VOA标准英语2010年-President to Decide McChrystal's Futur

President Barack Obama is deciding whether to fire his commander in Afghanistan after the officer, General Stanley McChrystal, and his staff made derogatory statements about the president and other senior administration officials.  The comments were made to a reporter for Rolling Stone magazine.

President Obama took the unusual step of ordering General McChrystal home for an Oval Office meeting after he read the article, which White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said made the president "angry." 

The president indicated he is considering firing the general. "Whatever decision that I make with respect to General McChrystal or any other aspect of Afghan policy is determined¹ entirely² on how I can make sure that we have a strategy that justifies³ the enormous courage and sacrifice those men and women are making over there and that ultimately makes this country safer," he said.

The president said the article showed "poor judgment," but said he wants to talk to the general before making any decision.

Robert Gibbs called the article a "profound" mistake and said "all options are on the table" as the president considers what to do.

Gibbs said the general's mistake was to say things, and allow his staff to say things, that have distracted the attention of the president's national security team from its top priority - defeating the Taliban and related groups in Afghanistan so U.S. troops can begin to come home a year from now.

General Stanley McChrystal (file photo)

In the article in Rolling Stone, McChrystal is quoted as belittling⁴ the importance of a meeting with President Obama, making fun of Vice-president Joe Biden and accusing the U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, Karl Eikenberry, of betraying him in a policy dispute.  McChrystal also stands by as members of his staff ridicule⁵ the vice-president, the president's National Security Adviser⁶, retired⁷ General Jim Jones, and the special U.S. envoy⁸ for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Ambassador Richard Holbrooke.

McChrystal apologized for the article Tuesday, calling it "a mistake reflecting poor judgment," and said he has "enormous respect" for the president and his national security team.  He telephoned several of them on Tuesday.

U.S. Defense⁹ Secretary Robert Gates recommended McChrystal for the Afghanistan command a year ago, and fired his predecessor¹⁰ to make room for him.  At the time, and repeatedly since then, Gates has called McChrystal the right man for the job and said he has a unique understanding of the complex counterinsurgency approach Afghanistan requires.  Gates praised McChrystal again just last week at a Senate hearing. 

"We think we have the right assets, we have the right strategy, we have the right leadership. And most of our allies and partners share our view that things are heading in the right direction," Gates said.

On Tuesday, Gates issued a statement saying General McChrystal had made a "significant mistake and exercised poor judgment," and he lamented¹¹ the "distraction¹²" from what he said should be the "singular focus" on the war effort.

At the same hearing, the top U.S. military officer, Admiral Mike Mullen, also offered an endorsement¹³ of McChrystal and his team.  "We've got (a) tremendous leadership team, we've put the resources in, and it's a very, very difficult counterinsurgency," Mullen said.

On Tuesday, a spokesman said Mullen expressed "deep disappointment" in a call with McChrystal.

General McChrystal also got in trouble last year, during the White House Afghan policy review, when he said in London the effort in Afghanistan could fail if the president refused to send more troops.

The Rolling Stone article has resulted in much speculation¹⁴ about whether General McChrystal should be fired.  But the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, former presidential candidate Senator John Kerry, offered some of the few words of support for the general heard around Washington Tuesday. "I have enormous respect for General McChrystal.  I think he's a terrific soldier.  And this is a critical moment in Afghanistan.  As far as I am concerned, personally, the top priority is our mission in Afghanistan and our ability to proceed forward competently," Kerry said.

The question is whether McChrystal's ability to lead that mission has been compromised beyond repair in terms of his ability to command respect at the Pentagon and the White House, and in the field.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who McChrystal has worked hard to build a good relationship with, expressed support on Tuesday.  But at the White House, Robert Gibbs indicated no one, not even as important a commander as General McChrystal, is indispensable. "I think our efforts in Afghanistan are bigger than one person," he said.

Gibbs said President Obama's decision will be announced on Wednesday, after a private White House meeting with McChrystal and a previously-scheduled meeting of his national security team to discuss the situation in Afghanistan.

 

1 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。

2 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

3 justifies   

证明…有理( justify的第三人称单数 )； 为…辩护； 对…作出解释； 为…辩解（或辩护）

参考例句：

• Their frequency of use both justifies and requires the memorization. 频繁的使用需要记忆，也促进了记忆。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• In my judgement the present end justifies the means. 照我的意见，只要目的正当，手段是可以不计较的。

4 belittling   

使显得微小，轻视，贬低( belittle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• We must be realistic in our self-estimation, neither being conceited nor belittling ourselves. 我们对自己的估计应该实事求是， 不要自高自大，也不要妄自菲薄。
• I find it belittling to be criticized by someone so much younger than me. 有个比我年轻许多的人批评了我，我觉得是小看了我。

5 ridicule   

v.讥讽，挖苦；n.嘲弄

参考例句：

• You mustn't ridicule unfortunate people.你不该嘲笑不幸的人。
• Silly mistakes and queer clothes often arouse ridicule.荒谬的错误和古怪的服装常会引起人们的讪笑。

6 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。

7 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

8 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。

9 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。

10 predecessor   

n.前辈，前任

参考例句：

• It will share the fate of its predecessor.它将遭受与前者同样的命运。
• The new ambassador is more mature than his predecessor.新大使比他的前任更成熟一些。

11 lamented   

adj.被哀悼的，令人遗憾的v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• her late lamented husband 她那令人怀念的已故的丈夫
• We lamented over our bad luck. 我们为自己的不幸而悲伤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 distraction   

n.精神涣散，精神不集中，消遣，娱乐

参考例句：

• Total concentration is required with no distractions.要全神贯注，不能有丝毫分神。
• Their national distraction is going to the disco.他们的全民消遣就是去蹦迪。

13 endorsement   

n.背书；赞成，认可，担保；签(注)，批注

参考例句：

• We are happy to give the product our full endorsement.我们很高兴给予该产品完全的认可。
• His presidential campaign won endorsement from several celebrities.他参加总统竞选得到一些社会名流的支持。

14 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。