VOA标准英语2013--Pentagon Braces for Automatic Cuts

 

Pentagon Braces¹ for Automatic Cuts

Among the early signs of tough times that sequester² will bring: the Pentagon this month announced will not deploy³ the aircraft carrier Harry⁴ S. Truman to the Persian Gulf⁵. 

The timing⁶ for the massive cuts is bad. A change of leadership at the Pentagon is under way and departing Secretary Leon Panetta leaves no doubt his successor will be walking into a budget mess.

"If these cuts happen, there will be serious disruption in defense⁷ programs and a sharp decline in our military readiness. We have already begun an all-out effort to plan for how to operate under such a scenario⁸, but it's also very clear that there are no good options," Panetta said. 

Troop training and maintenance of aircraft and ships would be delayed or suspended. The defense department faces the deepest cuts: $46 billion in the next seven months alone. Panetta says the damage will be far-reaching.

“We will furlough as many as 800,000 DOD civilians⁹ around the country for up to 22 days," Panetta said. "They could face a 20 percent cut in their salary. You don’t think that’s going to impact on our economy?

The sequester reductions come on top of a 10-year program of cuts - totaling nearly $500 billion - which were announced earlier but have not yet begun.

For Panetta’s successor, the job will be to run a smaller military with less money but growing threats -- spanning from the Middle East to Africa and North Korea. 

Anthony Cordesman is with the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

“Basically, it’s a slash¹⁰ and burn operation, initially¹¹ at least, until the Congress turns it off. And then the question is no one knows -- will it be a continuing resolution? Will it be something going back to the previous level,” Cordesman asked.

When the cuts end depends on how soon Congress and the White House reach a budget deal. In the meantime, the concern among security analysts¹² and Pentagon leaders is the extent of damage that could be done to the nation’s defenses. 

1 braces   

n.吊带，背带；托架( brace的名词复数 )；箍子；括弧；（儿童）牙箍v.支住( brace的第三人称单数 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来

参考例句：

• The table is shaky because the braces are loose. 这张桌子摇摇晃晃，因为支架全松了。
• You don't need braces if you're wearing a belt! 要系腰带，就用不着吊带了。

2 sequester   

vt.使退隐，使隔绝

参考例句：

• Everything he owned was sequestered.他的所有财产都被扣押了。
• This jury is expected to be sequestered for at least two months.预计这个陪审团将至少被隔离两个月。

3 deploy   

v.（军）散开成战斗队形，布置，展开

参考例句：

• The infantry began to deploy at dawn.步兵黎明时开始进入战斗位置。
• The president said he had no intention of deploying ground troops.总统称并不打算部署地面部队。

4 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

5 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

6 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

7 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。

8 scenario   

n.剧本，脚本；概要

参考例句：

• But the birth scenario is not completely accurate.然而分娩脚本并非完全准确的。
• This is a totally different scenario.这是完全不同的剧本。

9 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

10 slash   

vi.大幅度削减；vt.猛砍，尖锐抨击，大幅减少；n.猛砍，斜线，长切口，衣衩

参考例句：

• The shop plans to slash fur prices after Spring Festival.该店计划在春节之后把皮货降价。
• Don't slash your horse in that cruel way.不要那样残忍地鞭打你的马。

11 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

12 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。