2006年VOA标准英语-Rumsfeld Says NATO Expansion in Afghanista

By Al Pessin
Taormina, Italy
09 February 2006

Donald Rumsfeld speaks with the press aboard his airplane   
  
American Defense¹ Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says NATO's plan to take over security operations in southern Afghanistan, later this year, will not necessarily mean a reduction in U.S. troop strength in the country. Rumsfeld spoke² to reporters on his American Air Force plane, enroute to a NATO defense ministers' meeting in Taormina, Italy.

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Secretary Rumsfeld says, even though NATO will soon have responsibility for most of Afghanistan and plans to add the remaining region in the east, its troops only maintain security and build local capacity. They do not handle active counter-insurgency operations.

"Technically³, that would not say they would take over everything because the counter-terrorism activity has never been, to my knowledge, discussed as a role for NATO," he said.

U.S. Army soldiers from Alpha Company, 1st Battalion⁴, 508th Infantry⁵ (Airborne), prepare to move out on another mission in Mangritae, Afghanistan (25 June 2005)  
  
Secretary Rumsfeld says that job is done by the American-led coalition⁶, which includes several other NATO countries.

And, although he welcomed NATO's growing role in Afghanistan, the secretary said there are many factors that will go into any decision about American troop strength in the country. He says those factors include NATO's role, but also the development of the Afghan army and political process and the demobilization of militias⁷.

"I wouldn't tie it to that. It's a combination of all those elements and not the one," he said.

The secretary noted⁸ that U.S. forces in Afghanistan have already been reduced by one third.

As he prepared to meet with the other 25 NATO defense ministers, plus their Russian counterpart and ministers from seven NATO partner states from around the Mediterranean⁹, Secretary Rumsfeld praised the organization's evolution in recent years. He noted that it has moved beyond its traditional defensive¹⁰ posture¹¹ in Europe and has taken an active role elsewhere in the world. He mentioned plans for the NATO rapid reaction force as an example. That force is to have final exercises in June and become operational in October. But U.S. officials say member nations have only contributed about 80 per cent of the force's required resources.

Secretary Rumsfeld said he would also like to see NATO get involved in global peacekeeping and helping¹² develop military capabilities¹³ in partner nations.

"I think there are other things NATO could do. And, I suspect, if we transported ourselves out five or ten years and looked back, I think we'd find that in fact NATO will be doing some of those things, to a greater extent than they are today," he said.

Secretary Rumsfeld will spend two days at the NATO meeting in Sicily, where, he says he will also urge member states to increase their defense spending to help provide forces for the organization's new initiatives.

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 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

3 technically   

adv.专门地，技术上地

参考例句：

• Technically it is the most advanced equipment ever.从技术上说，这是最先进的设备。
• The tomato is technically a fruit,although it is eaten as a vegetable.严格地说，西红柿是一种水果，尽管它是当作蔬菜吃的。

4 battalion   

n.营；部队；大队(的人)

参考例句：

• The town was garrisoned by a battalion.该镇由一营士兵驻守。
• At the end of the drill parade,the battalion fell out.操练之后，队伍解散了。

5 infantry   

n.[总称]步兵(部队)

参考例句：

• The infantry were equipped with flame throwers.步兵都装备有喷火器。
• We have less infantry than the enemy.我们的步兵比敌人少。

6 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

7 militias   

n.民兵组织，民兵( militia的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias. 部队并不打算解除战斗中的民兵武装。 来自辞典例句
• The neighborhood was a battleground for Shiite and Sunni militias. 那里曾是什叶派和逊尼派武装分子的战场。 来自互联网

8 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。

9 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

10 defensive   

adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的

参考例句：

• Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
• The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。

11 posture   

n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势

参考例句：

• The government adopted an uncompromising posture on the issue of independence.政府在独立这一问题上采取了毫不妥协的态度。
• He tore off his coat and assumed a fighting posture.他脱掉上衣，摆出一副打架的架势。

12 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

13 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