VOA标准英语2009年-US, East African Nations Begin Major Milit

By Alisha Ryu
Nairobi
20 October 2009

A major military exercise involving five East African nations and the United States is taking place in Uganda. The U.S. military says the exercise is part of on-going efforts by the United States and its regional allies to improve coordination¹ and response to humanitarian² emergencies and natural disasters.

 
More than 1,200 military personnel from the United States, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda are involved in the 10-day exercise that began Friday.

According to a spokesman for the U.S. Africa Command in Stuttgart, Germany, Dan La Pierre, the exercise, dubbed³ "Natural Fire 10," is focused on training that will enhance capabilities⁴ needed for humanitarian and civic⁵ assistance, disaster relief, and regional security.

"It will increase our understanding of each other's capability⁶ and proficiencies, enhancing our ability to operate together. It is an on-going program and it used to be run by EUCOM [European Command] before our command was stood up," he said.

In the rural district of Kitgum in northern Uganda, soldiers are reportedly taking part in medical, dental and engineering projects that not only test their ability to work together, but can assist the local community. Meanwhile, senior and mid-level military officers in the Ugandan capital Kampala and in neighboring Entebbe town are said to be taking part in simulations aimed at improving their ability to respond to disasters and other emergencies.  

But the decision to hold most of the exercise in Kitgum has raised questions as to whether Natural Fire 10 is part of preparations for a renewed military effort against the Ugandan rebel group, the Lord's Resistance Army. For more than two decades, the group terrorized Kitgum residents and other communities in northern Uganda and elsewhere in the region, committing unspeakable atrocities⁷.

Last December, the United States supported a military assault on the LRA by the armies of Uganda, Congo Kinshasa, and South Sudan. The aim was to capture or kill LRA's elusive⁸ leader Joseph Kony. But the offensive failed. Kony and his men subsequently launched a killing⁹ spree that left more than 1,000 people dead in eastern Congo.

Dan La Pierre acknowledges Natural Fire 10 has come under scrutiny¹⁰. But he says the exercise has nothing to do with pursing the LRA or any other terrorist group in the region.

"We have had a lot of inquiries¹¹ about that," he said. "And it does not have anything to do with why we are actually down there. Specifically, we are trying to build partnership¹² capacity with the countries that we have engaged with. And that is the whole point of the exercise."

Since Africa Command was established last year, critics have argued the purpose of the command is to militarize American foreign policy on the continent. Africa Command officials say the command has a far softer approach, trying to boost security through greater cooperation and capacity-building activities with America's African partners.

 

1 coordination   

n.协调，协作

参考例句：

• Gymnastics is a sport that requires a considerable level of coordination.体操是一项需要高协调性的运动。
• The perfect coordination of the dancers and singers added a rhythmic charm to the performance.舞蹈演员和歌手们配合得很好，使演出更具魅力。

2 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

3 dubbed   

v.给…起绰号( dub的过去式和过去分词 )；把…称为；配音；复制

参考例句：

• Mathematics was once dubbed the handmaiden of the sciences. 数学曾一度被视为各门科学的基础。
• Is the movie dubbed or does it have subtitles? 这部电影是配音的还是打字幕的？ 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 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

5 civic   

adj.城市的，都市的，市民的，公民的

参考例句：

• I feel it is my civic duty to vote.我认为投票选举是我作为公民的义务。
• The civic leaders helped to forward the project.市政府领导者协助促进工程的进展。

6 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。

7 atrocities   

n.邪恶，暴行( atrocity的名词复数 )；滔天大罪

参考例句：

• They were guilty of the most barbarous and inhuman atrocities. 他们犯有最野蛮、最灭绝人性的残暴罪行。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The enemy's atrocities made one boil with anger. 敌人的暴行令人发指。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 elusive   

adj.难以表达(捉摸)的；令人困惑的；逃避的

参考例句：

• Try to catch the elusive charm of the original in translation.翻译时设法把握住原文中难以捉摸的风韵。
• Interpol have searched all the corners of the earth for the elusive hijackers.国际刑警组织已在世界各地搜查在逃的飞机劫持者。

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。

10 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

11 inquiries   

n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending further inquiries. 他获得保释，等候进一步调查。
• I have failed to reach them by postal inquiries. 我未能通过邮政查询与他们取得联系。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

12 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。