VOA慢速英语--五角大楼希望扩大美国在索马里的军事行动

 

Experts are concerned about increasing attacks by the Islamic militant¹ group al-Shabab in Somalia.

In the past few weeks, the group has increased suicide bombings of Somali hotels and military targets.

These attacks have caused the Trump² Administration to consider increased military involvement in the country. Experts say that current actions, such as drone attacks, are not enough.

U.S. officials have said the Defense³ Department wants to expand the military’s ability to fight the al-Qaida-linked group. They have recommended that the Trump administration permit U.S. Special Forces to increase assistance to the Somali National Army. Defense officials also want the U.S. military to have the ability to launch pre-emptive airstrikes.

Analysts⁴ say new efforts in Somalia will be difficult and costly⁶. The appearance of fighters pledging alliance to the Islamic State group has made the situation more complex.

Rashid Abdi is an expert on the Horn of Africa area with the International Crisis Group.

“The concern in Washington has been mounting for some time now. The Trump administration is simply reiterating⁷ what has been policy, with slight variations,” said Abdi. “U.S. special forces are already on the ground. Drone attacks have been scaled up.”

Somali forces have struggled to fight militants⁸

There are currently about 50 U.S. advisers⁹ in Somalia. They move in and out of the country to advise and assist local troops. The soldiers have accompanied Somali forces in several raids against al-Shabab fighters, according to Somali intelligence officials. Many fighters were killed in these raids, the officials said.

Somalia has been without an effective central government since the fall of leader Siad Barre in 1991. It is also one of the seven mainly Muslim countries whose citizens would have been temporarily banned from traveling to the U.S. by a presidential order. Federal courts have suspended that executive order.

Al-Shabab rose to strength during the many years in which Somali lacked an operating government. Several years ago, a collaboration¹⁰ of African Union troops pushed the extremist group from the capital, Mogadishu, and most other urban areas.

However, experts say that push against al-Shabab has weakened, and has allowed the group to regroup and to operate in the rural areas of the country. This has permitted attacks in Mogadishu.

A need for training

In the past year, the U.S. launched 14 airstrikes. According to a Somali intelligence official, these attacks resulted in the deaths of some top al-Shabab leaders, including Hassan Ali Dhore and Abdullahi Haji Daud.

However, the main military successes against al-Shabab have come from the African Union regional force in Somalia. They include about 22,000 troops and have operated in Somalia since 2007.

The AU force plans to withdraw by the end of 2020. Cost is a main reason for the withdrawal¹¹. The mission’s yearly budget has risen from $300 million in 2009 to $900 million in 2016, said Ahmed Soliman, an analyst⁵ with Chatham House, the London-based think tank.

If the African Union troops leave, the Somali army will have to fight al-Shabab alone. However, some observers consider it weak and disorganized.

According to Soliman, the U.S. military will probably increase training and coordination¹². But it is unlikely to put more American soldiers in Somalia.

A new threat

Al-Shabab militants continue to control towns and villages across the south and central parts of the country.

However, fighters linked with the Islamic State group also have appeared in the area. Officials are worried that their presence could grow in the country. These fighters broke away from al-Shabab and declared allegiance to the Islamic State group in 2015. Al-Shabab sees the new group as a threat to its operations.

Ahmed Mohamoud is a retired¹³ former Somali military general.

He said, “It’s only al-Shabab that can stand in ISIS’ way to expand its areas of operation.” Somali forces are currently too disorganized to stop the new group.

Words in This Story

airstrike – n. an attack made by aircraft.

allegiance –n. loyalty¹⁴ to a person, country, group, etc.

drone – n. a type of small aircraft that flies without a pilot

pre-emptive – adj. done to stop an unwanted act by another group, country, etc., from happening

resilient – adj. able to become strong, healthy, or successful again after something bad happens

urban – adj. of or relating to cities and the people who live in them

1 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

2 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

3 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。

4 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

5 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

6 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

7 reiterating   

反复地说，重申( reiterate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He keeps reiterating his innocence. 他一再申明他无罪。
• The Chinese government also sent a note to the British government, reiterating its position. 中国政府同时将此立场照会英国政府。

8 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

9 advisers   

顾问，劝告者( adviser的名词复数 )； （指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• a member of the President's favoured circle of advisers 总统宠爱的顾问班子中的一员
• She withdrew to confer with her advisers before announcing a decision. 她先去请教顾问然后再宣布决定。

10 collaboration   

n.合作，协作；勾结

参考例句：

• The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
• He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。

11 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

12 coordination   

n.协调，协作

参考例句：

• Gymnastics is a sport that requires a considerable level of coordination.体操是一项需要高协调性的运动。
• The perfect coordination of the dancers and singers added a rhythmic charm to the performance.舞蹈演员和歌手们配合得很好，使演出更具魅力。

13 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

14 loyalty   

n.忠诚，忠心

参考例句：

• She told him the truth from a sense of loyalty.她告诉他真相是出于忠诚。
• His loyalty to his friends was never in doubt.他对朋友的一片忠心从来没受到怀疑。