VOA标准英语2009年-Some US Lawmakers Oppose Troop Increas

 

Several Republican and Democratic lawmakers have spoken out ahead of President Barack Obama's speech on Afghanistan, saying they oppose sending additional troops to the country, and that Congress should have the opportunity to vote on a troop surge. For his part, Republican Senator John McCain says he supports sending more troops, but he is worried about reports that the president may announce a timeline for ending U.S. military operations in that country.

Cindy Saine | Capitol Hill 01 December 2009

 

Several Republican and Democratic lawmakers have spoken out ahead of President Barack Obama's speech on Afghanistan, saying they oppose sending additional troops to the country, and that Congress should have the opportunity to vote on a troop surge.  For his part, Republican Senator John McCain says he supports sending more troops, but he is worried about reports that the president may announce a timeline for ending U.S. military operations in that country.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers wasted no time in expressing their opposition¹ to President Obama's plans to increase the number of U.S. troops deployed² in Afghanistan, holding a news conference before the speech late Tuesday.

Democratic Senator Russell Feingold of Wisconsin has been a vocal³ opponent of the war in Iraq, and said a surge of U.S. forces to Afghanistan would be a serious mistake that could further destabilize Pakistan.  Senator Feingold threatened that Congress may take action if President Obama announces a substantial increase of U.S. troops to Afghanistan.

"Action can include obviously not permitting funding for additional troops, it can include resolutions for timeframes to withdraw troops, as many of us have worked on together with regard to Iraq, and other approaches that we would be open to," said Senator  Feingold. "But as far as I am concerned, everything would be on the table in terms of trying to prevent this error from occurring."

Senator Feingold was joined at the news conference by several other lawmakers, including Republican Representative Walter Jones of North Carolina.  Jones said a lot of voters came up to him when he was home for the Thanksgiving holiday expressing strong skepticism about U.S. involvement in Afghanistan.

"I cannot tell you the number of people, and I am not exaggerating, that said 'What are we trying to accomplish in Afghanistan?  How about our country?  We can't even fix the streets in your district, Congressman⁴'", said Representative Jones.

Democratic Congressman James McGovern of Massachusetts said that sending tens of thousands of more troops to Afghanistan would only make it much harder for the United States to extricate⁵ itself from the problems there, and he said Congress has a big role to play.

"I would urge that before a single additional troop is sent that Congress has a chance to fully⁶ debate this proposal and have an up or down vote," said James McGovern.

Speaking after Tuesday's Republican policy luncheon⁷, Republican Senator John McCain took a very different view, saying he strongly supports sending more troops to Afghanistan.  The Republican presidential nominee⁸ who ran against Mr. Obama last year said he is concerned about reports that the president might announce a timeframe for pulling U.S. forces out of the country.

"I think those dates for withdrawal⁹ are dictated¹⁰ by conditions," said John McCain. "The way that you win wars is to break the enemy's will, not to announce dates that you are leaving." 

Lawmakers will have a chance to question high-ranking Obama administration officials about the new strategy for Afghanistan at hearings in both House and Senate committees Wednesday and Thursday.  Defense¹¹ Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will be among those testifying.

 

1 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

2 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

3 vocal   

adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目

参考例句：

• The tongue is a vocal organ.舌头是一个发音器官。
• Public opinion at last became vocal.终于舆论哗然。

4 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。

5 extricate   

v.拯救，救出；解脱

参考例句：

• How can we extricate the firm from this trouble?我们该如何承救公司脱离困境呢？
• She found it impossible to extricate herself from the relationship.她发现不可能把自己从这种关系中解脱出来。

6 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

7 luncheon   

n.午宴，午餐，便宴

参考例句：

• We have luncheon at twelve o'clock.我们十二点钟用午餐。
• I have a luncheon engagement.我午饭有约。

8 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

9 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。

10 dictated   

v.大声讲或读( dictate的过去式和过去分词 )；口授；支配；摆布

参考例句：

• He dictated a letter to his secretary. 他向秘书口授信稿。
• No person of a strong character likes to be dictated to. 没有一个个性强的人愿受人使唤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 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。