2006年VOA标准英语-Retired Generals Call for Defense Secretar

By Peter Fedynsky
Washington, DC
17 April 2006
 
watch Resignation report
 
 
Donald Rumsfeld (file photo)
  
President Bush has rejected calls from a group of retired¹ generals for the resignation of Defense² Secretary Donald Rumsfeld for alleged³ mismanagement of the war in Iraq.  VOA's Peter Fedynsky reports that the unusual call was issued by military leaders previously⁴ involved in the invasion and occupation of Iraq.

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Major General John Batiste
  
  
Major General John Batiste led the U.S. First Infantry⁵ Division in Iraq.  He is one of six retired generals who have publicly expressed dissatisfaction with Secretary Rumsfeld's leadership.  Batiste says the Pentagon chief must be held accountable.

"By that I mean, we went to war with a flawed war plan.  We certainly had the troops necessary to win the fight to take down Saddam Hussein, but we in no way considered the hard work to win the peace.  Almost ten years of good, deliberate war planning by U.S. Central Command that was essentially⁶ ignored."

Marine⁷ Corps⁸ General Anthony Zinni was the head of Central Command in the late 1990's.  As early as 2004, Zinni said the Pentagon's civilian⁹ leaders let down the young men and women of the U.S. military.

Marine Corps General Anthony Zinni
  
  
"I would hold them responsible. However, the President decides that.  History will hold them responsible. But I think the President was owed better than he received from the civilian leadership in the Pentagon."

Lieutenant¹⁰ General Greg Newbold, former operations director on the Joint¹¹ Chiefs of Staff, recently wrote in Time Magazine that the cost of flawed leadership continues to be, in his words,  "paid in blood." 

 

Lieutenant General Greg Newbold
  
  
He says many senior U.S. military officers were intimidated¹² not to protest against what he terms "a fundamentally flawed plan for an invented war" that allowed fighting the real enemy, in his view --  al-Qaida -- to become "a secondary effort."

On Friday, President Bush issued a statement of support for Rumsfeld, saying the Secretary's "energetic and steady leadership is exactly what is needed at this critical period."  And the Secretary told al-Arabiya Television he would not step down.

Earlier, White House Spokesman Scott McClellan Rumsfeld's indicated that criticism of Rumsfeld could be linked to Pentagon opposition¹³ to the Secretary's attempt to create a leaner and more efficient fighting force.

"The secretary has also overseen¹⁴ the transformation¹⁵ of the military so that we are better prepared to confront the threats that we face in the 21st century.  We are a nation at war and we are a nation that is going though a military transformation.  Those are issues that tend to generate debate and disagreement.  We recognize that."

Responding to suggestions that criticism of the Defense Secretary gives aid and comfort to the enemy, Major General John Batiste rejected the notion, saying, "the U.S. military is incredibly resilient."

The U.S Constitution mandates¹⁶ civilian control of the military, which has rarely expressed public criticism of its leaders.  The military is also sworn to defend the Constitution, rather than any given administration.

1 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

2 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。

3 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

4 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

5 infantry   

n.[总称]步兵(部队)

参考例句：

• The infantry were equipped with flame throwers.步兵都装备有喷火器。
• We have less infantry than the enemy.我们的步兵比敌人少。

6 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

7 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。

8 corps   

n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组

参考例句：

• The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
• 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。

9 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。

10 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

11 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。

12 intimidated   

v.恐吓；威胁adj.害怕的；受到威胁的

参考例句：

• We try to make sure children don't feel intimidated on their first day at school. 我们努力确保孩子们在上学的第一天不胆怯。
• The thief intimidated the boy into not telling the police. 这个贼恫吓那男孩使他不敢向警察报告。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 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。

14 overseen   

v.监督，监视( oversee的过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was overseen stealing the letters. 他被人撞见在偷信件。 来自辞典例句
• It will be overseen by ThomasLi, director of IBM China Research Laboratory. 该实验室由IBM中国研究院院长李实恭(ThomasLi)引导。 来自互联网

15 transformation   

n.变化；改造；转变

参考例句：

• Going to college brought about a dramatic transformation in her outlook.上大学使她的观念发生了巨大的变化。
• He was struggling to make the transformation from single man to responsible husband.他正在努力使自己由单身汉变为可靠的丈夫。

16 mandates   

托管（mandate的第三人称单数形式）

参考例句：

• Individual mandates would require all people to purchase health insurance. 个人托管要求所有人都要购买健康保险。
• While I agree with those benefits, I'm not a supporter of mandates. 我同意上述好处，我不是授权软件的支持者。