VOA标准英语2008年-Senate Panel Examines Detainee Interrogation Po

By Deborah Tate
Capitol Hill
10 June 2008

A former agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation¹ says U.S. interrogators' use of coercive techniques against suspected terrorists has not produced reliable intelligence and may have helped recruit a new generation of jihadists intent on attacking the United States again. His dire² warning came during a Senate hearing to examine U.S. interrogation policies. VOA's Deborah Tate reports from Capitol Hill.
　

Prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib prison (2004 photo)

The images of abused detainees at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq shocked the world when they surfaced in 2004.

The scandal sparked a debate in the U.S. about controversial interrogations at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, including the use of waterboarding, or simulated drowning, and other techniques that critics say amount torture.

The use of extreme interrogation methods was the focus of a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday, chaired by Senator Dianne Feinstein, a California Democrat:

"It is absolutely essential that we obtain reliable and usable intelligence to successfully fight the war on terror," she said. "I believe it is wrong to use coercive interrogation and torture to try to accomplish that goal. I believe we must stop it."

Among those testifying was Jack³ Cloonan, a former FBI agent assigned to the division investigating the whereabouts Osama bin⁴ Laden⁵. He said coercive techniques have not produced reliable intelligence, and may have helped recruit a new generation of terrorists.

"Based on my experience talking to al-Qaida members, I am persuaded that revenge, in the form of a catastrophic attack on the homeland is coming, that a new generation of jihadist martyrs⁶ - motivated in part by the images of Abu Ghraib, is, as we speak, planning to kill Americans and that nothing, gleaned⁷ from the use of coercive interrogation techniques will be of any significant use in forestalling⁸ this calamitous⁹ eventuality," he said.

Cloonan, who is now president of a security firm, said a rapport-building approach to questioning detainees is best.

"Gaining the cooperation of an al-Qaida member is a formidable task, but it is not impossible," he explained. "I witnessed al-Qaida members who pledged bayat [allegiance] to bin Laden, cross the threshold and cooperate with the FBI because they were treated humanely¹⁰, understood what was due process was about, and were literally¹¹ seduced¹² by our legal system, as strange as that may sound."

Cloonan's testimony¹³ came at hearing to consider a Justice Department inspector¹⁴ general report, which found that top Bush administration security officials ignored FBI concerns over abusive treatment of terrorism suspects.

Inspector General Glenn Fine said senior officials in the Justice Department made their concerns known to the Pentagon.

"They raised their concerns with the Department of Defense¹⁵, but the Department of Defense, from what we were told, dismissed those concerns and that no changes were made in the Department of Defense's strategy," he said.
　

The technique is harsh, even when simulated. Some say it is torture, others [say it is] necessary in the war on terror. It is called waterboarding and it feels like drowning.

Fine noted¹⁶ that FBI agents take part in terrorism interrogations, but that Director Robert Mueller directed agents in 2002 not to participate in coercive questioning.

Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, the top Republican on the committee, said Mueller's action did not go far enough.

"It seems to me it is not sufficient not to participate in improper¹⁷ or illegal conduct. But if they see it, they see it they ought to blow the whistle and do what is necessary to stop it," he said.

The Pentagon stopped authorizing¹⁸ abusive techniques in 2003. President Bush in March vetoed legislation that would ban the CIA from using waterboarding and other abusive techniques. Although the CIA banned waterboarding in 2006, the Bush administration has said interrogators might be able to use it again, but only if authorized¹⁹ by the president.

1 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。

2 dire   

adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的

参考例句：

• There were dire warnings about the dangers of watching too much TV.曾经有人就看电视太多的危害性提出严重警告。
• We were indeed in dire straits.But we pulled through.那时我们的困难真是大极了，但是我们渡过了困难。

3 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

4 bin   

n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件

参考例句：

• He emptied several bags of rice into a bin.他把几袋米倒进大箱里。
• He threw the empty bottles in the bin.他把空瓶子扔进垃圾箱。

5 laden   

adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的

参考例句：

• He is laden with heavy responsibility.他肩负重任。
• Dragging the fully laden boat across the sand dunes was no mean feat.将满载货物的船拖过沙丘是一件了不起的事。

6 martyrs   

n.martyr的复数形式；烈士( martyr的名词复数 )；殉道者；殉教者；乞怜者（向人诉苦以博取同情）

参考例句：

• the early Christian martyrs 早期基督教殉道者
• They paid their respects to the revolutionary martyrs. 他们向革命烈士致哀。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 gleaned   

v.一点点地收集（资料、事实）( glean的过去式和过去分词 )；（收割后）拾穗

参考例句：

• These figures have been gleaned from a number of studies. 这些数据是通过多次研究收集得来的。
• A valuable lesson may be gleaned from it by those who have eyes to see. 明眼人可从中记取宝贵的教训。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 forestalling   

v.先发制人，预先阻止( forestall的现在分词 )

参考例句：

9 calamitous   

adj.灾难的，悲惨的；多灾多难；惨重

参考例句：

• We are exposed to the most calamitous accidents. 我们遭受着极大的灾难。 来自辞典例句
• Light reveals the subtle alteration of things, the sly or calamitous impermanence or mortal life. 事物的细微变动，人生的狡猾，倏忽无常，一一都在光中显露出来。 来自辞典例句

10 humanely   

adv.仁慈地；人道地；富人情地；慈悲地

参考例句：

• Is the primary persona being treated humanely by the product? 该产品对待首要人物角色时是否有人情味？ 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• In any event, China's interest in treating criminals more humanely has limits. 无论如何，中国对更人道地对待罪犯的兴趣有限。 来自互联网

11 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

12 seduced   

诱奸( seduce的过去式和过去分词 )； 勾引； 诱使堕落； 使入迷

参考例句：

• The promise of huge profits seduced him into parting with his money. 高额利润的许诺诱使他把钱出了手。
• His doctrines have seduced many into error. 他的学说把许多人诱入歧途。

13 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。

14 inspector   

n.检查员，监察员，视察员

参考例句：

• The inspector was interested in everything pertaining to the school.视察员对有关学校的一切都感兴趣。
• The inspector was shining a flashlight onto the tickets.查票员打着手电筒查看车票。

15 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。

16 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

17 improper   

adj.不适当的，不合适的，不正确的，不合礼仪的

参考例句：

• Short trousers are improper at a dance.舞会上穿短裤不成体统。
• Laughing and joking are improper at a funeral.葬礼时大笑和开玩笑是不合适的。

18 authorizing   

授权，批准，委托( authorize的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Letters of Marque: Take letters from a warning friendly power authorizing privateering. 私掠许可证：从某一个国家获得合法抢劫的证书。
• Formal phavee completion does not include authorizing the subsequent phavee. 阶段的正式完成不包括核准随后的阶段。

19 authorized   

a.委任的，许可的

参考例句：

• An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。