VOA标准英语2010年-Germany's Call for Removal of US Missi

Germany's new coalition¹ government is calling for U.S. nuclear missiles to be removed from Europe.  A London research organization says Germany's announcement has reopened the global debate about whether nuclear weapons help or hinder global security.

U.S. President Barack Obama put forth² his vision of a nuclear-free world in a speech last April in Prague.

"The United States will take concrete steps towards a world without nuclear weapons.  To put an end to Cold War thinking, we will reduce the role of nuclear weapons in our national security strategy and urge others to do the same.  Make no mistake, as long as these weapons exist, the United States will maintain a safe, secure and effective arsenal³ to deter⁴ any adversary⁵ and guarantee that defense⁶ to our allies, including the Czech republic," Mr. Obama said.

The U.S. administration will make its nuclear policy clear with a paper known as the Nuclear Posture⁷ Review expected to be reported to the U.S. Congress this month.  In the meantime, the German government has called for the removal of U.S. tactical weapons on its soil and from Europe altogether.

Former NATO Secretary General George Robertson says that is a bad idea.

"I think that they have not yet fully⁸ realized how symbolically⁹ important the American nuclear umbrella is, and how dangerous it might be and how risky¹⁰ it might be if one component¹¹ of America's nuclear guarantee was to be removed without considering all of the consequences," Robertson said.

He says one of the consequences could be nuclear escalation¹², if nations do not feel safe.

"Far from making Europe safer, and far from producing a less nuclear dependent Europe, [the policy] may well end up bringing more nuclear weapons into the European continent, and frustrating¹³ some of the attempts that are being made to get multi-lateral nuclear disarmament," Robertson said.

Europe's main security structure is the NATO alliance, comprising 28 countries - including most of Europe, the United States and Turkey, among others. Article Five of its charter guarantees collective security.  Former Pentagon official Franklin Miller¹⁴ says that is why its newest members joined.

"I think the Eastern European nations joined the Alliance in large part because they received a guarantee from NATO of their territorial¹⁵ integrity, and what that means is there will be no war in Europe.  Not just no nuclear war in Europe, but no conventional war, no conventional aggression¹⁶.  NATO has been the most successful defense alliance in history, largely in part because it has had a nuclear element to its Article Five guarantee," Miller said.

Miller and Robertson co-wrote a report on Germany's call to remove nuclear weapons, along with Security Analyst¹⁷ Kori Schake of the Hoover Institution.

"The Russians have 5,400 tactical nuclear weapons.  It is in NATO's interests and I would argue it is in Russia's interests to bring these under control of a treaty that is verifiable and that builds security in Europe," Schake said.

The report's title is "Germany opens Pandora's Box," but Robertson says the renewed debate is positive.

"It actually opens the door to a new opportunity to reduce the total number of short-range nuclear weapons in Europe by having a negotiation¹⁸ with Russia to reduce them on both sides.  That itself would be a grand bargain, and therefore we could move from the high risk that the present policy seems to suggest, to one that would reassure¹⁹ Russia, reduce the number of nuclear weapons in Europe and maintain Alliance solidarity," Robertson said.

Miller says it is not clear how many of Russia's weapons are functional²⁰.

"The real issue is how to increase transparency in Europe on tactical nuclear weapons holdings and reduce the overly large number of Russian tactical nuclear weapons, which is why we propose a new arms-control agreement," Miller said.

Analysts²¹ say the debate over nuclear weapons in Europe could ultimately affect the international community's dealings with Iran, because NATO-member Turkey borders that and other Middle Eastern nations.  Schake says that has dominated Turkey's foreign policy.

"They already have some of the most difficult problems of any NATO ally, not least Iran on the nuclear threshold will cause the Turks to think very seriously about their own security and whether current arrangements are adequate for it.  We NATO allies need to help the Turks feel secure and make choices that are good for all of us," Schake said.

Germany's stance may have sparked this debate, but any resolution will depend on the Obama administration's position on nuclear weapons and their future as a potential deterrent²².

 

1 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

2 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

3 arsenal   

n.兵工厂，军械库

参考例句：

• Even the workers at the arsenal have got a secret organization.兵工厂工人暗中也有组织。
• We must be the great arsenal of democracy.我们必须成为民主的大军火库。

4 deter   

vt.阻止，使不敢，吓住

参考例句：

• Failure did not deter us from trying it again.失败并没有能阻挡我们再次进行试验。
• Dogs can deter unwelcome intruders.狗能够阻拦不受欢迎的闯入者。

5 adversary   

adj.敌手，对手

参考例句：

• He saw her as his main adversary within the company.他将她视为公司中主要的对手。
• They will do anything to undermine their adversary's reputation.他们会不择手段地去损害对手的名誉。

6 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。

7 posture   

n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势

参考例句：

• The government adopted an uncompromising posture on the issue of independence.政府在独立这一问题上采取了毫不妥协的态度。
• He tore off his coat and assumed a fighting posture.他脱掉上衣，摆出一副打架的架势。

8 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

9 symbolically   

ad.象征地，象征性地

参考例句：

• By wearing the ring on the third finger of the left hand, a married couple symbolically declares their eternal love for each other. 将婚戒戴在左手的第三只手指上，意味着夫妻双方象征性地宣告他们的爱情天长地久，他们定能白头偕老。
• Symbolically, he coughed to clear his throat. 周经理象征地咳一声无谓的嗽，清清嗓子。

10 risky   

adj.有风险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险，但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。
• He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。

11 component   

n.组成部分，成分，元件；adj.组成的，合成的

参考例句：

• Each component is carefully checked before assembly.每个零件在装配前都经过仔细检查。
• Blade and handle are the component parts of a knife.刀身和刀柄是一把刀的组成部分。

12 escalation   

n.扩大，增加

参考例句：

• The threat of nuclear escalation remains. 核升级的威胁仍旧存在。 来自辞典例句
• Escalation is thus an aspect of deterrence and of crisis management. 因此逐步升级是威慑和危机处理的一个方面。 来自辞典例句

13 frustrating   

adj.产生挫折的，使人沮丧的，令人泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的现在分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's frustrating to have to wait so long. 要等这么长时间，真令人懊恼。
• It was a demeaning and ultimately frustrating experience. 那是一次有失颜面并且令人沮丧至极的经历。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 miller   

n.磨坊主

参考例句：

• Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
• The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。

15 territorial   

adj.领土的，领地的

参考例句：

• The country is fighting to preserve its territorial integrity.该国在为保持领土的完整而进行斗争。
• They were not allowed to fish in our territorial waters.不允许他们在我国领海捕鱼。

16 aggression   

n.进攻，侵略，侵犯，侵害

参考例句：

• So long as we are firmly united, we need fear no aggression.只要我们紧密地团结，就不必惧怕外来侵略。
• Her view is that aggression is part of human nature.她认为攻击性是人类本性的一部份。

17 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

18 negotiation   

n.谈判，协商

参考例句：

• They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.经过一星期的谈判，他们的食糖生意成交了。
• The negotiation dragged on until July.谈判一直拖到7月份。

19 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。

20 functional   

adj.为实用而设计的，具备功能的，起作用的

参考例句：

• The telephone was out of order,but is functional now.电话刚才坏了，但现在可以用了。
• The furniture is not fancy,just functional.这些家具不是摆着好看的，只是为了实用。

21 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。

22 deterrent   

n.阻碍物，制止物；adj.威慑的，遏制的

参考例句：

• Large fines act as a deterrent to motorists.高额罚款是对开车的人的制约。
• I put a net over my strawberries as a deterrent to the birds.我在草莓上罩了网，免得鸟歇上去。