Rumsfeld Defends Intelligence, War in Iraq

Rumsfeld Defends Intelligence, War in Iraq

Alex Belida

Defense¹ Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has strongly denied the Bush Administration manipulated intelligence on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction program to bolster² its case for military action to topple Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

Speaking out in public for the first time since former chief weapons inspector³ David Kay acknowledged U.S. intelligence on Iraq's weapons programs was apparently⁴ wrong, Mr. Rumsfeld has delivered a strong defense of the Bush administration's actions.

Appearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, the defense secretary says that despite Mr. Kay's concession⁵, he is not yet ready to acknowledge that Saddam Hussein did not have chemical or biological weapons.

He says that has yet to be proven conclusively⁶.

"What we have learned thus far has not proven that Saddam Hussein had what intelligence indicated and what we believed he had. But it has also not proven the opposite."

Mr. Rumsfeld then went on to deny there was any manipulation of the intelligence by the Bush administration to justify⁷ military operations against Iraq.

"I haven't heard of it. I haven't seen any of it."

Mr. Rumsfeld says there are a number of possible theories about what happened to Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, that they were transferred to other countries, that they were hidden around Iraq, that they were destroyed or that their existence was a calculated charade⁸ by Saddam or his scientists.

But he says the theory that Iraq had none is not likely. And whatever the case, he says President Bush made the right decision to invade Iraq.

"I'm convinced that the President of the United States did the right thing in Iraq, let there be no doubt."

Nevertheless, there was criticism of the administration's actions, especially from Democratic legislators, including Senator Edward Kennedy.

He voices concern that the administration's plans to investigate intelligence failures in Iraq will be aimed at blaming intelligence analysts⁹ and not policy makers¹⁰.

"I think the White House agenda is clear is to blame the failure of the administration's case for war on the intelligence community rather than the administration's manipulations and misrepresentations on the available intelligence."

Other members of Congress have voiced similar concerns.

The investigation¹¹ ordered by President Bush is expected to take more than a year to complete. Its findings are not therefore likely to be known until after this November's presidential election.

 

注释：

Defense Secretary  国防部长

Donald Rumsfeld  唐纳德·拉姆菲尔德，美国国防部长。

manipulate [mE5nIpjJleIt] vt. 操纵，处理

bolster [5bEulstE] vt. 费力支持，援助

topple [5tRp(E)l] v. 使倾覆，推翻

Senate Armed Services Committee  参议院武装部队委员会

concession [kEn5seFEn] n. 让步

conclusively [kEn5klu:sivli] adv. 最后地

manipulation [mE7nipju5leiFEn] n. 处理，操作

justify [5dVQstifai] v. 证明……是正当的

theory [5WiEri] n. 推测，揣度

calculated [5kAlkjJleItId] adj. 精心计划的，蓄意的

charade [FE5rB:d] n. 文字游戏，荒谬的借口

convinced [kEn5vInst] adj. 确信的，深信的

legislator [5ledVis7leitE] n. 立法者

voice [vCis] vt. （用语言）表达，吐露

misrepresentation [5mis7reprizen5teiFEn] n. 误传，曲解

 

1 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。

2 bolster   

n.枕垫；v.支持，鼓励

参考例句：

• The high interest rates helped to bolster up the economy.高利率使经济更稳健。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

3 inspector   

n.检查员，监察员，视察员

参考例句：

• The inspector was interested in everything pertaining to the school.视察员对有关学校的一切都感兴趣。
• The inspector was shining a flashlight onto the tickets.查票员打着手电筒查看车票。

4 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

5 concession   

n.让步，妥协；特许(权)

参考例句：

• We can not make heavy concession to the matter.我们在这个问题上不能过于让步。
• That is a great concession.这是很大的让步。

6 conclusively   

adv.令人信服地，确凿地

参考例句：

• All this proves conclusively that she couldn't have known the truth. 这一切无可置疑地证明她不可能知道真相。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• From the facts,he was able to determine conclusively that the death was not a suicide. 根据这些事实他断定这起死亡事件并非自杀。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 justify   

vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护

参考例句：

• He tried to justify his absence with lame excuses.他想用站不住脚的借口为自己的缺席辩解。
• Can you justify your rude behavior to me?你能向我证明你的粗野行为是有道理的吗？

8 charade   

n.用动作等表演文字意义的字谜游戏

参考例句：

• You must not refine too much upon this charade.你切不可过分推敲这个字谜。
• His poems,despite their dignity and felicity,have an air of charade.他的诗篇虽然庄严巧妙，却有猜迷之嫌。

9 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。

10 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 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。