VOA标准英语2013--Aid to Syrian Opposition Falls Short of Expectations

 

Aid to Syrian Opposition¹ Falls Short of Expectations

The continuing death and destruction in Syria have intensified² international concern, but have not changed the strategic situation: The West and key Arab countries don't want to do anything that would strengthen the militant³ wings of the Syrian opposition.

That was the dilemma⁴ facing Kerry and other foreign leaders when they met with key Syrian opposition figures in Rome on Thursday. The result was a $60-million increase in U.S. civilian⁵ aid.

“This funding will allow the opposition to reach out and help the local councils to be able to rebuild in their liberated⁶ areas of Syria, so that they can provide basic services to people who often lack access today to medical care, to food, to sanitation," said Kerry.

The United States also will for the first time provide aid directly to the Syrian rebel fighters - combat rations⁷ and medical supplies, but not the weapons, vehicles and body armor they want. There is concern that any aid could fall into the hands of the militants⁸.

And there is another reason, according to Daniel Serwer of Washington's Middle East Institute - a desire not to antagonize Syria's main foreign supporter, Russia.

“The United States needs Russian help on Afghanistan with the withdrawal⁹ of American troops through the northern distribution network, troops and equipment, and it needs Russian help for the P5+1 nuclear talks with Iran," said Serwer.

Still, Serwer said the limited U.S. aid will be significant. “I think it will make a difference because I think if the opposition starts to be seen as a real alternative to the regime, that would make a big difference both within Syria and more broadly in the world.”

Kerry indicating the idea is to provide a credible¹⁰ alternative not only to the regime, but to militant rebel groups that have been effective at providing services in liberated areas.

Salman Shaikh of the Brookings Institution agreed that there is an important political element to the new U.S. aid. But he said it won't make much practical difference.

“The United States is edging forward, but in and of itself, biscuits and Band-Aids are not going to change the conflict on the ground. The conflict is in a very dangerous situation now,” said Shaikh.

Kerry wants the new international aid to change Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's calculation about whether he should resign or continue to fight. Previous efforts have not. 

Nor have the passage of more than a year - and Assad's increased attacks on civilians¹¹ - changed the U.S. calculation that it is best not to get involved militarily, or even to arm the opposition it supports. 

1 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

2 intensified   

v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Violence intensified during the night. 在夜间暴力活动加剧了。
• The drought has intensified. 旱情加剧了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 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。

4 dilemma   

n.困境，进退两难的局面

参考例句：

• I am on the horns of a dilemma about the matter.这件事使我进退两难。
• He was thrown into a dilemma.他陷入困境。

5 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

6 liberated   

a.无拘束的，放纵的

参考例句：

• The city was liberated by the advancing army. 军队向前挺进，解放了那座城市。
• The heat brings about a chemical reaction, and oxygen is liberated. 热量引起化学反应，释放出氧气。

7 rations   

定量( ration的名词复数 )； 配给量； 正常量； 合理的量

参考例句：

• They are provisioned with seven days' rations. 他们得到了7天的给养。
• The soldiers complained that they were getting short rations. 士兵们抱怨他们得到的配给不够数。

8 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。

9 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

10 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？

11 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。