Europe Reviews Security Strategy

 

By Douglas Bakshian

U.S. plans to withdraw about 70,000 troops from Europe and Asia are prompting defense¹ officials in Europe to modernize² their own security strategies to deal with threats in the 21st century.

The plans announced by President Bush this week are part of a U.S. strategy to remove large Army units from Europe and replace them with smaller, more mobile forces during the next 10 years.

The United States plans to withdraw 30,000 troops from Germany alone, breaking down the largest U.S. troop concentration in Europe. U.S. officials say Eastern European nations that are closer to trouble areas like the Balkans and Middle East could become new launch pads for American forces.

The details are still being worked out, and Mark Joyce, head of the trans-Atlantic program at Royal United Services Institute, described the concept to British radio.

"One concept that has been bandied around [discussed] is this idea of 'lily pads,' small strategic hubs strung out across the globe from which the Americans can deploy³ their forces at very short notice to just about anywhere in the world," said Mr. Joyce.

The planned reconfiguration of troops came as no surprise to NATO, which is already reshaping itself to deal with new global threats. Alliance spokesman Robert Pszczel says the shifting of forces is not a new issue, and it is generally understood why the change is needed.

"Broadly speaking the U.S. plans are consistent with the alliance's collective commitment to lighter⁴, more flexible forces organized and deployed⁵ to meet demands of the new security environment," added Mr. Pszczel.

Mr. Pszczel says the Cold War dynamic of large, standing⁶ blocs⁷ of Eastern and Western forces facing each other is over. Now forces must be ready to quickly target international hot spots when they flare⁸ up, and European defense planners realize this.

"First of all, we need different forces. Secondly⁹ geography is no longer, this is not a cold war with static masses," he noted¹⁰. "We need light forces, we need forces which can deploy, and of course we know it from practical, concrete experience. Whether it is operations in the Balkans or operations in Afghanistan."

Mr. Pszczel says European officials must invest in smart weaponry, large transport aircraft, and advanced satellite communications to upgrade their forces. While expense is involved, the NATO spokesman says, pooled European resources should be able to meet the bill.

The 25-nation European Union in principle has embraced the idea. It has set a goal of creating a number of rapid-reaction battle groups by the year 2010. But some analysts¹¹ say it is not clear if Europe will be able to live up to its responsibilities and deal with major crises without the U.S. help that was needed in Bosnia and Kosovo in the 1990s.

There are about 200,000 U.S. troops abroad, excluding Iraq and Afghanistan. About 100,000 are in Europe, with 70,000 in Germany. The rest are in the Pacific and Asia. Douglas Bakshian for VOA news, Luxembourg.
注释：
break down 分解
Balkan 巴尔干半岛
launch pad 发射坪
Royal United Services Institute 英国皇家联合服务学会
bandy 传播
hub 中心
reconfiguration 重新调配
bloc 政治组织，集团
flare up 突然发起
practical 实用的
weaponry 武器，军备
Bosnia 波斯尼亚（南斯拉夫中西部地区）

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 modernize   

vt.使现代化，使适应现代的需要

参考例句：

• It was their manifest failure to modernize the country's industries.他们使国家进行工业现代化，明显失败了。
• There is a pressing need to modernise our electoral system.我们的选举制度迫切需要现代化。

3 deploy   

v.（军）散开成战斗队形，布置，展开

参考例句：

• The infantry began to deploy at dawn.步兵黎明时开始进入战斗位置。
• The president said he had no intention of deploying ground troops.总统称并不打算部署地面部队。

4 lighter   

n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级

参考例句：

• The portrait was touched up so as to make it lighter.这张画经过润色，色调明朗了一些。
• The lighter works off the car battery.引燃器利用汽车蓄电池打火。

5 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

6 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

7 blocs   

n.集团，联盟( bloc的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The division of Europe into warring blocs produces ever-increasing centrifugal stress. 把欧洲分为作战集团产生了越来越大的离心效果。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The policy of the two blocs was played out. 把世界分为两个集团的政策已经过时了。 来自辞典例句

8 flare   

v.闪耀，闪烁；n.潮红；突发

参考例句：

• The match gave a flare.火柴发出闪光。
• You need not flare up merely because I mentioned your work.你大可不必因为我提到你的工作就动怒。

9 secondly   

adv.第二，其次

参考例句：

• Secondly,use your own head and present your point of view.第二，动脑筋提出自己的见解。
• Secondly it is necessary to define the applied load.其次，需要确定所作用的载荷。

10 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

11 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。