2006年VOA标准英语-US Defense Secretary Says Farewell at Pentagon

By Al Pessin Pentagon 15 December 2006 President Bush and other dignitaries gathered at the Pentagon Friday to say farewell to Defense1 Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who will leave office on Monday. The president and others praised the often-controversial secretary for his dedication2 and leadership over the last six years. VOA's Al Pessin reports from the Pentagon. Vice3 President Cheney at farewell parade" hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070512/1038510.jpg" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" /> From left, Donald Rumsfeld, President Bush and Vice President Cheney at farewell parade With a military band playing and hundreds of people watching on a parade ground just outside the Pentagon, senior military and civilian4 leaders gathered to pay tribute to Secretary Rumsfeld. President Bush called him "one of America's most skilled, energetic and dedicated5 public servants" and a man of "strategic vision" and deep devotion to the country and its men and women in uniform. He said, "This man knows how to lead. And he did it. And the country is better off for it." The president credited Rumsfeld with leading the U.S. military through two wars, helping6 the people of Iraq and Afghanistan gain their freedom, leading transformation7 efforts in the defense department and in the NATO alliance and reorganizing the U.S. command structure after the September 11t terrorist attacks in 2001. Friday's ceremony was held not far from where a passenger jet controlled by terrorists slammed into the Pentagon that day. President Bush also praised Rumsfeld for his efforts to stem the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, for supervising the development of the new U.S. missile defense system and for implementing8 what the president called "the most sweeping9 transformation of America's global defense posture10 since the start of the Cold War" in the 1940s. After having said he intended to keep Secretary Rumsfeld in office until his term ends in 2009, President Bush announced Rumsfeld's departure from office last month, the day after his Republican party lost badly in congressional elections, largely due to public dissatisfaction with the continuing violence in Iraq. At Friday's ceremony, the top U.S. military officer, General Peter Pace, praised Secretary Rumsfeld for what he called the "courage" to speak his mind in public and in high level meetings, even when his ideas were not popular, and for the compassion11 he has for U.S. troops and their families. Rumsfeld's long-time friend and colleague, Vice-president Dick Cheney, teased Rumsfeld for being a tough boss, but also said he would not be vice-president today if not for the experience he had working for Rumsfeld early in his career. And Cheney added this definitive12 praise. "I believe the record speaks for itself. Don Rumsfeld is the finest secretary of defense this nation has ever had," he said. But Rumsfeld's tenure13 was also fraught14 with controversy15. Among many difficulties, he was accused of not providing enough troops or the right strategy to ensure post-combat stability in Iraq and Afghanistan, and of allowing the abuse of prisoners at Abu Ghraib in Baghdad and elsewhere. He recently called the day he learned of the Abu Ghraib abuses the worst of his tenure, worse, apparently16, than September 11. Taking the podium to say farewell, the 74-year-old defense secretary seemed to be moved by the applause of the crowd. He made his thank-yous, and then warned Americans not to give up in Iraq, in spite of what he called the "agonies" and "ugliness" of combat. He said that would only "embolden17" America's adversaries18. He said, "Today, it should be clear that not only is weakness provocative19, but the perception of weakness on our part can be provocative, as well." "A conclusion by our enemies that the United States lacks the will, or the resolve, to carry out missions that demand sacrifice, and demand patience, is every bit as dangerous as an imbalance of conventional military power," he continued. The secretary also warned those who would threaten the United States not to conclude that Americans are reluctant to defend their way of life, just because they have a distaste for war. He also said the United States must do more militarily, because many U.S. allies are spending less on defense capabilities20, and he warned that the struggle against those who want to destroy the democratic way of life will be a long one. Monday will mark the end of Rumsfeld's second term as defense secretary. He also served in the post during the Ford21 administration in the 1970s. He was both the youngest and the oldest man ever to hold the job, and, adding the two terms together, he will fall 11 days short of becoming the longest serving defense secretary in U.S. history. That distinction is held by Robert McNamara, who served in the 1960s during the Vietnam War. Rumsfeld's long career included service as a navy pilot, member of Congress, ambassador to NATO and a variety of other government posts, as well as a successful career as a corporate22 executive. He says he may write a book after he leaves office.

1 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。

2 dedication   

n.奉献，献身，致力，题献，献辞

参考例句：

• We admire her courage,compassion and dedication.我们钦佩她的勇气、爱心和奉献精神。
• Her dedication to her work was admirable.她对工作的奉献精神可钦可佩。

3 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

4 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。

5 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。

6 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

7 transformation   

n.变化；改造；转变

参考例句：

• Going to college brought about a dramatic transformation in her outlook.上大学使她的观念发生了巨大的变化。
• He was struggling to make the transformation from single man to responsible husband.他正在努力使自己由单身汉变为可靠的丈夫。

8 implementing   

v.实现( implement的现在分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• -- Implementing a comprehensive drug control strategy. ――实行综合治理的禁毒战略。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• He was in no hurry about implementing his unshakable principle. 他并不急于实行他那不可动摇的原则。 来自辞典例句

9 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

10 posture   

n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势

参考例句：

• The government adopted an uncompromising posture on the issue of independence.政府在独立这一问题上采取了毫不妥协的态度。
• He tore off his coat and assumed a fighting posture.他脱掉上衣，摆出一副打架的架势。

11 compassion   

n.同情，怜悯

参考例句：

• He could not help having compassion for the poor creature.他情不自禁地怜悯起那个可怜的人来。
• Her heart was filled with compassion for the motherless children.她对于没有母亲的孩子们充满了怜悯心。

12 definitive   

adj.确切的，权威性的；最后的，决定性的

参考例句：

• This book is the definitive guide to world cuisine.这本书是世界美食的权威指南。
• No one has come up with a definitive answer as to why this should be so.至于为什么该这样，还没有人给出明确的答复。

13 tenure   

n.终身职位；任期；(土地)保有权，保有期

参考例句：

• He remained popular throughout his tenure of the office of mayor.他在担任市长的整个任期内都深得民心。
• Land tenure is a leading political issue in many parts of the world.土地的保有权在世界很多地区是主要的政治问题。

14 fraught   

adj.充满…的，伴有(危险等)的；忧虑的

参考例句：

• The coming months will be fraught with fateful decisions.未来数月将充满重大的决定。
• There's no need to look so fraught!用不着那么愁眉苦脸的！

15 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

16 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

17 embolden   

v.给…壮胆，鼓励

参考例句：

• Emboldened by the wine,he went over to introduce himself to her.他借酒壮胆，走上前去向她作自我介绍。
• The Prime Minister was steadily emboldened by the discovery that he faced no opposition.发现自己并未遭到反对，首相渐渐有了信心。

18 adversaries   

n.对手，敌手( adversary的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• That would cause potential adversaries to recoil from a challenge. 这会迫使潜在的敌人在挑战面前退缩。 来自辞典例句
• Every adversaries are more comfortable with a predictable, coherent America. 就连敌人也会因有可以预料的，始终一致的美国而感到舒服得多。 来自辞典例句

19 provocative   

adj.挑衅的，煽动的，刺激的，挑逗的

参考例句：

• She wore a very provocative dress.她穿了一件非常性感的裙子。
• His provocative words only fueled the argument further.他的挑衅性讲话只能使争论进一步激化。

20 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

21 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

22 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。