VOA慢速英语2015 专家质疑阿拉伯联合军事计划

AS IT IS 2015-04-07 Analysts² Question Plans for Joint³ Arab Military 专家质疑阿拉伯联合军事计划

For months, members of the Arab League have been calling for a joint military force. The force would try to control the widespread violence in the region. At a recent meeting, members of the Arab League mostly agreed to form the force. But analysts say it may not be possible to create the force and prepare it to fight complex modern conflicts.

At the league's recent meeting in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi promised that military leaders would form a committee. The committee will try to work out how to assemble an Arab League military force.

He did not say exactly who will be in charge or where the force will go. It is thought the force might go to countries such as Libya, Yemen, Iraq and Syria.

Most Arab heads of states and foreign ministers now agree that they must form an international force of Arab fighters to secure the region. Yet, some Arab League representatives do not agree.

Sectarian divisions

Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari  is against intervention⁴. He believes it could make conflicts worse. Mr. al-Jaafari pointed⁵ out that people of many Arab countries are members of two main Muslim groups.  The groups, Sunni and Shia, cause conflicts within the countries and between the countries. Sunni countries and groups generally support Saudi Arabia, and Shia countries and groups support Iran.

Complex tribal⁶ and political divisions add to the existing disorder⁷. One regional newspaper said people do not usually put the three words “Unified, Arab, and force” together.

Abdullah al-Ashaal is a former deputy foreign minister and ambassador in Egypt. He said these religious and tribal divisions could make it impossible for the Arab world to form a military.

“Since when are the Arabs united on anything? If they are united at any moment, tell me," he said.

If the Arab countries did unite enough to form a military, al-Ashaal says these divisions could make the fighting worse.

For example, in Yemen, the Iranian-backed Houthis are fighting the Saudi-backed government. If an Arab force intervened in Yemen, al-Ashaal explained, it would be the same as starting a war with Iran.

“What [are they] going to do with the force? To do what? To fight Iran?" he asked. "They will smash them all. Iran is very strong militarily.”

But political analyst¹ Hisham Kassem disagrees. He says international forces are badly needed to deal with the threat of the Islamic State militants⁸. The United States, NATO and the United Nations are increasingly losing interest in sending troops to the Middle East. As a result, Mr. Kassem says, the Arab world has to take some action.

“It’s not an option. A force has to be created with some minimal⁹ support from the United States and Europe," he said. "Nobody at this point who is directly threatened can afford to say, ‘None of my business’ or ‘I don’t want my people killed.’”

In the U.S., response to the announcement was positive. On Monday, Defense¹⁰ Secretary Ash Carter called the planned joint force "a good thing."

State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said the U.S. was waiting to see the exact structure of the joint force and what it is ordered to do.

Words in This Story

analyst  - n. a person who studies or analyzes¹¹ something

complex – adj. of or having many parts that are difficult to understand; not simple

conflict – n. a fight; a battle, especially a long one

intervention – n. the act of becoming involved in something (such as a conflict) in order to have an influence on what happens

1 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。

2 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。

3 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。

4 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

5 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

6 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

7 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

8 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

9 minimal   

adj.尽可能少的，最小的

参考例句：

• They referred to this kind of art as minimal art.他们把这种艺术叫微型艺术。
• I stayed with friends, so my expenses were minimal.我住在朋友家，所以我的花费很小。

10 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。

11 analyzes   

v.分析( analyze的第三人称单数 )；分解；解释；对…进行心理分析

参考例句：

• This approach analyzes management by studying experience usually through cases. 这个学派通常从实例获得经验，用以分析管理。 来自辞典例句
• The econometrician analyzes statistical data. 经济计量学者要分析统计材料。 来自辞典例句