2006年VOA标准英语-Rumsfeld Faces Tough Questioner on Iraq Wa

By Al Pessin
Pentagon
04 May 2006

U.S. Defense¹ Secretary Donald Rumsfeld faced tough questioning during an appearance before a foreign affairs group in the southern United States on Thursday. Several anti-Iraq war hecklers were ejected from the room, and the secretary had a sharp exchange with a man in the audience who is a former intelligence analyst².

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Donald Rumsfeld  
  

During the question-and-answer period, a man who was identified as Ray McGovern, a former analyst for the Central Intelligence Agency, challenged Secretary Rumsfeld on the justification³ for the war in Iraq.

McGovern: "Why did you lie to get us into a war that was not necessary, that has cause these kinds of casualties?"

Rumsfeld: "Well, first of all, I haven't lied. I did not lie then."

The audience at the Southern Center for International Studies in Atlanta was generally supportive of Secretary Rumsfeld as he tried to deal with the questions, and when three hecklers were removed from the room. Rumsfeld said his statements before the war claiming that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction were based on intelligence reports that also convinced other governments.

Rumsfeld: "They gave the world their honest opinion. It appears there were not weapons of mass destruction.

McGovern: "You said you knew where they were."

Rumsfeld: "I did not. I said I knew where suspect sites were."

McGovern: You said you knew where they were, near Tikrit, near Baghdad and north, east, south and west of there. Those are your words."

At that point, security guards began to remove the man from the room, but Secretary Rumsfeld told them to let him stay. A Defense Department transcript⁴ of an interview Secretary Rumsfeld gave to ABC news in March of 2003 indicates that he did say the U.S. government knew where Saddam's weapons of mass destruction were.

The exchange continued with a new allegation from Ray McGovern, who has become an anti-war activist⁵ with numerous opinion articles published in recent years, following a 27-year career with the CIA.

McGovern: "I'd just like an honest answer."

Rumsfeld: "I'm giving it to you."

McGovern: "I'm talking about lies and your allegation that there was bulletproof evidence of ties between al-Qaida and Iraq. Was that a lie, or were you misled ?"

Rumsfeld: "Zarqawi was in Baghdad during the pre-war period. That is a fact."

McGovern: "Zarqawi? He was in the north of Iraq in a place where Saddam Hussein had no rule, that's where he was."

Rumsfeld: "He was also in Baghdad."

McGovern: "Yeah, when he had to go to the hospital. Come one these people aren't idiots. They know the story."

Secretary Rumsfeld responded that U.S. forces in Iraq during the war used chemical suits because they also believed Saddam had weapons of mass destruction, because of the intelligence reports and because he had used such weapons before. He also said allegations that officials lied to justify⁶ the war are 'untrue,' and that such charges are 'destructive' of the trust needed in a democracy.

According to a prepared text released at the Pentagon, Secretary Rumsfeld's speech in Atlanta included an appeal for Americans to persevere⁷ in what he calls the "'long war' against violent extremism." He said the country also needs to embrace new partners and adjust long-standing alliances. As examples, the secretary cited the changing U.S. defense relationships with Japan and South Korea, and he expressed the concern that declining defense budgets in Europe will undermine NATO's effectiveness, just as it is trying to expand its role in the world.

1 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。

2 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

3 justification   

n.正当的理由；辩解的理由

参考例句：

• There's no justification for dividing the company into smaller units. 没有理由把公司划分成小单位。
• In the young there is a justification for this feeling. 在年轻人中有这种感觉是有理由的。

4 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

5 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

6 justify   

vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护

参考例句：

• He tried to justify his absence with lame excuses.他想用站不住脚的借口为自己的缺席辩解。
• Can you justify your rude behavior to me?你能向我证明你的粗野行为是有道理的吗？

7 persevere   

v.坚持，坚忍，不屈不挠

参考例句：

• They are determined to persevere in the fight.他们决心坚持战斗。
• It is strength of character enabled him to persevere.他那坚强的性格使他能够坚持不懈。