美国国家公共电台 NPR As Yemen's War Worsens, Questions Grow About The U.S. Role

As Yemen's War Worsens, Questions Grow About The U.S. Role 

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There were devastating² photos coming out of Yemen this weekend - men, women and children killed in airstrikes on a funeral. More than 140 people died. That's increased pressure on the Obama administration to stop assisting the Saudi-led military campaign.

That campaign is blamed for the attack. It's part of a war against Yemeni rebels in which the U.N. says more than 10,000 people have died. NPR's Jackie Northam has more.

JACKIE NORTHAM, BYLINE³: Saturday's devastating airstrike was on a funeral in Yemen's capital city of Sana'a, where hundreds of mourners, including children, were gathered. It was the deadliest attack in Yemen since the Saudi-led air campaign began a year and a half ago to drive out Houthi rebels that have taken over the capital.

CHRIS MURPHY: This should be what finally prompts us to get out of this civil war, which is simply - it has nothing to do with U.S. national security interests.

NORTHAM: Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut tells NPR the U.S. is increasingly embroiled⁴ in Yemen's civil war and has become an indispensable partner to Saudi Arabia in its bombing campaign there.

MURPHY: The United States provides the bombs. We provide the refueling planes in mid-air. We provide the intel. I think it's safe to say that this bombing campaign in Yemen could not happen without the United States.

NORTHAM: The White House quickly denounced the attack on the funeral. It warned the U.S. security cooperation with Saudi Arabia is not a blank check and is reconsidering its support. State Department spokesman John Kirby...

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

JOHN KIRBY: In light of the attack over the weekend, with the scrutiny⁵ that that attack legitimately⁶ calls for, we are going to undertake additional reviews of aid and assistance that goes to Saudi Arabia.

NORTHAM: Kirby says the Obama administration is not at this point certain that the attack over the weekend wasn't deliberate and that it's concerned about the increasing number of civilian⁷ casualties in Yemen caused by U.S.-made weapons. Kirby again...

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

KIRBY: We have been nothing but candid⁸ and forthright⁹ with the Saudis about our concerns over civilian casualties and collateral¹⁰ damage and our concerns about lack of precision in the conduct of some of these strikes.

NORTHAM: Saudi Arabia initially¹¹ denied its coalition¹² jets were behind the deadly airstrike, then announced it would launch an investigation¹³ of its own coalition into what it called a regrettable and painful bombing. Jackie Northam, NPR News, Washington.

1 browser   

n.浏览者

参考例句：

• View edits in a web browser.在浏览器中看编辑的效果。
• I think my browser has a list of shareware links.我想在浏览器中会有一系列的共享软件链接。

2 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

3 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

4 embroiled   

adj.卷入的；纠缠不清的

参考例句：

• He became embroiled in a dispute with his neighbours. 他与邻居们发生了争执。
• John and Peter were quarrelling, but Mary refused to get embroiled. 约翰和彼得在争吵，但玛丽不愿卷入。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

6 legitimately   

ad.合法地；正当地，合理地

参考例句：

• The radio is legitimately owned by the company. 该电台为这家公司所合法拥有。
• She looked for nothing save what might come legitimately and without the appearance of special favour. 她要的并不是男人们的额外恩赐，而是合法正当地得到的工作。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

7 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。

8 candid   

adj.公正的，正直的；坦率的

参考例句：

• I cannot but hope the candid reader will give some allowance for it.我只有希望公正的读者多少包涵一些。
• He is quite candid with his friends.他对朋友相当坦诚。

9 forthright   

adj.直率的，直截了当的 [同]frank

参考例句：

• It's sometimes difficult to be forthright and not give offence.又直率又不得罪人，这有时很难办到。
• He told me forthright just why he refused to take my side.他直率地告诉我他不肯站在我这一边的原因。

10 collateral   

adj.平行的；旁系的；n.担保品

参考例句：

• Many people use personal assets as collateral for small business loans.很多人把个人财产用作小额商业贷款的抵押品。
• Most people here cannot borrow from banks because they lack collateral.由于拿不出东西作为抵押，这里大部分人无法从银行贷款。

11 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

12 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。

13 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。