VOA标准英语2009年-Top Commander Says NATO Needs Changes for Next

The commander of NATO military forces, General John Craddock, said the alliance must change the way it conducts operations so the next mission does not suffer the same problems as the alliance's effort in Afghanistan.
　
NATO's top operational commander US General John Craddock, (file photo)

In his final appearance before the Senate Armed Services Committee, General Craddock said NATO member nations have fallen short on providing the number of combat forces and trainers that Afghanistan needs, and even on providing promised funding to help build the country's own security forces. General Craddock will end his tour of duty later this year.

He urged NATO members to use the Afghanistan experience to improve operations in the future so they do not create a two-tier alliance, with some nations doing most of the work and the others just taking the benefits.

"If we devolve or get to a two-tier [alliance] it will weaken the alliance and we will have much work to do. And we have to get ourselves arranged for the next mission, the next operation, that we send our forces to. We should not do another one arranged like this one in NATO," he said.

General Craddock particularly criticized special rules, known as caveats¹, that many nations put on how their forces can be used. And he accused some members of offering forces for peacekeeping in Bosnia or for the never-used NATO Response Force, rather than for more dangerous missions in Afghanistan.

"There is a risk aversion in NATO that we must continue to address and push nations," Gen. Craddock said.

The general said that attitude among most alliance members makes it impossible for NATO's International Assistance Force in Afghanistan to pursue an effective counterinsurgency campaign, involving clearing areas of hostile fighters, and holding those areas so economic development and governance projects can proceed.

"We do not have enough forces right now, between the Afghan security forces, trained and in place, and ISAF to be able to clear out the insurgents² and then hold that [territory] so that development and reconstruction³ can occur. And that is why the additional United States contributions will go into the south," he explained.

The United States has committed to send an additional 17,000 troops to Afghanistan this year for combat and training missions. General Craddock said NATO nations have not even filled the commander's request for four battalions⁴ to be temporarily deployed⁵ to help secure the Afghan presidential election in August.

The general also called for NATO nations to strengthen their ability to defend the alliance's home territory, in order to ease concerns among some new members in Eastern Europe in the wake of Russia's invasion of Georgia last year. But he also welcomed the expected resumption of the NATO-Russia dialogue, which was suspended after the invasion, saying without that things become "more confusing and ambiguous."

Those and related issues will be taken up by President Barack Obama and other NATO leaders next week at their summit in France and Germany.

1 caveats   

警告

参考例句：

• I would offer a caveat for those who want to join me in the dual calling. 为防止发生误解，我想对那些想要步我后尘的人提出警告。 来自辞典例句
• As I have written before, that's quite a caveat. 正如我以前所写，那确实是个警告。 来自互联网

2 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

3 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。

4 battalions   

n.（陆军的）一营（大约有一千兵士）( battalion的名词复数 )；协同作战的部队；军队；（组织在一起工作的）队伍

参考例句：

• God is always on the side of the strongest battalions. 上帝总是帮助强者。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Two battalions were disposed for an attack on the air base. 配置两个营的兵力进攻空军基地。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 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。