TED演讲:曝光政府腐败的战斗(8)

 　　But again, when it comes to the decisions which are impacting us the most, 但是，当我们谈论到最影响我们的决定，

　　perhaps, the most important decisions that are being made about war and so forth¹, 可能关于类似战争这种最重要的决定时，

　　again we can't just make a Freedom of Information request. It's really difficult. 我们又不能只是提出信息自由的要求，这是很困难的。

　　So we're still having to rely on illegitimate ways of getting information, through leaks. 所以我们仍然需要依靠非法的方式来获得信息，从漏洞中获得。

　　So when the Guardian² did this investigation³ about the Afghan War, 当英国卫报做这个关于阿富汗战争的报道时，

　　you know, they can't walk into the Department of Defense⁴ and ask for all the information. 他们不能就直接走进国防部，索要全部信息。

　　You know, they're just not going to get it. 这样做的话，是得不到的。

　　So this came from leaks of tens of thousands of dispatches that were written by American soldiers about the Afghan War, 这些信息都来自美国大兵写的关于阿富汗战争成千上万的急件，从这些漏洞里知道真相。

　　and leaked, and then they're able to do this investigation. 这样卫报才成功做了调查。

　　Another rather large investigation is around world diplomacy⁵. 另外一个大型的调查是关于全球外交的。

　　Again, this is all based around leaks, 251,000 U.S. diplomatic cables, and I was involved in this investigation 这个调查也来源于25100个美国的外交电缆里透露的信息，当时我也参与了调查，

　　because I got this leak through a leak from a disgruntled WikiLeaker and ended up going to work at the Guardian. 因为我从一个不满的维基解密人里得到了密报，最后到卫报里工作了。

　　So I can tell you firsthand what it was like to have access to this leak. 我能告诉你关于这个漏洞的第一手消息。

　　It was amazing. I mean, it was amazing. It reminded me of that scene in "The Wizard of Oz." 那真的是惊人的！真是惊人啊！这让我想起了《绿野仙踪》里的场景。

　　Do you know the one I mean? 你知道我指的是哪个吧？

　　Where the little dog Toto runs across to where the wizard, and he pulls back, the dog's pulling back the curtain, 当小狗托托跑过巫师旁边，然后掉头回来，狗狗拉开了幕布

　　and -- "Don't look behind the screen. Don't look at the man behind the screen." “不要看屏幕后面！不要看屏幕后面的人！”

　　It was just like that, because what you started to see is that all of these grand statesmen, 因为当你开始看到的是那些大政治家，

　　these very pompous⁶ politicians, they were just like us. They all bitched about each other. 那些浮夸的政治家，他们就和我们一样。他们会互相说坏话。

　　I mean, quite gossipy, those cables. 对，挺多嘴的。

　　Okay, but I thought it was a very important point for all of us to grasp, these are human beings just like us. 但我觉得这些都需要我们知道。他们和我们普通人没什么区别。

　　They don't have special powers. They're not magic. They are not our parents. 他们并不是神一样的存在，没有什么魔法。他们不是我们父母。

　　Beyond that, what I found most fascinating was the level of endemic corruption⁷ that I saw across all different countries, 除了这些，我发现最惊奇的是不同国家的地区性腐败，

　　and particularly centered around the heart of power, 特别是围绕权力中心，

　　around public officials who were embezzling⁸ the public's money for their own personal enrichment, 比如官员们为了自己的利益，挪用公款，

　　and allowed to do that because of official secrecy⁹. 正是由于官方机密才造成了这种情况。

1 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

2 guardian   

n.监护人；守卫者，保护者

参考例句：

• The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。
• The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。

3 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

4 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。

5 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

6 pompous   

adj.傲慢的，自大的；夸大的；豪华的

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。
• He is a good man underneath his pompous appearance. 他的外表虽傲慢，其实是个好人。

7 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

8 embezzling   

v.贪污，盗用（公款）( embezzle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Accordingly, object embezzling waste to be carried temporarily the schedule of administration. 因此，反对贪污浪费就提上了临时中央政府的议事日程。 来自互联网
• Some were sentenced for taking bribes, others executed for embezzling funds. 有的因受贿而被判刑，有的因侵吞公款而被判处死刑。 来自互联网

9 secrecy   

n.秘密，保密，隐蔽

参考例句：

• All the researchers on the project are sworn to secrecy.该项目的所有研究人员都按要求起誓保守秘密。
• Complete secrecy surrounded the meeting.会议在绝对机密的环境中进行。