2006年VOA标准英语- Pentagon Official: US Army Can Meet Any C

By Al Pessin
Washington
18 January 2006
 

A US Marine¹, left, patrols with soldiers of the Iraqi Army in the streets in Husaybah, Iraq  
  
The top civilian² official in charge of the U.S. army says the force can respond to any crisis, even though about half of its ready capability³ is already deployed⁴ in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kosovo.

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The Secretary of the Army, Francis Harvey, disputed claims by some members of Congress and others that the army is over stressed by the ongoing⁵ conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the small deployment⁶ in Kosovo.

"We have the capability, to answer it straightforward⁷, to surge to any crisis that the president may ask us to do it," he said.

Secretary Harvey was answering a question about the army's ability to back up U.S. demands on Iran with force if necessary, but he declined to discuss any Iran military option specifically.

He says the current modernization⁸ and reorganization of the U.S. army and its reserve and National Guard components⁹ will result in 70 Brigade Combat Teams available for deployment worldwide.  Each team consists of about 3,500 soldiers, including commanders and support units. 

The army secretary says even with between 18 and 20 Brigade Combat Teams currently deployed, and many others in various stages of rest, re-training and re-equipping, he has a substantial force he can draw on in any crisis, indeed a force the same size as the current army deployment.

"If you have, in today's world, 18-20 Brigade Combat Teams deployed, we can surge, with the Army Force Generation Model, another 18-20 Brigade Combat Teams," he added.

Secretary Harvey also acknowledged that the current plan for a total of 70 Brigade Combat Teams is seven fewer than the plan presented to Congress just four months ago, but he said it is still an increase over current capabilities¹⁰.  He says the change is a result of a year-long examination of U.S. defense¹¹ strategy and operations called the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR), which is due to be published early next month.

"We're coming out of the QDR.  Out of the QDR this force structure, we think, is appropriate to the threat," he noted¹².

Secretary Harvey says 40 percent of the new U.S. army force structure will be in reserve and National Guard units, reinforcing their role as an integral part of the U.S. military.  The deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan rely heavily on Guard and reserve forces.  Secretary Harvey says those troops, who are part-time soldiers, can expect to spend one out of every six years deployed, while active combat troops will be deployed one out of every three years.

1 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

2 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

3 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

4 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

5 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

6 deployment   

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。

7 straightforward   

adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的

参考例句：

• A straightforward talk is better than a flowery speech.巧言不如直说。
• I must insist on your giving me a straightforward answer.我一定要你给我一个直截了当的回答。

8 modernization   

n.现代化，现代化的事物

参考例句：

• This will help us achieve modernization.这有助于我们实现现代化。
• The Chinese people are sure to realize the modernization of their country.中国人民必将实现国家现代化。

9 components   

（机器、设备等的）构成要素，零件，成分； 成分( component的名词复数 )； [物理化学]组分； [数学]分量； （混合物的）组成部分

参考例句：

• the components of a machine 机器部件
• Our chemistry teacher often reduces a compound to its components in lab. 在实验室中化学老师常把化合物分解为各种成分。

10 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

11 defense   

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。

12 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。