VOA标准英语2009年-Obama Unveils Strategy for Afghanistan, Pa

President Barack Obama has announced his plan to send about 4,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan and increase diplomacy¹ with Pakistan. He said his strategy has a clear and focused goal.
　
Pres. Obama, flanked by Sec. of State Clinton, Defense² Sec. Gates, announces new strategy for Afghanistan, Pakistan, 27 Mar³ 2009

"To disrupt, dismantle⁴ and defeat al-Qaida in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and to prevent their return to either country in the future. That is the goal that must be achieved. That is a cause that could not be more just. And to the terrorists who oppose us, my message is the same: We will defeat you," said the president.

Mr. Obama said, for Americans, the border region of Afghanistan and Pakistan is "the most dangerous place in the world," where those who planned the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States are plotting further attacks.

The estimated 4,000 new troops would join 17,000 additional combat and support troops the president wants in Afghanistan in the coming months. By October, the overall force level should reach 59,000.

The new plan shifts the emphasis of the U.S. mission to training and increasing the size of the Afghan security forces, so they can eventually take responsibility for their country's security.
　
Pakistani people carry a victim's body on a local bed outside a hospital in Peshawar after a suicide bomber⁵ blew up a crowded mosque⁶ on 27 Mar 2009

Mr. Obama's strategy places an increased emphasis on Pakistan. He said Pakistan's stability depends on seeing al-Qaida and its allies defeated.

"They have killed many Pakistani soldiers and police. They assassinated⁷ Benazir Bhutto. They have blown up buildings, derailed foreign investment, and threatened the stability of the state. Make no mistake: al-Qaida and its extremist allies are a cancer that risks killing⁸ Pakistan from within," he said.

The president is asking Congress to authorize⁹ $1.5 billion in U.S. support for building schools, roads and hospitals in Pakistan, and legislation to develop the economy along the border, in addition to other diplomatic initiatives.

"Our efforts will fail in Afghanistan and Pakistan if we do not invest in their future. That is why my budget includes indispensable investments in our State Department and foreign assistance programs," he said.

However, the president is demanding that the Pakistani and Afghan governments account for how U.S. aid is spent, and that they reduce corruption¹⁰. He said Washington "will not provide a blank check."

Mr. Obama said another important part of his strategy is a reconciliation¹¹ process throughout Afghanistan, which might persuade some fighters to abandon the Taliban.

"There is an uncompromising core of the Taliban. They must be met with force, and they must be defeated. But there are also those who have taken up arms because of coercion¹², or simply for a price. These Afghans must have the option to choose a different course," the president added.

Mr. Obama said he will seek international military and financial support for his new strategy, mainly at next week's NATO summit.

"The world cannot afford the price that will come due if Afghanistan slides back into chaos¹³ or al-Qaida operates unchecked. We have a shared responsibility to act-not because we seek to project power for its own sake, but because our own peace and security depends on it," he said.

The president has not revealed how much the new initiatives would cost, or how long he expects U.S. troops to stay in Afghanistan.

Mr. Obama called Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday. A U.S. official said the president was gratified by their responses.

1 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

2 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。

3 mar   

vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟

参考例句：

• It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
• Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

4 dismantle   

vt.拆开，拆卸；废除，取消

参考例句：

• He asked for immediate help from the United States to dismantle the warheads.他请求美国立即提供援助，拆除这批弹头。
• The mower firmly refused to mow,so I decided to dismantle it.修完后割草机还是纹丝不动，于是，我决定把它拆开。

5 bomber   

n.轰炸机，投弹手，投掷炸弹者

参考例句：

• He flew a bomber during the war.他在战时驾驶轰炸机。
• Detectives hunting the London bombers will be keen to interview him.追查伦敦爆炸案凶犯的侦探们急于对他进行讯问。

6 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。

7 assassinated   

v.暗杀( assassinate的过去式和过去分词 )；中伤；诋毁；破坏

参考例句：

• The prime minister was assassinated by extremists. 首相遭极端分子暗杀。
• Then, just two days later, President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. 跟着在两天以后，肯尼迪总统在达拉斯被人暗杀。 来自辞典例句

8 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

9 authorize   

v.授权，委任；批准，认可

参考例句：

• He said that he needed to get his supervisor to authorize my refund.他说必须让主管人员批准我的退款。
• Only the President could authorize the use of the atomic bomb.只有总统才能授权使用原子弹。

10 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

11 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

12 coercion   

n.强制，高压统治

参考例句：

• Neither trickery nor coercion is used to secure confessions.既不诱供也不逼供。
• He paid the money under coercion.他被迫付钱。

13 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。