2006年VOA标准英语-Report Faults, US Official Defends, Public

By Dan Robinson
Capitol Hill
03 May 2006

 
US Envoy¹ Karen Hughes vists a camp in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan 
  
A report says U.S. government public diplomacy² efforts, including steps to improve the U.S. image in the Muslim world, are not working.   The issue was discussed at a congressional hearing where the top U.S. public diplomacy official testified about progress in communicating American values and policies since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

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Karen Hughes, longtime friend and advisor³ to President Bush, was appointed Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy last year.

She used her appearance before a House Appropriations⁴ Subcommittee Wednesday to reiterate⁵ core Bush administration strategies as the U.S. attempts to counter negative images of America in the Muslim world.

"We face no more important challenge for America's national security, and for the future of our children and all the world's children, than to reach out to the rest of the world and foster a sense of common interests and common values," she said.

However, the administration's strategies are criticized in a new report compiled by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the investigative arm of the U.S. Congress.

The report says that, while public diplomacy resources have shifted to the Muslim world since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, a range of problems hinder U.S. outreach abroad.

"The State Department currently does not have a strategy that integrates the diverse public diplomacy activities. And the efforts that effectively engage the private sector⁶ have met with mixed success," said Jess Ford⁷ of the GAO. 

Public diplomacy strategy, planning and coordination⁸ are described by the report as inadequate⁹.  The document says the lack of a public diplomacy strategy complicates¹⁰ the task of conveying consistent messages.

Among what it calls multiple challenges, the GAO mentions staffing shortages, and the fact that 30 percent of public diplomacy positions in the Muslim world are held by persons lacking sufficient language skills.

Security threats also limit the ability of U.S. diplomats¹¹ and other officials to reach out to people in some foreign countries.

Undersecretary Hughes says efforts are under way to expand exchange programs, with more money requested for 2007, recruit and assign more public diplomacy specialists, and improve language proficiency¹².

Among other things, U.S. ambassadors, diplomats and other officials are now being tasked with appearing on Muslim and Arab world media to respond on key policy issues, efforts Hughes says have come a long way.

Addressing the G.A.O. findings, Hughes says a new inter-agency coordination committee will work to address deficiencies, amid other steps aimed broadly at de-legitimizing terrorism, and shifting the struggle for freedom to new regions of the world.

Written testimony¹³ from Hughes mentioned the Bush administration request for $75 million for programs supporting democracy and human rights in Iran, including the expansion of Farsi-language Internet and television broadcasting.

1 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

2 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

3 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

4 appropriations   

n.挪用（appropriation的复数形式）

参考例句：

• More commonly, funding controls are imposed in the annual appropriations process. 更普遍的作法是，拨款控制被规定在年度拨款手续中。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• Should the president veto the appropriations bill, it goes back to Congress. 假如总统否决了这项拨款提案，就把它退还给国会。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

5 reiterate   

v.重申，反复地说

参考例句：

• Let me reiterate that we have absolutely no plans to increase taxation.让我再一次重申我们绝对没有增税的计划。
• I must reiterate that our position on this issue is very clear.我必须重申我们对这一项议题的立场很清楚。

6 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

7 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

8 coordination   

n.协调，协作

参考例句：

• Gymnastics is a sport that requires a considerable level of coordination.体操是一项需要高协调性的运动。
• The perfect coordination of the dancers and singers added a rhythmic charm to the performance.舞蹈演员和歌手们配合得很好，使演出更具魅力。

9 inadequate   

adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的

参考例句：

• The supply is inadequate to meet the demand.供不应求。
• She was inadequate to the demands that were made on her.她还无力满足对她提出的各项要求。

10 complicates   

使复杂化( complicate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• What complicates the issue is the burden of history. 历史的重负使问题复杂化了。
• Russia as a great and ambitious power gravely complicates the situation. 俄国作为一个强大而有野心的国家，使得局势异常复杂。

11 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 proficiency   

n.精通，熟练，精练

参考例句：

• He plied his trade and gained proficiency in it.他勤习手艺，技术渐渐达到了十分娴熟的地步。
• How do you think of your proficiency in written and spoken English?你认为你的书面英语和口语熟练程度如何？

13 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。