叙利亚政府使用化学武器对付反叛者

 　　WASHINGTON, June 13 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. intelligence community assessed that the Syrian government had used chemical weapons against rebels, White House said in a statement Thursday.

　　"Following a deliberative review, our intelligence community assesses that the Assad regime has used chemical weapons, including the nerve agent sarin, on a small scale against the opposition¹ multiple times in the last year," said White House Deputy National Security Advisor² Ben Rhodes in the statement.

　　"The intelligence community estimates that 100 to 150 people have died from detected chemical weapons attacks in Syria to date; however, casualty data is likely incomplete," he said.

　　Rhodes added that no "credible³" evidence indicated that the Syrian rebels had used chemical weapons.

　　U.S. President Barack Obama had said evidence has pointed⁴ to the use of chemical weapons inside of Syria. He had called time and again the use of or failure to secure chemical weapons by the Syrian government a "red line" or "game changer" in his handling of the conflict in the Middle East country. But Obama had also made it clear that he needed more specific information about what had exactly happened there.

　　In the statement, Rhodes said that Washington is working with its allies to present a "credible, evidentiary" case to share with the international community.

　　"The President has said that the use of chemical weapons would change his calculus⁵, and it has," he noted⁶.

　　The Syrian government's actions have led to increased support by Washington to the Syrian opposition, said Rhodes, adding that the United States has other "legal, financial, diplomatic, and military responses" available.

　　"We are prepared for all contingencies⁷, and we will make decisions on our own timeline," he said.

　　Rhodes stressed that any future U.S. action must serve its national interests and its objectives, which include achieving a negotiated political settlement, protecting the rights of all Syrians, securing unconventional and advanced conventional weapons, as well as countering terrorist activity.

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 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

3 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？

4 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

5 calculus   

n.微积分；结石

参考例句：

• This is a problem where calculus won't help at all.对于这一题，微积分一点也用不上。
• After studying differential calculus you will be able to solve these mathematical problems.学了微积分之后，你们就能够解这些数学题了。

6 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

7 contingencies   

n.偶然发生的事故，意外事故( contingency的名词复数 )；以备万一

参考例句：

• We must consider all possible contingencies. 我们必须考虑一切可能发生的事。
• We must be prepared for all contingencies. 我们要作好各种准备，以防意外。 来自辞典例句