VOA标准英语2009年-Auditors Advise on Future US Reconstructio

Government auditors¹ have told the U.S. Congress that future U.S. reconstruction³ efforts must be monitored closely and managed competently to avoid a repetition of fraud and waste that occurred with efforts in Iraq.
　
Reconstruction project in Iraq

In testimony⁴ to the House Armed Services Committee, the special inspector⁵ generals for reconstruction in Iraq and Afghanistan said Congress must apply tight oversight⁶ to future reconstruction activities to ensure that billions in taxpayer⁷ dollars are not wasted.

Stuart Bowen, Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, says reform is needed, adding the U.S. government currently lacks an efficient system to manage and carry out such operations. "The U.S. government does not have an established framework for the management and execution of contingency⁸ relief and reconstruction operations," he said.

In Iraq, Bowen notes that the need for security sharply increased reconstruction costs, a fact reflected in inspector general and Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports since the U.S. military invasion in 2003. After spending some $50 billion in Iraq, he says, infrastructure⁹ goals were not achieved.

Among many lessons learned, Bowen says, is that relief and reconstruction operations require unity¹⁰ of command, better communication among departments and agencies, and improved rules for contractors¹¹.

Retired¹² Major General Arnold Fields, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, says his office has begun an audit² of U.S. reconstruction funds, projects and contracts.

He identifies as a key issue the U.S. government's ability to manage contractors, saying his office will be conducting a number of reviews on the use and performance of contractors in Afghanistan.

While Afghanistan and Iraq share similarities, he says, there are also key differences that need to be taken into account. "The nature and scope of U.S. reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq have many similarities. However, as members of this committee are aware, conditions in Afghanistan from the standpoint of economic, geographic¹³, demographic and political offer unique challenges to the feasibility and sustainability of reconstruction efforts," he said.

As the United States embarks¹⁴ on a new strategy in Afghanistan, Democratic House Armed Services Committee chairman Ike Skelton says learning lessons from Iraq will be increasingly important. "Among many other problems, at some point during the war in Iraq, the reconstruction effort suffered from poor financial controls, poor interagency coordination¹⁵, and a lack of strategic planning. While to some extent these problems were addressed over time in Iraq, we must ensure that the lessons that we learned there at great expense are not lost," he said.

John McHugh, the ranking committee Republican, says if one thing has become clear from numerous congressional hearings and auditing¹⁶ reports, it is that more work needs to be done when it comes to reconstruction management and oversight. "In Iraq we will continue to assist that nation with their security forces for the foreseeable future. At the same time, building up the Afghan national security forces is a vital element of our counter-insurgency strategy there. In other words, this work is essential and we cannot afford any longer the inefficiencies and waste that has riddled¹⁷ our past efforts," he said.

Jacquelyn Williams-Bridgers of the Government Accountability Office, says reconstruction both countries will require establishing and maintaining basic security, building a sustainable economic foundation, and holding governments accountable for economic and political commitments.

In Afghanistan, she says progress in building Afghanistan's national security forces to establish security has been slow, and as occurred in Iraq, deteriorating¹⁸ security conditions threaten U.S-funded projects. "A lack of security in Afghanistan has put U.S. funded development projects at risk. Concerns over security have delayed projects, increased costs, and again changed the scope and nature of the projects," she said.

Bridgers calls Afghanistan's development strategy, aided by the U.S. and other donors¹⁹, under-funded adding that it may not be viable²⁰ given current levels of assistance.

In Iraq and Afghanistan, she says, the U.S. must clearly define its objectives, estimate future costs, and seek to coordinate²¹ all U.S. government agency and international reconstruction efforts.

1 auditors   

n.审计员，稽核员( auditor的名词复数 )；（大学课程的）旁听生

参考例句：

• The company has been in litigation with its previous auditors for a full year. 那家公司与前任审计员已打了整整一年的官司。
• a meeting to discuss the annual accounts and the auditors' report thereon 讨论年度报表及其审计报告的会议

2 audit   

v.审计；查帐；核对；旁听

参考例句：

• Each year they audit our accounts and certify them as being true and fair.他们每年对我们进行账务审核，以确保其真实无误。
• As usual,the yearly audit will take place in December.跟往常一样，年度审计将在十二月份进行。

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 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。

5 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。

6 oversight   

n.勘漏，失察，疏忽

参考例句：

• I consider this a gross oversight on your part.我把这件事看作是你的一大疏忽。
• Your essay was not marked through an oversight on my part.由于我的疏忽你的文章没有打分。

7 taxpayer   

n.纳税人

参考例句：

• The new scheme will run off with a lot of the taxpayer's money.这项新计划将用去纳税人许多钱。
• The taxpayer are unfavourably disposed towards the recent tax increase.纳税者对最近的增加税收十分反感。

8 contingency   

n.意外事件，可能性

参考例句：

• We should be prepared for any contingency.我们应该对任何应急情况有所准备。
• A fire in our warehouse was a contingency that we had not expected.库房的一场大火是我们始料未及的。

9 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

10 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

11 contractors   

n.（建筑、监造中的）承包人( contractor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Contractors winning construction jobs had to kick back 2 per cent of the contract price to the mafia. 赢得建筑工作的承包商得抽出合同价格的百分之二的回扣给黑手党。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

13 geographic   

adj.地理学的，地理的

参考例句：

• The city's success owes much to its geographic position. 这座城市的成功很大程度上归功于它的地理位置。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Environmental problems pay no heed to these geographic lines. 环境问题并不理会这些地理界限。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

14 embarks   

乘船( embark的第三人称单数 )； 装载； 从事

参考例句：

• Patricia is a free-spirited girl who embarks on an erotic odyssey. 翠茜亚是个任性少女、毅然踏上一次性爱之旅。
• Passenger train driver: Punctually embarks. 客车司机：准时出发。

15 coordination   

n.协调，协作

参考例句：

• Gymnastics is a sport that requires a considerable level of coordination.体操是一项需要高协调性的运动。
• The perfect coordination of the dancers and singers added a rhythmic charm to the performance.舞蹈演员和歌手们配合得很好，使演出更具魅力。

16 auditing   

n.审计，查账，决算

参考例句：

• Auditing standards are the rules governing how an audit is performed.收支检查标准是规则统治一个稽核如何被运行。
• The auditing services market is dominated by a few large accounting firms.审计服务市场被几家大型会计公司独占了。

17 riddled   

adj.布满的；充斥的；泛滥的v.解谜，出谜题(riddle的过去分词形式)

参考例句：

• The beams are riddled with woodworm. 这些木梁被蛀虫蛀得都是洞。
• The bodies of the hostages were found riddled with bullets. 在人质的尸体上发现了很多弹孔。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 deteriorating   

恶化，变坏( deteriorate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The weather conditions are deteriorating. 天气变得越来越糟。
• I was well aware of the bad morale and the deteriorating factories. 我很清楚，大家情绪低落，各个工厂越搞越坏。

19 donors   

n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 )；献血者；捐血者；器官捐献者

参考例句：

• Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去，请给我们发电子邮件。
• About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 viable   

adj.可行的，切实可行的，能活下去的

参考例句：

• The scheme is economically viable.这个计划从经济效益来看是可行的。
• The economy of the country is not viable.这个国家经济是难以维持的。

21 coordinate   

adj.同等的，协调的；n.同等者；vt.协作，协调

参考例句：

• You must coordinate what you said with what you did.你必须使你的言行一致。
• Maybe we can coordinate the relation of them.或许我们可以调和他们之间的关系。