2007年VOA标准英语-US Defense Chief to Recommend More Troops for A

By Benjamin Sand
Islamabad
17 January 2007

U.S. Secretary of Defense¹ Robert Gates says U.S. commanders in Afghanistan are recommending increased troop levels to help combat the growing Taleban insurgency². The recommendation comes on top of President Bush's decision to send an additional 20,000 U.S. troops to Iraq. Gates' comments came the same day NATO-led forces said they had captured a "prominent" Taleban commander during a raid in southern Afghanistan. VOA's Benjamin Sand reports from Islamabad.

 
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates pauses during joint³ press conference with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, not seen, in Kabul, 16 Jan. 07
U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates was in Afghanistan for a series of meetings with U.S. and Afghan officials, amid growing concerns that the Taleban may be gaining ground in much of the country.

On Wednesday, Gates toured the main U.S. military base in Afghanistan, where he told reporters that U.S. commanders have recommended raising troop levels to help secure the volatile⁴ country.

On Tuesday, the top U.S. general in Afghanistan, Lt. General Karl Eikenberry, also proposed extending combat tours for more than 1,200 U.S. soldiers, in order to help defeat the insurgency.

Gates arrived as Afghan officials announced the capture of two prominent Taleban members. On Monday, Afghan forces captured a well-known Taleban spokesman, Mohammad Hanif, in the eastern part of the country not far from the Pakistan border.

U.S. military officials say insurgent⁵ attacks jumped by more than 200 percent in December, and that much of the Taleban's "command and control" is operating from inside Pakistan.

Secretary Gates says the matter will be raised with the Pakistan government.

 
Pakistani soldier keeps position inside bunker as he monitors Pakistan-Afghanistan border at Kundi Gar post (16 Dec. 2006 file  photo)
"The border area is a problem," he said. "There are more attacks coming across the border, there are al-Qaida networks operating on the Pakistani side of the border. And these are issues that we clearly will have to pursue with the Pakistani government."

Last year was Afghanistan's deadliest since 2001, when U.S. led forces ousted⁶ the Taleban regime. More than 4,000 people were killed, with most of the violence occurring in those provinces along the Pakistan border.

A second capture, of a prominent Taleban commander, took place late Tuesday during a precision overnight raid in the southern Afghan province of Helmand. NATO officials would not release the captive's name but said he linked to a series of "criminal acts."

NATO spokesman General Richard Nugee told reporters in Kabul Wednesday that international forces in the country are actively⁷ seeking to "kill or capture Taleban leaders."

 
Canadian soldiers of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) stand guard in Panjwai district of Kandahar, southern province of Kabul, Afghanistan, 10 Jan. 2007
"The Taleban is not an army," he said. "The Taleban is a group of individuals who congregate⁸ around a leader, and if you destroy the leader by killing⁹ or capturing him you destroy the people beneath him."

Gates said the request for additional U.S. troops for Afghanistan would be reviewed by the U.S. joint chiefs before he discussed the issue with President Bush. The request comes as Mr. Bush's decision to send 20,000 more U.S. troops to Iraq is under fire from some members of Congress and the public.

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 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网

3 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。

4 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

5 insurgent   

adj.叛乱的，起事的；n.叛乱分子

参考例句：

• Faruk says they are threatened both by insurgent and government forces.法鲁克说，他们受到暴乱分子和政府军队的双重威胁。
• The insurgent mob assembled at the gate of the city park.叛变的暴徒聚在市立公园的门口。

6 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

7 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

8 congregate   

v.(使)集合，聚集

参考例句：

• Now they can offer a digital place for their readers to congregate and talk.现在他们可以为读者提供一个数字化空间，让读者可以聚集和交谈。
• This is a place where swans congregate.这是个天鹅聚集地。

9 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。