VOA标准英语2009年-Missile Defense and Arms Control: Are They

Russia continues to strongly oppose the U.S. plan to station a ballistic-missile defense¹ system in Eastern Europe. That issue was discussed during the recent Moscow summit (July 6-8) between U.S. President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart, Dmitri Medvedev.

The Bush administration proposed a missile-defense system made up of 10 missile interceptors in Poland and a radar² facility in the Czech Republic. U.S. officials say the system is needed to defend Europe and the United States against potential threats from countries such as Iran.

But the Russians have been strongly critical of the proposal, saying it is targeted against Moscow - a view rejected by U.S. officials. Moscow also sees the missile-defense system as the first step in a worldwide American missile-defense program.

Daryll Kimball, the Executive Director of the Arms Control Association, a private research firm, says President Obama is more skeptical³ about the missile-defense system.

"The Obama administration is in the middle of a missile defense policy review that is not going to be completed until the end of the summer - perhaps later," he said. "The European missile defense proposal that the Russians are so concerned about has not been tested yet. This would involve a two-stage interceptor that is scheduled to be flight tested three times between now and the end of 2011. So the United States does not even know if the system works," he said.

The missile defense system was discussed during the recent Obama-Medvedev summit in Moscow. But analysts⁴ say the two sides did not narrow their differences. A joint⁵ statement issued at the end of the meeting said experts will continue to work together to analyze⁶ the ballistic missile challenges of the 21st century and will prepare appropriate recommendations.

Analysts say a key question is whether Russia will continue to insist missile defense be linked to the conclusion of an arms-control agreement. At the summit, the two sides agreed on the basic terms of a treaty to replace the START-One accord that expires in early December.

U.S. officials in the Bush administration insisted there was no linkage⁷ between offensive and defensive⁸ weapons. But a joint statement issued April 1 after the first meeting in London between presidents Obama and Medvedev said: "The relationship between offensive and defensive arms will be discussed by the two governments."
　
Presidents Barack Obama (l) and Dmitri Medvedev at a joint news conference in Moscow, 06 Jul, 2009

President Obama repeated that point during a press conference following the Moscow summit.

"On missile defense - we have agreed that we are going to continue to discuss this critical issue. That is part of the joint statements that we have signed. I also believe that it is entirely⁹ legitimate¹⁰ for our discussions to talk not only about offensive-weapons systems, but also defensive-weapons systems," he said.

Marshall Goldman, from Harvard University, says the U.S. position has moved closer to the Russian one.

"What surprised me, in fact, is that when he attained¹¹ office, Obama did not denounce or back away from the idea of installing missiles in Poland, which is something I think he was quite critical of at one point," he said. "But he seems to say well at least we will leave this on the table, I would think maybe as a bargaining tool. Because I have the feeling he is skeptical of the whole process. But anyway, this enters into a kind of gamesmanship operation which is not always the kind of thing you want to see," said Goldman.

At the same press conference, President Medvedev - speaking through an interpreter - brought up the linkage issue.

"Some time ago, on this question, we had only differences. Now this linkage is being stated and this opens up the opportunity of bringing positions closer to each other," said the Russian president.
　
Former US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State David Kramer (File)

David Kramer was a former senior State Department official in the Bush administration (now with the German Marshall Fund in the United States). He also sees the U.S. position moving towards the Russian one.

"And this is going to raise eyebrows¹² not only here in Washington, but it is going to raise eyebrows in Warsaw and Prague too. Obama will need to reassure¹³ those who are eager to push forward with missile defense," he said. "He will also have to reassure the Poles and the Czechs who I think are feeling a little nervous as to whether they are deemed bargaining chips and might be traded away in some efforts with the Russians. And also people will be focusing on some of the comments made by his officials before they went to Moscow when they said that missile defense would not be traded away," Kramer said.

Russian officials have been open in their linking of missile defense with arms control. In an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Serra just before the summit, President Medvedev said the two issues are - as he put it - interrelated.

Kramer says such a public stance could backfire since President Obama is not too enthusiastic about missile defenses in Eastern Europe.

"The Russians would have been much smarter if they did not continuously, publicly link missile defense with arms control, because they might have gotten the result they wanted anyway. But by continuously linking this in a public way and in taking a firm position on it, they make it much more difficult for him [Obama] to move away from sites in Poland and the Czech Republic," he said.

Kramer says Moscow's position presents a distinct problem for President Obama. Because while he is not a fervent¹⁴ supporter of missile defenses in Poland and the Czech Republic, Kramer says he has to be very wary¹⁵ about being seen as caving in to Russian pressure.

1 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。

2 radar   

n.雷达，无线电探测器

参考例句：

• They are following the flight of an aircraft by radar.他们正在用雷达追踪一架飞机的飞行。
• Enemy ships were detected on the radar.敌舰的影像已显现在雷达上。

3 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

4 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

5 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。

6 analyze   

vt.分析，解析 (=analyse)

参考例句：

• We should analyze the cause and effect of this event.我们应该分析这场事变的因果。
• The teacher tried to analyze the cause of our failure.老师设法分析我们失败的原因。

7 linkage   

n.连接；环节

参考例句：

• In their monographic treatment of linkage,they have emphasized this especially.他们在论连锁的专题文章中特别强调了这点。
• Occasionally,problems with block inheritance or linkage are encountered.有时会遇到区段遗传或连锁问题。

8 defensive   

adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的

参考例句：

• Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
• The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。

9 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

10 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

11 attained   

（通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况）

参考例句：

• She has attained the degree of Master of Arts. 她已获得文学硕士学位。
• Lu Hsun attained a high position in the republic of letters. 鲁迅在文坛上获得崇高的地位。

12 eyebrows   

眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Eyebrows stop sweat from coming down into the eyes. 眉毛挡住汗水使其不能流进眼睛。
• His eyebrows project noticeably. 他的眉毛特别突出。

13 reassure   

v.使放心，使消除疑虑

参考例句：

• This seemed to reassure him and he continued more confidently.这似乎使他放心一点，于是他更有信心地继续说了下去。
• The airline tried to reassure the customers that the planes were safe.航空公司尽力让乘客相信飞机是安全的。

14 fervent   

adj.热的，热烈的，热情的

参考例句：

• It was a debate which aroused fervent ethical arguments.那是一场引发强烈的伦理道德争论的辩论。
• Austria was among the most fervent supporters of adolf hitler.奥地利是阿道夫希特勒最狂热的支持者之一。

15 wary   

adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的

参考例句：

• He is wary of telling secrets to others.他谨防向他人泄露秘密。
• Paula frowned,suddenly wary.宝拉皱了皱眉头，突然警惕起来。