VOA常速英语2007-US Defense Chief Wants More Military Control of

By Al Pessin
Santiago, Chile
04 October 2007

U.S. Defense¹ Secretary Robert Gates says he wants to give the coalition² military command in Iraq a larger role in coordinating³ the activity of private security contractors⁴ that operate in the country. He says that is among the suggestions from a five-member panel he sent to Iraq in the wake of the incident last month in which armed guards from the Blackwater company, protecting a U.S. diplomatic convoy⁵ in Baghdad, allegedly killed at least 11 Iraqi civilians⁷ in a shootout. VOA's Al Pessin reports from Santiago, Chile, where Secretary Gates is visiting.

Speaking to reporters on his plane enroute from Colombia, Secretary Gates provided some details from the group's report, which he said he has not yet even had a chance to discuss with other senior Defense Department officials. He says the panel found that many of the thousands of security contractors in Iraq are working under contracts issued in Washington, and the Multi-National Force-Iraq command in Baghdad is not even aware of them.

"One obvious suggestion is, how do we give MNF-I greater clarity and more of a role, and knowledge about, the contracts that're going to be executed in their AOR [area of responsibility]," he said.

Secretary Gates says that has resulted in many distress⁸ calls from convoys⁹ escorted by contractors that were a surprise to the U.S. military units asked to help. "One of the units reports that about 30 percent of the calls for help for Quick Reaction Forces come from convoys that MNF-I doesn't know are out there," he said.

Secretary Gates says the panel recommends better coordination¹⁰ between the contractors and military commanders, the kind of cooperation he says could start with a meeting between himself and the heads of security companies that have forces in Iraq. He also says when contractors go beyond their authority or commit crimes, U.S. military commanders need to be more aggressive in their use of existing legal options to punish the contractors. That was the subject of a memo¹¹ Secretary Gates' deputy sent to field commanders last week.

But at the same time, Secretary Gates said it is important to continue using security contractors in Iraq.

"If there were significant limitations on contractors doing security work, the two alternatives are either we have to use soldiers to do that or you have significantly less mobility¹² on the part of the Department of State and the civilian⁶ side of the government, which is a huge component¹³ of what we're trying to accomplish in Iraq right now. So that would be, it seems to me, very counterproductive," he said.

The U.S. military is already stretched with about 165,000 troops in Iraq, and would be hard pressed for both logistical and political reasons to send more to replace contractors if they were barred from working in the country.

Although he has not yet discussed the panel's recommendations with other key officials, Secretary Gates says the ideas seem reasonable to him and he expects to implement¹⁴ them.

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 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。

3 coordinating   

v.使协调，使调和( coordinate的现在分词 )；协调；协同；成为同等

参考例句：

• He abolished the Operations Coordinating Board and the Planning Board. 他废除了行动协调委员会和计划委员会。 来自辞典例句
• He's coordinating the wedding, and then we're not going to invite him? 他是来协调婚礼的，难道我们不去请他？ 来自电影对白

4 contractors   

n.（建筑、监造中的）承包人( contractor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Contractors winning construction jobs had to kick back 2 per cent of the contract price to the mafia. 赢得建筑工作的承包商得抽出合同价格的百分之二的回扣给黑手党。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 convoy   

vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队

参考例句：

• The convoy was snowed up on the main road.护送队被大雪困在干路上了。
• Warships will accompany the convoy across the Atlantic.战舰将护送该船队过大西洋。

6 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

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 distress   

n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛

参考例句：

• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。
• Please don't distress yourself.请你不要忧愁了。

9 convoys   

n.（有护航的）船队( convoy的名词复数 )；车队；护航（队）；护送队

参考例句：

• Truck convoys often stop over for lunch here. 车队经常在这里停下来吃午饭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A UN official said aid programs will be suspended until there's adequate protection for relief convoys. 一名联合国官员说将会暂停援助项目，直到援助车队能够得到充分的保护为止。 来自辞典例句

10 coordination   

n.协调，协作

参考例句：

• Gymnastics is a sport that requires a considerable level of coordination.体操是一项需要高协调性的运动。
• The perfect coordination of the dancers and singers added a rhythmic charm to the performance.舞蹈演员和歌手们配合得很好，使演出更具魅力。

11 memo   

n.照会，备忘录；便笺；通知书；规章

参考例句：

• Do you want me to send the memo out?您要我把这份备忘录分发出去吗？
• Can you type a memo for me?您能帮我打一份备忘录吗？

12 mobility   

n.可动性，变动性，情感不定

参考例句：

• The difference in regional house prices acts as an obstacle to mobility of labour.不同地区房价的差异阻碍了劳动力的流动。
• Mobility is very important in guerrilla warfare.机动性在游击战中至关重要。

13 component   

n.组成部分，成分，元件；adj.组成的，合成的

参考例句：

• Each component is carefully checked before assembly.每个零件在装配前都经过仔细检查。
• Blade and handle are the component parts of a knife.刀身和刀柄是一把刀的组成部分。

14 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。