CNN 2010-12-25

This is GPS, the Global Public Square. Welcome to all of you in the United States and around the world. I'm Fareed Zakaria.

The Obama administration has just completed its Afghanistan review, and the document seems to reflect realities on the ground, as far as we can tell. It says that progress has been made in Afghanistan, though the gains are fragile and reversible.

Now, some experts are actually even more optimistic. Max Boot and Peter Mansoor, two counterinsurgency experts, spent some time in Afghanistan and have just reported that important parts of the country are far more secure than they were a year ago. Taliban strongholds like Kandahar and Helmand have been the site of significant American and Afghan military successes.

The key challenge, the White House and the experts would agree, is whether the Afghan National Army and police can take over where the American army leaves off. In other words, if we clear and hold, can they come in and build, build order and governance in these areas?

Here, as well, there is some good news. The Afghan security forces appear more competent and coordinated¹ than ever before. General Petraeus deserves credit for having achieved significant impact in a surprisingly short period of time.

The reason why we are in Afghanistan, however, is to battle al Qaeda and similar terrorist groups, and most of these bad guys are all in Pakistan these days. Now, the Obama administration has been honest enough about this problem and is honest enough to admit that progress here has not been fast enough or large enough.

Drone attacks certainly have put al Qaeda's leadership on the run in Pakistan, but they have many opportunities to regroup. Other terror organizations like the Haqqani group still operate with impunity² inside an area as large as California in Waziristan.

The president says we are on track to have American forces start withdrawing in July, 2011. Good. Waiting for Afghanistan to become perfect would be waiting for decades.

But as long as the enemy in Afghanistan has sanctuaries³ in a neighboring country and some support in that country, progress in Afghanistan will be temporary. When we leave, the terror groups will come across from the border and undo⁴ years of American effort and trillions of dollars of investment.

We'll talk more about Afghanistan when we talk about the life and work of Richard Holbrooke.

But, first on this show, Britain's deep budget cuts have led to rioting that has even enveloped⁵ the future king of England. But it has many businessmen and financial experts cheering. We'll talk to the man responsible for Britain's bold and controversial program, the Chancellor⁶ of the Exchequer⁷, George Osborne.

Next up, a man who held Osborne's office for a decade and then became prime minister, Gordon Brown, on why he opposes Britain's current path and much more.

Then, "What in the World?" Is the almighty⁸ dollar no longer so mighty⁹? China and Russia have become strange bedfellows in an experiment.

Finally, in our "Last Look," if you can't find the video games you want on the store shelves, you might want to ask the Pentagon. We'll explain.

1 coordinated   

adj.协调的

参考例句：

• The sound has to be coordinated with the picture. 声音必须和画面协调一致。
• The numerous existing statutes are complicated and poorly coordinated. 目前繁多的法令既十分复杂又缺乏快调。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

2 impunity   

n.(惩罚、损失、伤害等的)免除

参考例句：

• You will not escape with impunity.你不可能逃脱惩罚。
• The impunity what compulsory insurance sets does not include escapement.交强险规定的免责范围不包括逃逸。

3 sanctuaries   

n.避难所( sanctuary的名词复数 )；庇护；圣所；庇护所

参考例句：

• The designation of special marine reserves and marine sanctuaries shall be subject to the State Council for approval. 海洋特别保护区、海上自然保护区的确定，须经国务院批准。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• After 1965 he acquiesced when they established sanctuaries on that soil. 1965年以后，他默认了他们在那块土地上建立庇护所。 来自辞典例句

4 undo   

vt.解开，松开；取消，撤销

参考例句：

• His pride will undo him some day.他的傲慢总有一天会毁了他。
• I managed secretly to undo a corner of the parcel.我悄悄地设法解开了包裹的一角。

5 enveloped   

v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She was enveloped in a huge white towel. 她裹在一条白色大毛巾里。
• Smoke from the burning house enveloped the whole street. 燃烧着的房子冒出的浓烟笼罩了整条街。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 chancellor   

n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长

参考例句：

• They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
• He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。

7 exchequer   

n.财政部；国库

参考例句：

• In Britain the Chancellor of the Exchequer deals with taxes and government spending.英国的财政大臣负责税务和政府的开支。
• This resulted in a considerable loss to the exchequer.这使国库遭受了重大损失。

8 almighty   

adj.全能的，万能的；很大的，很强的

参考例句：

• Those rebels did not really challenge Gods almighty power.这些叛徒没有对上帝的全能力量表示怀疑。
• It's almighty cold outside.外面冷得要命。

9 mighty   

adj.强有力的；巨大的

参考例句：

• A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
• The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。