2006年VOA标准英语-NATO Afghan Expansion on Track

By Jeff Swicord
Kandahar, Afghanistan
23 June 2006
 
Watch NATO Report

British, Dutch, and Canadian troops are arriving by the thousands in Kandahar in southern Afghanistan as NATO prepares to take responsibility for security in the southern region in July. 

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NATO forces are training to fight the Taleban in Kandahar province, in southern Afghanistan. Taleban activity has spiked¹ in the region in recent weeks. According to General James Jones, commander of NATO forces worldwide, the Taleban knows a large buildup of NATO troops is underway.

General Jones   
  
"This is something that an intelligent enemy knows is going to happen; they have made the calculus² and they are trying to make a statement right now,” Jones said. “I think that they have figured out that it is going to be much more difficult in a few months."

NATO plans to take control of security and development in the southern part of the country starting in early July. Then there are plans to immediately move into the eastern provinces.  NATO will deploy³ just over 30,000 troops, effectively doubling the number of foreign troops in the country. U.S. troops in the country will operate under NATO command.  Lt. General David Richards is Commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan. 

 
Lt. General Richards 
  
Richards said, "With that comes the great psychological improvement that gives people, say down in the south, the courage to say to the Taleban when they come into the villages, 'We don't want that, we actually want some of that'."

Richards is referring to security and development. At the core of NATO's plans is the creation of security zones in the provinces that will control access along key roads and ingress points.

Colonel Chris Vernon is chief of staff of the Southern Regional Command. He says security is crucial to NATO's most important goal: development.  "Down in the south here we have really got to keep working on the security line of operation,” he said. “It is by achieving a decent security environment, that we allow the development to come in behind it. We are not quite here yet."

The United States has deployed⁴ limited numbers of provincial⁵ reconstruction⁶ teams (PRT) in the provinces.  Each team comprises military, diplomatic and development agency personnel. They work with villagers on improving infrastructure⁷, agricultural techniques and governmental processes. General Richards says NATO plans to put more PRT units in the provinces and build on the U.S. success.

Richards said, "In Helman province the U.S. had a very competent PRT. I can tell you they have done much more than I thought would happen. But the fact is, they only had 100 guys in it. So, now the British have put 2,500 troops and a much bigger cross-government effort into Helman Province."

 
William Nash 
  
Most analysts⁸ agree the increase in troop levels will have a positive impact fighting the Taleban.  Retired⁹ Army General William Nash, currently a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, also offers a cautionary note. "You can expect that the challenges that NATO will face in Afghanistan will in fact be difficult. There are some causes for concern particularly in the areas that the Taleban seemingly have targeted for an increase in their operations."

Some have questioned NATO's willingness to fight as Taleban activity has increased in the last month. Lieutenant¹⁰ Colonel Kowsh Duinhof commands a Dutch Apache helicopter squadron. He says his men are well trained and have already seen a lot of action in other parts of the world. "In the past couple of years we have been doing several missions. First of all, Bosnia and Djibouti, and then the last two years to Iraq and Afghanistan as well,” he said. “Most of them have flown in these kind of scenarios¹¹."

Unlike past NATO deployments, General Jones says he is amazed all the countries involved have agreed to operate under the same rules of engagement without any fighting restrictions¹². NATO officials also caution that pacifying Afghanistan is an effort that will take years to complete

1 spiked   

adj.有穗的；成锥形的；有尖顶的

参考例句：

• The editor spiked the story. 编辑删去了这篇报道。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They wondered whether their drinks had been spiked. 他们有些疑惑自己的饮料里是否被偷偷搀了烈性酒。 来自辞典例句

2 calculus   

n.微积分；结石

参考例句：

• This is a problem where calculus won't help at all.对于这一题，微积分一点也用不上。
• After studying differential calculus you will be able to solve these mathematical problems.学了微积分之后，你们就能够解这些数学题了。

3 deploy   

v.（军）散开成战斗队形，布置，展开

参考例句：

• The infantry began to deploy at dawn.步兵黎明时开始进入战斗位置。
• The president said he had no intention of deploying ground troops.总统称并不打算部署地面部队。

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 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

6 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。

7 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

8 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

9 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。

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 scenarios   

n.[意]情节；剧本；事态；脚本

参考例句：

• Further, graphite cores may be safer than non-graphite cores under some accident scenarios. 再者，根据一些事故解说，石墨堆芯可比非石墨堆芯更安全一些。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• Again, scenarios should make it clear which modes are acceptable to users in various contexts. 同样，我们可以运用场景剧本来搞清楚在不同情境下哪些模式可被用户接受。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

12 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制