VOA标准英语2009年-Obama: US Will 'Stay On The Offensive' in Afgha

President Barack Obama says it is important for the United States to "stay on the offensive" in Afghanistan. Mr. Obama spoke¹ after meeting with Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on Afghanistan, the world economic crisis and other topics.
　
President Barack Obama meets with Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Tuesday, 24 March 2009, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington

President Obama is to reveal his strategy for Afghanistan soon, after a strategic review is completed. As he spoke to reporters in the Oval Office, Mr. Obama did not discuss the contents of the review, but he said he and Prime Minister Rudd agree that Afghanistan cannot be a safe haven² for terrorists.

"In order for us to keep our homeland safe, in order to maintain our way of life, in order to ensure order on the international scene, then we cannot allow vicious killers³ to have their way," Mr. Obama said.

Mr. Rudd has not said whether he will agree to a U.S. request to send more Australian troops to Afghanistan, joining the 1,100 already there. Opinion polls show that a large majority of Australians oppose adding to that number.

The two leaders spent much of their meeting discussing the global financial crisis. Mr. Rudd praised Treasury⁴ Secretary Timothy Geithner's proposal to ease the credit crisis in the United States.

"What you have seen in the United States is decisive action by the administration through the plan further outlined by Secretary Geithner yesterday. This is really important stuff," he said. "It is really fundamental stuff."

Both leaders indicated they would push European leaders for some action on financial reform when they attend the upcoming London summit of the G-20 industrial and emerging nations.

Mr. Obama also endorsed⁵ Geithner's request for power to seize financial institutions other than banks when they fail. And he said he will press for greater international cooperation on regulating the financial institutions.

"If the major economies are not coordinating⁶ in some fashion, then what you end up having is potential capital fleeing to the places with the least restraint, the least transparency, the least openness," Mr. Obama said.

President Obama and Prime Minister Rudd also discussed climate change, with Mr. Rudd saying "it's great to have America on board" on that issue. The Bush administration had opposed many global initiatives on climate change.

1 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

2 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。

3 killers   

凶手( killer的名词复数 )； 消灭…者； 致命物； 极难的事

参考例句：

• He remained steadfast in his determination to bring the killers to justice. 他要将杀人凶手绳之以法的决心一直没有动摇。
• They were professional killers who did in John. 杀死约翰的这些人是职业杀手。

4 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

5 endorsed   

vt.& vi.endorse的过去式或过去分词形式v.赞同( endorse的过去式和过去分词 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品

参考例句：

• The committee endorsed an initiative by the chairman to enter discussion about a possible merger. 委员会通过了主席提出的新方案，开始就可能进行的并购进行讨论。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The government has broadly endorsed a research paper proposing new educational targets for 14-year-olds. 政府基本上支持建议对14 岁少年实行新教育目标的研究报告。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 coordinating   

v.使协调，使调和( coordinate的现在分词 )；协调；协同；成为同等

参考例句：

• He abolished the Operations Coordinating Board and the Planning Board. 他废除了行动协调委员会和计划委员会。 来自辞典例句
• He's coordinating the wedding, and then we're not going to invite him? 他是来协调婚礼的，难道我们不去请他？ 来自电影对白