VOA标准英语2009年-UN Envoy Endorses More Troops for Afghanis

By Al Pessin
Bratislava
23 October 2009
 
United Nation's special envoy¹ to Afghanistan Kai Eide
The top United Nations envoy for Afghanistan says more foreign troops are needed to help secure the country, and to train its army and police forces. The envoy, Norwegian diplomat² Kai Eide, spoke³ to reporters at a NATO defense⁴ ministers meeting in Bratislava, Slovakia, Friday.

U.N. Special Envoy Kai Eide was blunt during a news conference before meeting with NATO's defense ministers. The Norwegian diplomat told reporters he endorsed⁵ the grim assessment⁶ by the NATO and U.S. commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, and his call for a change in the way the alliance operates in the country.

"We have come to a point where I believe McChrystal is right," Eide said. "If we continue the way we've done so far, both with regard to the military effort, the civilian⁷ effort and the behavior of the Afghan government, this project will not work. Does it mean it's not doable? I believe it is doable, but it requires some basic changes, both from the Afghan government and from the international community."

General McChrystal is asking for tens of thousands more troops, although the exact figure is secret. Ambassador Eide endorsed the idea, but would not be specific on how many more foreign troops he thinks Afghanistan needs.

"I do believe, yes, that additional international troops are required," Eide said. "And I emphasize in particular the need that we have for such troops in order to partner better and mentor⁸ the Afghan national security forces as they grow."

He said that means working directly with the Afghan forces, and helping⁹ provide security between now and when the Afghans can handle the job on their own. And he called on coalition¹⁰ countries to all do their share.

"I believe that this can not be a U.S. only enterprise," Eide said. "There has to be contribution from other troop contributors, and in particular Europeans."

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates is attending this meeting with a similar message, calling for a broad range of additional European help in Afghanistan, even though President Barack Obama has not yet decided¹¹ whether to send more U.S. troops.

Mr. Eide, the U.N. envoy, also welcomed preparations for the Afghan presidential runoff election on November 7. He said he has a commitment from the Afghan election commission that officials involved in fraud during the first round will not be hired for the runoff. But he also admitted he will not be able to prevent all fraud in the second round.

"I do not expect that we will be able to eliminate fraud in two weeks' time," Eide said. "I think that's beyond the realm of what is possible in such a short time. But what I do expect and what we will try to do is to reduce the level of fraud."

Kai Eide said a cleaner election and a credible¹² government will go a long way toward closing what he called the "gap" between the Afghan people and officials in Kabul. He also said a more responsive and effective Afghan government would help dispel¹³ doubt in the international community and inspire more assistance. He called the runoff and the period afterward¹⁴ when a new government is formed a "turning point" in the effort to defeat the extremists and deliver good government and economic development to Afghanistan.

1 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

2 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

3 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

4 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。

5 endorsed   

vt.& vi.endorse的过去式或过去分词形式v.赞同( endorse的过去式和过去分词 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品

参考例句：

• The committee endorsed an initiative by the chairman to enter discussion about a possible merger. 委员会通过了主席提出的新方案，开始就可能进行的并购进行讨论。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The government has broadly endorsed a research paper proposing new educational targets for 14-year-olds. 政府基本上支持建议对14 岁少年实行新教育目标的研究报告。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

7 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

8 mentor   

n.指导者，良师益友；v.指导

参考例句：

• He fed on the great ideas of his mentor.他以他导师的伟大思想为支撑。
• He had mentored scores of younger doctors.他指导过许多更年轻的医生。

9 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。

10 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

11 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

12 credible   

adj.可信任的，可靠的

参考例句：

• The news report is hardly credible.这则新闻报道令人难以置信。
• Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?是否有可以取代核威慑力量的可靠办法？

13 dispel   

vt.驱走，驱散，消除

参考例句：

• I tried in vain to dispel her misgivings.我试图消除她的疑虑，但没有成功。
• We hope the programme will dispel certain misconceptions about the disease.我们希望这个节目能消除对这种疾病的一些误解。

14 afterward   

adv.后来；以后

参考例句：

• Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏，然后吃饭。
• Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来，这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。