2007年VOA标准英语-Experts Urge More US Pressure on Pakistan Over

By Dan Robinson
Capitol Hill
09 May 2007

Experts have urged U.S. lawmakers to press Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf to take stronger action against al-Qaida and other Islamic extremists, and crackdown on radical¹ "madrassas" or Islamic schools spreading extremist ideology². VOA's Dan Robinson reports on a congressional hearing on Capitol Hill.

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Pakistans paramilitary troops stand alert with riot gears behind a barbed wire at a road leading towards the Supreme Court in Islamabad, 02 May 2007

Despite President Musharraf's cooperation in acting⁴ against al-Qaida and other groups seeking to destabilize the government in Afghanistan, U.S. lawmakers worry he has not done enough to counter the influence of religious extremists using the country's education system to spread harmful ideologies⁵.

According to the U.S. State Department, Pakistan remains⁶ a major source of Islamic extremism, and a safe haven⁷ for top extremist leaders.

Experts and key non-government organizations have sounded alarm bells, asserting while Pakistan has received about $10 billion from the U.S. since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, aid has lagged for education and public out-reach programs that could help improve the image of the U.S. among Pakistanis and counter the impact of radical madrassas.

According to Pakistan government figures, about 12,000 madrassas operate in the country, while other estimates say the number could be as high as 20,000.

Congressman⁸ John Tierney, a Democrat⁹ who heads the subcommittee on national security and foreign affairs, says extremism and Jihadi curriculum are part of a larger picture.

"The Pakistani people are treading water during a rising tide of extremism, a tide that threatens their society and their children's futures¹⁰, a tide that exposes our soldiers in Afghanistan to attack, and a tide that threatens us here at home to a gathering¹¹ new generational wave of terror," said John Tierney.

In its report on the 2001 al-Qaida terrorist attacks against the United States, the independent September 11 Commission recommended intensified¹² efforts by the U.S. to convey a positive image in the Islamic world, including the use of public diplomacy¹³ and education.

Christopher Kojm, a deputy director of the September 11 Commission, faults both the Bush administration and Congress for inadequately¹⁴ funding such efforts.

"Our country needs a strategy for educational assistance that is part of our overall foreign policy strategy for this part of the world, and we need to fund it [but] we're just not funding it at any level that is appreciable¹⁵ that can make a difference," said Christopher Kojm.

Kojm asserts the U.S. is "moving backwards¹⁶" on scholarship, library and education programs, noting that security concerns have contributed to the closure of facilities, and limited access at certain overseas posts.

Appearing by video link from Pakistan, Samina Ahmed, South Asia Project Director for the International Crisis Group, said the Pakistan government has failed to dismantle¹⁷ "Jihadi" madrassas or effectively regulate their curriculum.

"Extremist madrassas are still distributing Jihadi material," noted¹⁸ Samina Ahmed. "There are still no ways of telling in any meaningful way, the means of funding, the donors¹⁹ of these madrassas, how many foreign students are still there, and even the madrassas that are linked to the banned Jihadi groups are still flourishing."

Aside from what she calls a tiny fringe radical element, Ahmed says the vast majority of Pakistanis are moderate and democratic, supporting ideals the U.S. stands for.

She suggests the U.S. establish benchmarks for future aid to Pakistan, requiring reform of madrassas and closure of radical Jihadi schools, while stating clear support for a transition back to democracy after upcoming elections and opposition²⁰ to any military intervention²¹.

Lisa Curtis, senior research fellow on South Asia at The Heritage Foundation agrees, and advocates a stronger approach by Washington on the question the permissive environment of Pakistan's government on radical groups madrassas.

"We have to use skillful diplomacy to persuade the Pakistan government to shut down completely all militant²² groups, and to reform or close down those madrassas promoting violence and extremism," said Lisa Curtis.

Curtis adds the U.S. needs to accept that only a few madrassas represent a terrorist threat, and avoid being seen as opposing traditional madrassas and their form of Islamic education and social service.

