Sarkozy Sends Army Chief to Afghanistan

 　　French President Nicolas Sarkozy is sending his army chief to Afghanistan to study ways to enhance the safety of French soldiers as they begin withdrawal¹ from the country.

　　French Defense² Minister Gerard Longuet made the announcement after Mr. Sarkozy called an emergency meeting Thursday, following the deaths of six French soldiers in Afghanistan in the past two days.

　　Longuet said General Elrick Irastorza would leave immediately for Afghanistan to assess the situation there.  He is expected to report back to the president within a week.

　　Mr. Sarkozy called the meeting with his top security advisers³ Thursday in Paris to talk about how to keep French soldiers safe during the transition process out of Afghanistan.  He said the withdrawal period is the most complex part of the French mission in Afghanistan.

　　On Tuesday during a visit to Afghanistan, Mr. Sarkozy announced that France will pull out 1,000 or a quarter of its troops by the end of 2012.  Most international combat forces are set to leave Afghanistan and transfer security to Afghan forces by the end of 2014.

　　The French president's office also announced that another French soldier died Thursday in an attack by insurgents⁴ in Afghanistan's Alasay Valley, northeast of Kabul.  The day before, five French soldiers were killed when a suicide bomber⁵ blew himself up near French troops who were protecting a local council meeting in the Joybar area of Kapisa province.

　　Thursday's death brings the number of French troops killed in the country to 70 since 2001.  France has about 4,000 troops in Afghanistan.

　　Wednesday's attack on French forces was the deadliest since 2008, when 10 soldiers were killed and 21 wounded in a Taliban ambush⁶ in the Uzbin Valley, south of the Afghan capital.

　　Violence is at its worst point in Afghanistan since the U.S.-led invasion almost a decade ago.（本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑）

1 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。

2 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。

3 advisers   

顾问，劝告者( adviser的名词复数 )； （指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• a member of the President's favoured circle of advisers 总统宠爱的顾问班子中的一员
• She withdrew to confer with her advisers before announcing a decision. 她先去请教顾问然后再宣布决定。

4 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

5 bomber   

n.轰炸机，投弹手，投掷炸弹者

参考例句：

• He flew a bomber during the war.他在战时驾驶轰炸机。
• Detectives hunting the London bombers will be keen to interview him.追查伦敦爆炸案凶犯的侦探们急于对他进行讯问。

6 ambush   

n.埋伏(地点)；伏兵；v.埋伏；伏击

参考例句：

• Our soldiers lay in ambush in the jungle for the enemy.我方战士埋伏在丛林中等待敌人。
• Four men led by a sergeant lay in ambush at the crossroads.由一名中士率领的四名士兵埋伏在十字路口。