VOA慢速英语2014 塔利班囚犯获释影响未明

 

Effects of Taliban Prisoner Release Unclear 塔利班囚犯获释影响未明

From VOA Learning English, this is In The News. 

美国之音慢速学英语节目，这里是时事新闻。

Five members of Afghanistan’s Taliban rejoined their families this week after 13 years in detention¹.  The United States had been holding the five at its prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.  The U.S. government recently sent them to Qatar in exchange for the only American soldier held in Afghanistan.

本周，被关押了13年之后，5名阿富汗塔利班分子重新与家人团聚。此前，美国将这5名囚犯关押在古巴关塔纳摩监狱。美国政府最近将他们送往卡塔尔，换取被阿富汗俘获的唯一一名美国士兵。

Sergeant² Bowe Bergdahl was believed to have been held prisoner for almost five years.  U.S. officials believe his captors belong to the Haqqani network, a group with links to the Taliban.

据信，陆军中士鲍·伯格达尔(Bowe Bergdahl)被关押了接近五年的时间。美国官员相信俘虏他的人隶属哈卡尼网络，与塔利班分子存在关联。

Defense³ Department officials say Sergeant Bergdahl’s release followed several weeks of secret, indirect talks.  The government of Qatar reportedly assisted in the negotiations⁴.

国防部官员表示，伯格达尔中士的获释是为期几周的秘密间接谈判的结果。卡塔尔政府在谈判中起到辅助作用。

In Washington last Saturday, President Barack Obama praised the soldier’s release. 

上周六，奥巴马总统在华盛顿对这名士兵的获释表示赞誉。

“He wasn’t forgotten by his community in Idaho, or the military, which rallied to support the Bergdahls through thick and thin.  And he wasn’t forgotten by his country – because the United States of American does not ever leave our men and women in uniform behind.”

“他并没有被爱达荷州遗忘，也没有被军方遗忘，他们一直风雨同舟支持伯格达尔一家。他也没有被国家遗忘——因为美利坚合众国永远不会放弃任何一位士兵。”

Republican Party lawmakers welcomed Bowe Bergdahl’s release, but questioned the prisoner exchange.  Senator John McCain was himself a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War.  He described the five Afghans as hardened terrorists and violent extremists.  He and other Republicans wanted the Obama administration to explain what steps were taken to make sure the five never return to fight against the United States.

共和党议员们对鲍·伯格达尔(Bowe Bergdahl)的获释表示欢迎，但是对囚徒交换提出质疑。参议员约翰·麦凯恩本身曾经是越南战争的囚犯。他表示，那5名阿富汗人是冷酷的恐怖分子和暴力的极端分子。他和其他共和党人希望奥巴马政府解释，应该如何采取措施确保这5名阿富汗人永远不会再实施反对美国的行动。

The government in Afghanistan was angered at President Obama’s decision to release the detainees.  The Afghan foreign ministry⁵ said the decision was a possible violation⁶ of international law. 

阿富汗政府对奥巴马总统释放囚犯的决定表示愤怒。阿富汗外交部表示，该决定可能违反了国际法。

U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has defended the agreement to exchange the detainees for Sergeant Bergdahl.  He also defended the decision not to inform Congress before the exchange took place, as required by law.

美国国防部长查克·哈格尔(Chuck Hagel)为用囚犯交换伯格达尔中士的协议作出辩护。关于未按照法律要求在交换囚徒前通知国会的决定，他也作出了辩护。

Secretary Hagel said he does not think the deal will endanger U.S. military personnel or civilians⁷ by inviting⁸ future deals with hostage-takers.

哈格尔部长表示，他并不认为该交易会鼓励致劫持者再次交易，危害美国军事人员或平民。

The events leading up to the capture of the American in 2009 remain unclear.  A soldier who served with him said the former prisoner is no hero. 

导致这位美国士兵于2009年被俘的事件并不清楚。与他一起服役的一位士兵表示，这名前囚犯并不是英雄。

“People calling him a hero or calling him this great soldier?  It’s a spit in the face to all the soldiers who were there.”

“人们称他为英雄或伟大的士兵？这是对所有士兵的侮辱。”

That was former Army Sergeant Evan Buetow.  He was Bowe Bergdahl’s team leader in Afghanistan.  He says he is happy Sergeant Bergdahl is safe.  But he says he cannot understand celebrating a soldier he says just walked away from his base.

这是前陆军中士Evan Buetow。他曾经是阿富汗鲍·伯格达尔(Bowe Bergdahl)所在的小组的负责人。他说，他很高兴伯格达尔终于安全了。但是他说，他不能理解一位自行离开基地的士兵获释有什么值得庆祝的。

On social media, others accused Bowe Bergdahl of walking away and of getting U.S. troops killed as a result of his actions.

在社交媒体上，其他人指控鲍·伯格达尔(Bowe Bergdahl)擅自离开部队，而且由于他的行为导致美国军人被杀害。

Jonah Blank is with the RAND Corporation policy group.  He notes the Army recognized the soldier with promotions⁹ not once, but twice during his captivity¹⁰.  He says this suggests his actions were nothing less than honorable.

Jonah Blank是兰德公司政策小组成员。他指出，军方曾在伯格达尔被俘期间对他进行了两次晋升。他说，这表明他的行为是非常值得尊重的。

Army Secretary John McHugh has made clear the military’s first goal is to make sure Sergeant Bergdahl regains¹¹ his health.  He says once that happens, the Army will launch what he called a “comprehensive, coordinated” investigation¹² of the soldier’s disappearance¹³.

美国陆军部长约翰·麦克休(John McHugh)明确表示，军方的首要目标是确保鲍·伯格达尔(Bowe Bergdahl)恢复身体健康。他说，在这之后，军方将对这位士兵的失踪进行“综合的，全面的”调查。

1 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

2 sergeant   

n.警官，中士

参考例句：

• His elder brother is a sergeant.他哥哥是个警官。
• How many stripes are there on the sleeve of a sergeant?陆军中士的袖子上有多少条纹？

3 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。

4 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

5 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。

6 violation   

n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯

参考例句：

• He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
• He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。

7 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。

8 inviting   

adj.诱人的，引人注目的

参考例句：

• An inviting smell of coffee wafted into the room.一股诱人的咖啡香味飘进了房间。
• The kitchen smelled warm and inviting and blessedly familiar.这间厨房的味道温暖诱人，使人感到亲切温馨。

9 promotions   

促进( promotion的名词复数 )； 提升； 推广； 宣传

参考例句：

• All services or promotions must have an appeal and wide application. 所有服务或促销工作都必须具有吸引力和广泛的适用性。
• He promptly directed the highest promotions and decorations for General MacArthur. 他授予麦克阿瑟将军以最高的官阶和勋奖。

10 captivity   

n.囚禁；被俘；束缚

参考例句：

• A zoo is a place where live animals are kept in captivity for the public to see.动物园是圈养动物以供公众观看的场所。
• He was held in captivity for three years.他被囚禁叁年。

11 regains   

复得( regain的第三人称单数 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地

参考例句：

• It will take a lot of repair work before the theatre regains its former splendour. 要想剧院重拾昔日的辉煌，必须进行大规模整修。
• He lays down the book and regains the consciousness. 他惊悸初定，掩卷细思。

12 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

13 disappearance   

n.消失，消散，失踪

参考例句：

• He was hard put to it to explain her disappearance.他难以说明她为什么不见了。
• Her disappearance gave rise to the wildest rumours.她失踪一事引起了各种流言蜚语。