Craig Cohen, with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, urges an increase in the percentage of U.S. aid to Pakistan going for education from the current level of about 3.4 percent.

"Let's become the country that provides opportunity for young Pakistanis, rather than the country that is at war with Islam, which is how we are perceived today," urged Craig Cohen. "We can't sacrifice our short-term security but our long-term security may depend on such a shift."

Rather than conditioning future aid to Pakistan on specific reforms, Cohen suggests Congress take a harder look at how assistance is apportioned²³ and seek greater accountability.

U.S. officials have appeared before previous hearings on Capitol Hill to testify about steps the Bush administration has taken to press President Musharraf and his government to take stronger action against extremist elements.

However, Congressman Tierney said the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development declined the committee's invitation, apparently²⁴ because they were not scheduled to appear first, before the non-government witnesses.

Tierney called the decision "questionable²⁵ and unacceptable," adding that another hearing could be scheduled to obtain the latest administration positions.

1 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

2 ideology   

n.意识形态，(政治或社会的)思想意识

参考例句：

• The ideology has great influence in the world.这种思想体系在世界上有很大的影响。
• The ideal is to strike a medium between ideology and inspiration.我的理想是在意识思想和灵感鼓动之间找到一个折衷。

3 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

4 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

5 ideologies   

n.思想（体系）( ideology的名词复数 )；思想意识；意识形态；观念形态

参考例句：

• There is no fundamental diversity between the two ideologies. 这两种思想意识之间并没有根本的分歧。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Radical ideologies require to contrast to their own goodness the wickedness of some other system. 凡是过激的意识形态，都需要有另外一个丑恶的制度作对比，才能衬托出自己的善良。 来自辞典例句

6 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

7 haven   

n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所

参考例句：

• It's a real haven at the end of a busy working day.忙碌了一整天后，这真是一个安乐窝。
• The school library is a little haven of peace and quiet.学校的图书馆是一个和平且安静的小避风港。

8 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。

9 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。

10 futures   

n.期货，期货交易

参考例句：

• He continued his operations in cotton futures.他继续进行棉花期货交易。
• Cotton futures are selling at high prices.棉花期货交易的卖价是很高的。

11 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

12 intensified   

v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Violence intensified during the night. 在夜间暴力活动加剧了。
• The drought has intensified. 旱情加剧了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 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。

14 inadequately   

ad.不够地；不够好地

参考例句：

• As one kind of building materials, wood is inadequately sturdy. 作为一种建筑材料，木材不够结实。
• Oneself is supported inadequately by the money that he earns. 他挣的钱不够养活自己。

15 appreciable   

adj.明显的，可见的，可估量的，可觉察的

参考例句：

• There is no appreciable distinction between the twins.在这对孪生子之间看不出有什么明显的差别。
• We bought an appreciable piece of property.我们买下的资产有增值的潜力。

16 backwards   

adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地

参考例句：

• He turned on the light and began to pace backwards and forwards.他打开电灯并开始走来走去。
• All the girls fell over backwards to get the party ready.姑娘们迫不及待地为聚会做准备。

17 dismantle   

vt.拆开，拆卸；废除，取消

参考例句：

• He asked for immediate help from the United States to dismantle the warheads.他请求美国立即提供援助，拆除这批弹头。
• The mower firmly refused to mow,so I decided to dismantle it.修完后割草机还是纹丝不动，于是，我决定把它拆开。

18 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

19 donors   

n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 )；献血者；捐血者；器官捐献者

参考例句：

• Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去，请给我们发电子邮件。
• About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 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。

21 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

22 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

23 apportioned   

vt.分摊，分配（apportion的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• They apportioned the land among members of the family. 他们把土地分给了家中各人。
• The group leader apportioned them the duties for the week. 组长给他们分派了这星期的任务。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

24 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

25 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。