VOA标准英语2009年-Adviser: Obama Taking New Approach to Defe

President Barack Obama's senior counterterrorism adviser¹, John Brennan, says the United States is taking a new and broader approach to defeat al-Qaida and other violent extremists worldwide. At the same time, Brennan made clear on Thursday that Mr. Obama no longer wants the United States and all of its foreign policy goals to be defined by the "war on terror."
　
John Brennan, President Barack Obama's senior counter-terrorism adviser, speaking in April 2009 (file photo)

Speaking at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, President Obama's chief counter-terrorism adviser laid out the administration's approach. Brennan defended President Obama against critics who argue his administration is "soft on terror," saying the president knows that al-Qaida terrorists remain committed to carrying out a deadly attack on U.S. soil.

"President Obama has articulated a clear policy to disrupt, dismantle² and defeat al-Qaida and its allies. That is our mission," Brennan said. "And the president described it in no uncertain terms in his inaugural³ [address] when he said, 'Our nation is at war against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred⁴.' And to win this war against al-Qaida, the administration continues to be unrelenting, using every tool in its toolbox and every arrow in its quiver," he continued.

Brennan promised that the United States will keep up the pressure on terrorist havens⁵ worldwide, including those near the Afghan-Pakistani border. But he stressed the United States must combine its military might that has damaged al-Qaida during the past several years with other tools, such as diplomacy⁷ and development aid, as well as expand human intelligence to defeat an adaptable⁸ enemy.

In what he called a departure from the Bush administration, Brennan said President Obama strongly believes that the United States can no longer let the "war on terror" dictate⁹ the nation's international agenda.
　
President Barack Obama in Raleigh, NC (file photo)

"The fight against terrorists and violent extremists has been returned to its right and proper place -- no longer defining, indeed, distorting, our entire national security and foreign policy, but rather serving as a vital part of those larger policies," said Brennan. "President Obama has made it clear that the United States will not be defined simply by what we are against, but by what we are for -- the opportunity, liberties, prosperity and common aspirations¹⁰ we share with the rest of the world," he continued.

Brennan said the approach can be seen in President Obama's personal diplomacy, especially in his speech to the Muslim community in Cairo this year. He said the president is determined¹¹ to correct the false perception that the United States is at war with Islam, which, he said, is exactly what terrorist leader Osama bin⁶ Laden¹² intended.

Brennan said the truth is that the United States is at war with al-Qaida and its violent, extremist allies.

"As many have noted¹³, the President does not describe this as a "war on terrorism." That is because 'terrorism' is but a tactic¹⁴ -- a means to an end, which in al-Qaida's case is global domination by an Islamic caliphate. Confusing ends and means is dangerous because by focusing on the tactic, we risk floundering among the terrorist trees, while missing the growth of the extremist forest," he noted.

Brennan said the Obama administration will also focus on factors that contribute to terrorism, such as poverty, and a lack of education and other opportunities for young people in many developing areas of the world.

1 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

2 dismantle   

vt.拆开，拆卸；废除，取消

参考例句：

• He asked for immediate help from the United States to dismantle the warheads.他请求美国立即提供援助，拆除这批弹头。
• The mower firmly refused to mow,so I decided to dismantle it.修完后割草机还是纹丝不动，于是，我决定把它拆开。

3 inaugural   

adj.就职的；n.就职典礼

参考例句：

• We listened to the President's inaugural speech on the radio yesterday.昨天我们通过无线电听了总统的就职演说。
• Professor Pearson gave the inaugural lecture in the new lecture theatre.皮尔逊教授在新的阶梯讲堂发表了启用演说。

4 hatred   

n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨

参考例句：

• He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.他以憎恨的眼光望着我。
• The old man was seized with burning hatred for the fascists.老人对法西斯主义者充满了仇恨。

5 havens   

n.港口，安全地方( haven的名词复数 )v.港口，安全地方( haven的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Your twenty havens would back out at the last minute anyhow. 你那二十个避难所到了最后一分钟也要不认帐。 来自辞典例句
• Using offshore havens to avoid taxes and investor protections. 使用海面的港口避免税和投资者保护。 来自互联网

6 bin   

n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件

参考例句：

• He emptied several bags of rice into a bin.他把几袋米倒进大箱里。
• He threw the empty bottles in the bin.他把空瓶子扔进垃圾箱。

7 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

8 adaptable   

adj.能适应的，适应性强的，可改编的

参考例句：

• He is an adaptable man and will soon learn the new work.他是个适应性很强的人，很快就将学会这种工作。
• The soil is adaptable to the growth of peanuts.这土壤适宜于花生的生长。

9 dictate   

v.口授；(使)听写；指令，指示，命令

参考例句：

• It took him a long time to dictate this letter.口述这封信花了他很长时间。
• What right have you to dictate to others?你有什么资格向别人发号施令？

10 aspirations   

强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 )； 志向； 发送气音； 发 h 音

参考例句：

• I didn't realize you had political aspirations. 我没有意识到你有政治上的抱负。
• The new treaty embodies the aspirations of most nonaligned countries. 新条约体现了大多数不结盟国家的愿望。

11 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

12 laden   

adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的

参考例句：

• He is laden with heavy responsibility.他肩负重任。
• Dragging the fully laden boat across the sand dunes was no mean feat.将满载货物的船拖过沙丘是一件了不起的事。

13 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

14 tactic   

n.战略，策略；adj.战术的，有策略的

参考例句：

• Reducing prices is a common sales tactic.降价是常用的销售策略。
• She had often used the tactic of threatening to resign.她惯用以辞职相威胁的手法。