2007年VOA标准英语-Military Official Reports Second US Air Strike

By Al Pessin
Pentagon
24 January 2007

A U.S. military official has confirmed to VOA that U.S. military forces made a second air strike on al-Qaida targets in Somalia this week. VOA's Al Pessin reports from the Pentagon.

 
AC-130 (File photo)
The official, who would speak only on condition of anonymity¹, says a large C-130 gunship carried out the attack, the same type of aircraft that made a similar attack two weeks ago. The U.S. military official could not say exactly where the attack was made, or which day, or whether the intended targets were hit.

Sources in Mogadishu told a VOA reporter that no reports of a new air strike had reached the city, as they normally would, even from remote areas.

 
Bryan Whitman (file photo)
At his daily briefing, Pentagon Spokesman Bryan Whitman, who had confirmed the previous attack, would not confirm the new attack on the record.

"The very nature of some of our operations are not conducive² to public discussion," he said. "And there will be times when there are activities and operations that I can talk to you about, and there will be other times when I just won't have anything for you. And I don't have anything for you on Somalia."

After the previous attack, Whitman said the target had been al-Qaida terrorist leaders, although he could not say whether the targets were hit. This time, he would only discuss the military's operations against al-Qaida in East Africa in general terms.

"We have for some time been concerned about al-Qaida operating in that region, and that's why we're working with countries throughout that AOR [Area of Responsibility] to identify, track, seek, capture and, if necessary, kill al-Qaida [operatives] working, taking safe haven³, operating in that region," he said.

In addition to the two air strikes, the U.S. Navy has added extra ships to its patrols in the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean, off the coast of Somalia. Officials say the goal is to prevent al-Qaida operatives and sympathizers who were working with Somaila's former rulers in the Islamic Courts Union from escaping the area by sea. Kenya has closed its land border at the southern end of Somalia. And as a result, reports from the region say, some former government officials and their supporters have been cornered in southeastern Somalia, where the air strikes are believed to have taken place.

One prominent member of the U.S. Congress has criticized the U.S. military moves. The new chairman of the House of Representatives Africa Subcommittee, Democrat⁴ Donald Payne, told VOA Wednesday he believes U.S. policy in the region is based on wrong information.

"Most of those Islamic Courts Union leaders were moderates, in my opinion," he said. "And I don't feel comfortable that the information that this was al-Qaida-inspired is actually true. I'm sure there are some al-Qaida operatives in the country because they're everywhere, but I don't think that the prime movers of the Islamic Courts Union was to be beholden to al-Qaida."

Congressman⁵ Payne called for negotiations⁶ between Somalia's new transitional government and its former rulers. Otherwise, he said, the African Union or some other organization will need to provide peacekeeping troops for Somalia for a long time.

1 anonymity   

n.the condition of being anonymous

参考例句：

• Names of people in the book were changed to preserve anonymity. 为了姓名保密，书中的人用的都是化名。
• Our company promises to preserve the anonymity of all its clients. 我们公司承诺不公开客户的姓名。

2 conducive   

adj.有益的，有助的

参考例句：

• This is a more conducive atmosphere for studying.这样的氛围更有利于学习。
• Exercise is conducive to good health.体育锻炼有助于增强体质。

3 haven   

n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所

参考例句：

• It's a real haven at the end of a busy working day.忙碌了一整天后，这真是一个安乐窝。
• The school library is a little haven of peace and quiet.学校的图书馆是一个和平且安静的小避风港。

4 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

5 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

6 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。