2007年VOA标准英语-US Congress Debates US Missile Defense Plan for

By Dan Robinson
Washington
04 May 2007

The U.S. plan to base defensive¹ missile system in Poland and the Czech Republic to defend Europe against potential future threats from Iran was the subject of a congressional hearing Thursday. VOA's Dan Robinson reports, Bush administration officials urged Congress to reverse a cut to funding for the program made by a congressional committee, while opponents raised numerous questions about the plan.

US anti-missile launcher

Under the plan, 10 ground-based interceptor missiles would be placed in Poland, and a radar² station in the Czech Republic, providing what the Bush administration says would be defensive coverage³ against intermediate- and intercontinental-range ballistic missiles.

At the end of this month, U.S. officials will go to Warsaw and Prague to begin formal negotiations⁴ on the system, which they say would help protect U.S. allies in Europe against what the administration calls a real and growing missile threat from the Middle East, primarily Iran.

Daniel Fried, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, cites intelligence estimates that Iran, which has medium to short-range missiles, could have long-range missiles before the year 2015. "Along with our European allies and Russia, we are engaged in intensive diplomacy⁵ intended to change Iran's current nuclear development plans. This is the best course, and we may succeed. But we may not. And we have in any event a responsibility to defend the American people and our allies," he said.

In Congress, there is both skepticism and support for the plan.

Democratic Congressman⁷ Robert Wexler, who chaired Thursday's hearing, has "deep reservations" about the effectiveness of the technology involved, the cost of the program, and the impact on relations with other European countries. "I believe it is unacceptable for the American people who have footed hundreds of billions of dollars for the war in Iraq, to once again provide a blank check to the president to spend billions more on a questionable⁸ missile defense⁹ program, whose costs at a minimum ought to be shared by our European allies," he said.

Wexler adds that while lawmakers appreciate the threat presented by Iran, the missile defense program appears to offer no defensive impact when it comes to helping¹⁰ protect Israel from any potential threat from Iranian missiles.

This week, a House subcommittee cut money that was to have gone to develop the interceptor sites in Poland, while providing funds for the radar facility in the Czech Republic.

Republican Ed Royce voiced concern about that, and about Russian opposition¹¹ to the plan, which he says is based on self-interest. "In attacking this deployment¹², Russia says Iran will pose no threat to Europe for a long time if ever. Many Europeans respectfully disagree with that Russian assertion," he said.

Democrat⁶ Brad Sherman says the program threatens not only bilateral¹⁴ ties with Moscow, but U.S. efforts to obtain Russian cooperation in the standoff with Iran over its uranium enrichment and suspected nuclear weapons plans. "Our plan to put pressure on the Iranian government is a manifest failure. The centrifuges turn at Natanz. And I can think of no better way to assure that Russia will do very little, and they have done a little, but do very little to help us stop the Iranian program then to stick it to them by putting our missiles in what used to be their allies," he said.

John Rood, Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Nonproliferation, says the U.S. continues to consult closely with Russia on its concerns, adding that the program it is not directed at Russia and that interceptors would have "little or no capability¹⁵" against Russia's strategic offensive force.

Rood appealed to lawmakers to reverse the cut to interceptor funding and support President Bush's 2008 budget request for 310-million dollars for the program. "We obviously would like to see the Congress fully¹³ fund the president's request. I think if we were left in a situation where at the opening of the negotiations the Congress were moving to cut those, obviously that will undermine the negotiations, it will present issues for us in our discussions with those allies," he said.

In his testimony¹⁶, Daniel Fried said the U.S. has proposed to Russia what he called "various opportunities" for cooperation on missile defense and is awaiting a response.

At last week's NATO foreign minister's meeting in Norway, Fried said there was "near unanimity¹⁷" in support of missile defense from NATO allies, adding that NATO Secretary General de Hoop¹⁸ Scheffer stated that the U.S. missile defense plans do not upset the strategic balance in Europe.

1 defensive   

adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的

参考例句：

• Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
• The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。

2 radar   

n.雷达，无线电探测器

参考例句：

• They are following the flight of an aircraft by radar.他们正在用雷达追踪一架飞机的飞行。
• Enemy ships were detected on the radar.敌舰的影像已显现在雷达上。

3 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

4 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

5 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。

6 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

7 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

8 questionable   

adj.可疑的，有问题的

参考例句：

• There are still a few questionable points in the case.这个案件还有几个疑点。
• Your argument is based on a set of questionable assumptions.你的论证建立在一套有问题的假设上。

9 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。

10 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

11 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。

12 deployment   

n. 部署,展开

参考例句：

• He has inquired out the deployment of the enemy troops. 他已查出敌军的兵力部署情况。
• Quality function deployment (QFD) is a widely used customer-driven quality, design and manufacturing management tool. 质量功能展开(quality function deployment,QFD)是一个广泛应用的顾客需求驱动的设计、制造和质量管理工具。

13 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

14 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

15 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

16 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。

17 unanimity   

n.全体一致，一致同意

参考例句：

• These discussions have led to a remarkable unanimity.这些讨论导致引人注目的一致意见。
• There is no unanimity of opinion as to the best one.没有一个公认的最好意见。

18 hoop   

n.（篮球）篮圈，篮

参考例句：

• The child was rolling a hoop.那个孩子在滚铁环。
• The wooden tub is fitted with the iron hoop.木盆都用铁箍箍紧。