VOA标准英语2009年-Pentagon Says Operations to Clear Taliban

A U.S. Defense¹ Department spokesman says there will be more operations like the one launched in southern Afghanistan to secure a Taliban-controlled district in Helmand Province, and that coalition² and Afghan forces will hold such areas after they drive out the insurgent³ forces.
　
U.S. Marine⁴ throws a smoke grenade to help provide cover for Afghan National Army forces in Dahaneh, 12 Aug 2009

Defense Department Spokesman Bryan Whitman says the operation in Nawzad District was timed to clear the area of insurgents⁵ before next Thursday's Afghan presidential election.

"U.S. forces along with our Afghan partners and the rest of the coalition that is there are trying to ensure that as we run up to the election that Afghans are going to have the freedom of movement to go to the polling places and be able to cast their vote, and to do it in a secure and unfettered manner," he said. "An operation like this contributes to that goal."

Whitman says there will be more such operations in the coming days, but they will not stop after the election.

"These types of operations you are going to see continue up until the elections, and after the elections," said Whitman. "This is a sustained effort that will be ongoing⁶ throughout the country."
　
US Marines take a position on a rooftop while fighting the Taliban in the village of Dahaneh, in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan, 12 Aug 2009

The operation in Nawzad, involving 400 U.S. troops and 100 Afghan soldiers, is part of a larger operation by mostly U.S. marines in Helmand Province. The offensives are part of the new strategy announced in March by President Barack Obama, and being implemented⁷ by his new commander in Afghanistan General Stanley McChrystal. The strategy calls for international and Afghan troops to secure more parts of the country, and then to stay in those areas to keep the Taliban out and allow the Afghan government to establish its authority and provide services.

"You are well aware of the strategies that are being employed, and the importance of once securing an area of being able to hold that area and allow the type of governance process to take root so that Taliban activity, insurgent activity, is not allowed to be able to resurface," said Whitman.

It is a huge task, particularly in a country with a widely dispersed⁸ population and large areas of rough terrain⁹. Several civilian¹⁰ experts called in to advise General McChrystal say he needs more troops, even beyond the near doubling already authorized¹¹ and mostly already in place.

But officials say the general has not yet decided¹² whether to ask for more troops. His 60-day assessment is expected to be delivered to Defense Secretary Robert Gates soon, but officials say it will likely not be made public until September

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 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

3 insurgent   

adj.叛乱的，起事的；n.叛乱分子

参考例句：

• Faruk says they are threatened both by insurgent and government forces.法鲁克说，他们受到暴乱分子和政府军队的双重威胁。
• The insurgent mob assembled at the gate of the city park.叛变的暴徒聚在市立公园的门口。

4 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

5 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

6 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

7 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

8 dispersed   

adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的

参考例句：

• The clouds dispersed themselves. 云散了。
• After school the children dispersed to their homes. 放学后，孩子们四散回家了。

9 terrain   

n.地面，地形，地图

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• He knows the terrain of this locality like the back of his hand.他对这一带的地形了如指掌。

10 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。

11 authorized   

a.委任的，许可的

参考例句：

• An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。

12 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。