VOA标准英语2009-US Lawmakers Divided on Afghanistan

Opinions remain sharply divided in Congress as President Obama says a new plan will address every aspect of US strategy in the war

Michael Bowman | Washington 22 November 2009

Democratic Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania (File)

"I do not believe we ought to add troops in Afghanistan unless it is indispensable in our war against al-Qaida," says Democratic Senator Arlen Specter

As U.S. President Barack Obama nears an anticipated decision on America's future engagement in Afghanistan, opinions remain sharply divided in Congress, which would provide funding for the mission. 

Weeks have passed since President Obama's top commander in Afghanistan formally urged the White House to order a swift surge of U.S. troops to battle militant¹ extremists in the violence-plagued nation.  President Obama has promised to unveil a detailed² plan for Afghanistan in coming weeks, one that he says will address every aspect of U.S. strategy in the war and put the United States and its NATO allies on a path to victory.

But what the White House sees as a necessary, thoughtful process to arrive at the best-possible decision on an eight-year conflict is seen as dangerous "dithering" [delay] by Republican legislators.  Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee spoke³ on Fox News Sunday.

"He [Obama] should show a sense of urgency and come up to Congress and tell us exactly what he plans to do," said Alexander.

Fellow-Republican Senator Kit⁴ Bond of Missouri blasted the president for recent comments in which he stressed the need for an exit strategy from Afghanistan.

"Now saying we are going in with a plan of getting out tells not only our troops that we are unsure about [U.S.] support [for the mission], but it tells the people of Afghanistan that the United States does not have the will to stay,” said Bond. “We have to win the confidence of the people of Afghanistan."

But not everyone believes that more U.S. troops, however rapidly deployed⁵, will assure the defeat of Taliban militants⁶ and deny terrorists a safe haven⁷ from which to plan attacks on Western targets.  Among the skeptics is Democratic Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, who also appeared on Fox News Sunday.

"I do not believe we ought to add troops in Afghanistan unless it is indispensable in our war against al-Qaida,” said Specter.  “If it is, then we have to do whatever it takes because al-Qaida is out to annihilate⁸ us.  If they can organize as well in Yemen or Somalia or someplace else, then why fight in Afghanistan where no one [outside force] has been successful for millennia⁹?"

U.S. public-opinion surveys show declining support for the war in Afghanistan.  Many analysts¹⁰ believe President Obama will order additional U.S. forces to Afghanistan, but the total will be less than the 40,000 troops requested by his top commander in the country, General Stanley McChrystal.

1 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。

2 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

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 kit   

n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物

参考例句：

• The kit consisted of about twenty cosmetic items.整套工具包括大约20种化妆用品。
• The captain wants to inspect your kit.船长想检查你的行装。

5 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

6 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

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 annihilate   

v.使无效；毁灭；取消

参考例句：

• Archer crumpled up the yellow sheet as if the gesture could annihilate the news it contained.阿切尔把这张黄纸揉皱，好象用这个动作就会抹掉里面的消息似的。
• We should bear in mind that we have to annihilate the enemy.我们要把歼敌的重任时刻记在心上。

9 millennia   

n.一千年，千禧年

参考例句：

• For two millennia, exogamy was a major transgression for Jews. 两千年来，异族通婚一直是犹太人的一大禁忌。
• In the course of millennia, the dinosaurs died out. 在几千年的时间里，恐龙逐渐死绝了。

10 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。