VOA标准英语2008年-US Defense Chief Calls for a Balanced US Milita

Four months before the Bush administration leaves office in January, Defense¹ Secretary Robert Gates laid out his vision for U.S. military strategy on Monday, saying the Pentagon needs to strike a balance between conventional capabilities² and the ability to fight insurgencies. Gates also outlined some of the lessons he has learned from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. VOA Correspondent Cindy Saine has the story.
　
Defense Secretary Robert Gates speaks to students of the National Defense University at Fort McNair in Washington, DC, 29 Sept. 2008

Speaking to a class at the National Defense University in Washington, Secretary Gates said he believes America's ability to deal with national security threats for years to come will depend on its success in two current conflicts.

"To be blunt, to fail - or to be seen to fail - in either Iraq or Afghanistan would be a disastrous³ blow to our credibility, both among our friends and allies, and among potential adversaries," he said.

Gates said the number of U.S. combat units in Iraq will decline over time, but added:

"No matter who is elected president in November, there will continue to be some kind of American advisory⁴ and counterterrorism effort in Iraq for years to come," he said.

Gates said U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan are rising, and that the conflict there in many ways poses an even more complex and difficult long-term challenge than Iraq.

Calling the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan "forced regime change followed by nation-building under fire," Gates said the U.S. is unlikely to become involved in similar situations anytime soon. But he cautioned that U.S. forces will likely face similar challenges, and that it will be important to employ indirect approaches against insurgencies, and to institutionalize new and unconventional skills.

Secretary Gates also stressed that the United States may have to contend with more traditional kinds of threats.

"The images of Russian tanks rolling into the Republic of Georgia last month was a reminder⁵ that nation-states and their militaries do still matter," he said.

But the defense secretary added that there is no reason to begin "rearming for another Cold War" with Russia.

Gates concluded his speech by asking the class of U.S. military officers to be modest about what military force and technology can accomplish. He urged the class to never forget the "psychological, cultural, political and human dimensions of warfare," which he called inevitably⁶ tragic⁷, inefficient⁸ and uncertain.

 

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 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

3 disastrous   

adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的

参考例句：

• The heavy rainstorm caused a disastrous flood.暴雨成灾。
• Her investment had disastrous consequences.She lost everything she owned.她的投资结果很惨，血本无归。

4 advisory   

adj.劝告的，忠告的，顾问的，提供咨询

参考例句：

• I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
• He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。

5 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。

6 inevitably   

adv.不可避免地；必然发生地

参考例句：

• In the way you go on,you are inevitably coming apart.照你们这样下去，毫无疑问是会散伙的。
• Technological changes will inevitably lead to unemployment.技术变革必然会导致失业。

7 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

8 inefficient   

adj.效率低的，无效的

参考例句：

• The inefficient operation cost the firm a lot of money.低效率的运作使该公司损失了许多钱。
• Their communication systems are inefficient in the extreme.他们的通讯系统效率非常差。