VOA标准英语2009年-Pentagon: Pakistani Intelligence Still Hel

The top U.S. military officer says there are indications Pakistan's intelligence service is still helping¹ al-Qaida and Taliban militants³ in the country's tribal⁴ areas, along the Afghan border, and he says that must change. And another senior U.S. official indicated Friday that substantial new U.S. aid to Pakistan is contingent⁵ on such a change.
　
Admiral Michael Mullen

The Chairman of the Joint⁶ Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, told CNN the strategic approach of Pakistan's intelligence services must change, and its members must stop supporting militants. Numerous experts and media reports have accused the service of supporting the militants, but Pakistani leaders have said they now recognize the threat those groups pose to Pakistan itself.

In many trips to Pakistan during the past year, Admiral Mullen has had a key role in trying to convince the country's leaders that the threat they face from extremists in their north and west, along the Afghan border, is at least as significant as the threat they see from India to the south and east.

He said on CNN at least some members of the intelligence service are not convinced. But the admiral told reporters in his office earlier Friday that Pakistani leaders do recognize the threat, although they do not necessarily see it the same way U.S. officials do. "My overall view on that is yes, they do. We sometimes differ on timelines and on priorities. But yes, absolutely," he said.

And the admiral says while problems persist in the Pakistani intelligence service, there have been improvements in the performance of the Frontier Corps⁷, which is responsible for border security, and more activity in the border area by the Pakistani Army. "They've moved dramatically over the last seven, eight months with their Frontier Corps, who's had a big impact, and they've done pretty well. I would hope and want that kind of both leadership and focus to continue," he said.

Another senior U.S. official says such movement is necessary if Pakistan wants to get $1.5 billion of new U.S. aid each year for the next five years -- a key element of the new strategy President Obama announced on Friday. The Under Secretary of Defense⁸ for Policy, Michele Flournoy, was one of he top officials on the Obama strategy review team. The final document makes Pakistan a key element in a regional approach to reaching the president's main goal, the defeat of militant² groups based in its northwestern region. "Part of doing that is, first of all, providing assistance at a level that is meaningful, but also ensuring that they understand that our ability to provide that assistance depends on seeing changes in past behaviors," he said.

While the administration of former-President George W. Bush also worked with Pakistan to fight militants who use its tribal areas as safe havens⁹, Obama Administration officials say the enhanced regional approach is a key new aspect of their strategy.

Admiral Mullen says the effort to increase Pakistan's involvement in the fight against the terrorists is made more difficult by past problems in the U.S.-Pakistan relationship. "There's a trust deficit¹⁰ between the two countries, certainly between the two militaries that's been there. We sanctioned them for 12 years. We're starting to come out of it, but it's going to take some time," he said.

Admiral Mullen says it is significant that President Obama is asking the congress for five years of aid to Pakistan because that sends a message that the United States plans to support the country for years to come, as long as its leaders and security services are willing to help fight the terrorists.

1 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

2 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

3 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

4 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

5 contingent   

adj.视条件而定的；n.一组，代表团，分遣队

参考例句：

• The contingent marched in the direction of the Western Hills.队伍朝西山的方向前进。
• Whether or not we arrive on time is contingent on the weather.我们是否按时到达要视天气情况而定。

6 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

7 corps   

n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组

参考例句：

• The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

8 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。

9 havens   

n.港口，安全地方( haven的名词复数 )v.港口，安全地方( haven的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Your twenty havens would back out at the last minute anyhow. 你那二十个避难所到了最后一分钟也要不认帐。 来自辞典例句
• Using offshore havens to avoid taxes and investor protections. 使用海面的港口避免税和投资者保护。 来自互联网

10 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。