VOA常速英语2008年-Sensitive US Military Equipment for Sale on Int

By Paul Sisco
Washington
16 April 2008
 

A congressional subcommittee recently heard testimony¹ that sensitive aircraft technology and a vast array of stolen military gear is for sale on eBAY, Craigslist and other Internet sites. A Government Accountability Office report details the investigation².  VOA's Paul Sisco reports.

U.S combat troops identify their own with special night goggles³ and blinking infrared⁴ tabs on their uniforms.  The system is supposed to be available only to U.S. troops, but government investigators⁶ recently bought them and other sensitive items on the Internet.

Special Investigator⁵ Gregory Kutz says, "We posed as a bogus private citizen with only a credit card, mailbox and a telephone necessary for this operation.  Most of the purchases were made on eBAY."

eBAY's fraud team is aiding in the ongoing⁷ investigation that has resulted in several arrests.

"In May of 2007 an individual was sentenced for illegally exporting F-14 parts to Iran. A search of his home led to the seizure⁸ of over 13,000 aircraft parts, and in September 2007, an Air Force staff sergeant⁹ pled guilty to charges of stealing military night vision goggles to sell overseas,” Kutz said. “These are just a few of the hundreds of cases related to the sales of sensitive military property."

The government report identifies other sensitive items easily available on the Internet including complete combat uniforms, body armor, helicopter parts and sensitive night goggles.

"These goggles are a critical part of the U.S. night fighting system, because of an image intensive tube. This tube allows U.S soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan to distinguish friendly fighters wearing infrared tabs from the enemy at night," Kutz added.

Democratic Party Congressman¹⁰ John Tierney chairs the congressional National Security and Foreign Affairs Subcommittee that called for the investigation.  "The taxpayers¹¹ don't want to be losing materials this way and we certainly don't want very sensitive items getting into the hands of people that are going to do us harm," Tenney said.

Internet sales companies say they are committed to minimizing the sale of sensitive items.  But they explain many of those items are commercial products, available worldwide to the highest bidder¹².

1 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

2 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。

3 goggles   

n.护目镜

参考例句：

• Skiers wear goggles to protect their eyes from the sun.滑雪者都戴上护目镜使眼睛不受阳光伤害。
• My swimming goggles keep steaming up so I can't see.我的护目镜一直有水雾，所以我看不见。

4 infrared   

adj./n.红外线(的)

参考例句：

• Infrared is widely used in industry and medical science.红外线广泛应用于工业和医学科学。
• Infrared radiation has wavelengths longer than those of visible light.红外辐射的波长比可见光的波长长。

5 investigator   

n.研究者，调查者，审查者

参考例句：

• He was a special investigator for the FBI.他是联邦调查局的特别调查员。
• The investigator was able to deduce the crime and find the criminal.调查者能够推出犯罪过程并锁定罪犯。

6 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

8 seizure   

n.没收；占有；抵押

参考例句：

• The seizure of contraband is made by customs.那些走私品是被海关没收的。
• The courts ordered the seizure of all her property.法院下令查封她所有的财产。

9 sergeant   

n.警官，中士

参考例句：

• His elder brother is a sergeant.他哥哥是个警官。
• How many stripes are there on the sleeve of a sergeant?陆军中士的袖子上有多少条纹？

10 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。

11 taxpayers   

纳税人，纳税的机构( taxpayer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Finance for education comes from taxpayers. 教育经费来自纳税人。
• She was declaiming against the waste of the taxpayers' money. 她慷慨陈词猛烈抨击对纳税人金钱的浪费。

12 bidder   

n.(拍卖时的)出价人，报价人，投标人

参考例句：

• TV franchises will be auctioned to the highest bidder.电视特许经营权将拍卖给出价最高的投标人。
• The bidder withdrew his bid after submission of his bid.投标者在投标之后撤销了投标书。