almost daily attacks blamed on fighters loyal to the Taliban and al-Qaida.

In Washington, members of Congress have expressed concern about progress toward an Afghan National Army and police force. Opposition⁸ Democrats⁹ have said the invasion of Iraq last year took away resources from Afghanistan.

President Karzai spoke to a joint¹⁰ meeting of Congress. He thanked the United States for its support. He also honored American soldiers killed or injured in Afghanistan.

 
Hamid Karzai speaks to a joint meeting of Congress
Mister Karzai noted¹¹ strong economic growth in his country. But he said there is still "a long road ahead." He said Afghanistan needs more investment to help its economic recovery. And he called for NATO to do more. NATO's current duties include commanding the International Security Assistance Force in Kabul.

President Karzai also appealed for American help to stop the spread of drug crops in Afghanistan. He said profits from the illegal trade threaten his government and finance terrorism and extremism.

In the News, in VOA Special English, was written by Cynthia Kirk. This is Steve Ember.

1 spoke   

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。

2 killers   

凶手( killer的名词复数 )； 消灭…者； 致命物； 极难的事

参考例句：

• He remained steadfast in his determination to bring the killers to justice. 他要将杀人凶手绳之以法的决心一直没有动摇。
• They were professional killers who did in John. 杀死约翰的这些人是职业杀手。

3 formerly   

adv.从前，以前

参考例句：

• We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
• This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。

4 ousted   

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。

5 allied   

adj.协约国的；同盟国的

参考例句：

• Britain was allied with the United States many times in history.历史上英国曾多次与美国结盟。
• Allied forces sustained heavy losses in the first few weeks of the campaign.同盟国在最初几周内遭受了巨大的损失。

6 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

7 disarm   

v.解除武装，回复平常的编制，缓和

参考例句：

• The world has waited 12 years for Iraq to disarm. 全世界等待伊拉克解除武装已有12年之久。
• He has rejected every peaceful opportunity offered to him to disarm.他已经拒绝了所有能和平缴械的机会。

8 opposition   

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。

9 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 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。

11 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。