VOA标准英语2009年-Somalia Threatened by Foreign Invasion, Ne

Somalia's neighbors are pleading for urgent international help to prevent the strategic Horn of Africa nation from falling into the hands of foreigners bent¹ on turning it into a haven² for terrorists. Regional foreign ministers held an emergency session to rally support for a last ditch effort to defend the transitional Somali government against a foreign invasion force.
　
Armed Al-Shabaab fighters patrol Bakara Market in Mogadishu, Somalia, 29 Jun 2009

Six Horn of Africa countries comprising the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, or IGAD, met in extraordinary session Friday with representatives of the African Union and the United Nations. The subject was how to save Somalia's embattled government from imminent³ collapse⁴.

A day after the U.N. Security Council threatened sanctions against regional rogue⁵ state Eritrea, Ethiopia's Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin said Somalia's conflict has changed from a civil war to a foreign invasion by forces hoping to create a radical⁶ Islamic state.

"The fighting is no longer between and among Somalis," he said. "It is a war of aggression⁷ on Somalia by external enemies, including al-Qaida."

Somalia's Foreign Minister Mohamed Abdilahi Omaar warned that radical Islamist fighters are arriving by the thousands.

"The current war in Somalia is a foreign war, led and supported by from outside the country," he said. "The leaders and the commanders of the armies are foreign, money comes from outside, ideology⁸ and political intentions, and programs are foreign based."

The U.N. Security Council is considering a request by the African Union and IGAD for tough measures to stop the foreign influx⁹, including a naval¹⁰ blockade and a no-fly zone. Experts, however, say those measures will take months to implement¹¹, and would likely have limited effect in patrolling Africa's longest coastline.

What may be more timely is a rapid infusion¹² of new forces to the African Union Peacekeeping force known as AMISOM, which is currently at only a little more than half its authorized¹³ strength of 8,000, and giving them authority to use force rather than simply to defend themselves.
　
Africa Union peacekeepers man the entrance to the presidential palace in the embattled Somalia capital Mogadishu, 23 Feb 2009

In May, Somali troops backed by AMISOM repulsed¹⁴ a ferocious¹⁵ al-Shabab military assault aimed at toppling the transitional government. But AU Peace and Security Council director El-Ghassim Wane¹⁶ told the ministers the radical forces have regrouped and appear to be ready for a second wave.

"Even though the insurgents¹⁷ have so far not achieved their objectives, there is credible¹⁸ information that they are moving their forces into strategic positions in preparation for another major offensive," said Wane. "This of course calls for enhanced continued response by the AU and IGAD with the support of our partners in the international community."

Uganda and Burundi provide almost the entire AMISOM force at present. Both have pledged to send more, but the dispatch of troops has been delayed by technical issues. Other potential troop contributions appear to be month or years away

The IGAD countries, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, Uganda, Djibouti and Somalia, are appealing to the U.N. Security Council to repeal¹⁹ part of an earlier resolution that prohibits Somalia's neighbors from contributing troops to AMISOM.

The United States recently delivered a $10 million package of weapons and training to Somali government forces. But military experts say it will take much more, including air and naval capability²⁰, to stop the well-trained and well-financed foreign fighters.

1 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

2 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。

3 imminent   

adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的

参考例句：

• The black clounds show that a storm is imminent.乌云预示暴风雨即将来临。
• The country is in imminent danger.国难当头。

4 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

5 rogue   

n.流氓；v.游手好闲

参考例句：

• The little rogue had his grandpa's glasses on.这淘气鬼带上了他祖父的眼镜。
• They defined him as a rogue.他们确定他为骗子。

6 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。

7 aggression   

n.进攻，侵略，侵犯，侵害

参考例句：

• So long as we are firmly united, we need fear no aggression.只要我们紧密地团结，就不必惧怕外来侵略。
• Her view is that aggression is part of human nature.她认为攻击性是人类本性的一部份。

8 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。

9 influx   

n.流入，注入

参考例句：

• The country simply cannot absorb this influx of refugees.这个国家实在不能接纳这么多涌入的难民。
• Textile workers favoured protection because they feared an influx of cheap cloth.纺织工人拥护贸易保护措施，因为他们担心涌入廉价纺织品。

10 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

11 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

12 infusion   

n.灌输

参考例句：

• Old families need an infusion of new blood from time to time.古老的家族需要不时地注入新鲜血液。
• Careful observation of the infusion site is necessary.必须仔细观察输液部位。

13 authorized   

a.委任的，许可的

参考例句：

• An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。

14 repulsed   

v.击退( repulse的过去式和过去分词 )；驳斥；拒绝

参考例句：

• I was repulsed by the horrible smell. 这种可怕的气味让我恶心。
• At the first brush,the enemy was repulsed. 敌人在第一次交火时就被击退了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 ferocious   

adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的

参考例句：

• The ferocious winds seemed about to tear the ship to pieces.狂风仿佛要把船撕成碎片似的。
• The ferocious panther is chasing a rabbit.那只凶猛的豹子正追赶一只兔子。

16 wane   

n.衰微，亏缺，变弱；v.变小，亏缺，呈下弦

参考例句：

• The moon is on the wane.月亮渐亏。
• Her enthusiasm for him was beginning to wane.她对他的热情在开始减退。

17 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

18 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？

19 repeal   

n.废止，撤消；v.废止，撤消

参考例句：

• He plans to repeal a number of current policies.他计划废除一些当前的政策。
• He has made out a strong case for the repeal of the law.他提出强有力的理由，赞成废除该法令。

20 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。