VOA标准英语2011--bels Defend NATO After Errant Strikes

 Libyan Rebels Defend NATO After Errant Strikes

 

Libya's rebel military is defending NATO after airstrikes killed a number of Libyan civilians². The show of support follows Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's condemnation³ of the alliance as murderers.
A rebel military spokesman called NATO a legitimate⁴ force that is doing its job, carrying out the United Nations mandate⁵ to protect Libyan civilians.
Colonel Ahmed Bani argued that anyone who speaks differently about the alliance or blames them for any shortcomings is against the freedom of the Libyan people. Operating from a United Nations mandate to protect Libyans, NATO's air operation has been a linchpin for the rebels seeking to oust⁶ Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.
Listen to Elizabeth Arrott's debriefer⁷ with Susan Yackee about the current situation in Libyan rebel stronghold Benghazi:
NATO's mission has come under increased scrutiny⁸ in recent days, as strikes Sunday and Monday claimed the lives of several civilians, including children, in the west of the country.
Last week, alliance aircraft mistakenly fired on a rebel column in Brega, in the east. NATO expressed regret for the loss of civilian¹ life.
In an audio message broadcast late Wednesday, Gadhafi condemned⁹ the strikes, saying NATO was killing¹⁰ "our children and grandchildren."
The Libyan government has repeatedly accused the alliance of deliberately¹¹ targeting civilians, a charge NATO has called "outrageous¹²."
Rebel spokesman Bani, addressing reporters in Benghazi Thursday, laid the blame for the recent deaths on Gadhafi, saying his attempt to cling to power by any means is the reason for the casualties.
Bani added his condolences for those killed, saying whoever dies, on either side, is Libyan.
The rebels' defense¹³ of the campaign comes as Italy seeks a halt in the fighting to provide a safe corridor for humanitarian¹⁴ aid. The call was reportedly echoed by Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa, quoted in British media as arguing the time is right for a political solution.
France rejected the suggestion, with a foreign ministry¹⁵ spokesman saying the coalition¹⁶ must step up its pressure on Gadhafi. The official said a halt in the air campaign, now it its fourth month, would only give government forces time to regroup.
Meanwhile, International Criminal Court judges are scheduled to decide next week whether Gadhafi will face arrest for crimes against humanity. The court announced on Thursday that a hearing will take place in The Hague on Monday.

1 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

2 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

3 condemnation   

n.谴责; 定罪

参考例句：

• There was widespread condemnation of the invasion. 那次侵略遭到了人们普遍的谴责。
• The jury's condemnation was a shock to the suspect. 陪审团宣告有罪使嫌疑犯大为震惊。

4 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。

5 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

6 oust   

vt.剥夺，取代，驱逐

参考例句：

• The committee wanted to oust him from the union.委员会想把他从工会中驱逐出去。
• The leaders have been ousted from power by nationalists.这些领导人被民族主义者赶下了台。

7 debriefer   

Debriefer

参考例句：

• He was taken to a US airbase to be debriefed on the mission. 他被带到美国空军基地汇报执行使命情况。
• We debriefed our pilot after he had flown over the enemy's land. 我方飞行员飞越敌境之后，我们向他询问情况。

8 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

9 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

10 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。

11 deliberately   

adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地

参考例句：

• The girl gave the show away deliberately.女孩故意泄露秘密。
• They deliberately shifted off the argument.他们故意回避这个论点。

12 outrageous   

adj.无理的，令人不能容忍的

参考例句：

• Her outrageous behaviour at the party offended everyone.她在聚会上的无礼行为触怒了每一个人。
• Charges for local telephone calls are particularly outrageous.本地电话资费贵得出奇。

13 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。

14 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

15 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

16 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。