VOA常速英语2007年-Bush Confident of CIA Tapes Probe

By Scott Stearns
White House
20 December 2007

President Bush says he has confidence in a Justice Department investigation¹ into the CIA's destruction of videotapes showing the harsh interrogations of two suspected al-Qaida terrorists. The president's statement came as the CIA announced it will begin handing over documents to the Intelligence Committee of the House of Representatives which is also probing the matter. VOA's Scott Stearns has this report from the White House, where the president discussed the issue at an end of the year news conference.

President Bush says he does not recall being told of the interrogation videotapes or their destruction before he was briefed by CIA Director Michael Hayden earlier this month.

Congressional investigators² and the Justice Department are both looking into the handling of the tapes for possible obstruction³ of justice charges.  A U.S. federal judge is also expected to hold a hearing on the matter Friday to examine whether the CIA violated a court order to preserve evidence related to lawsuits⁴ filed by terror suspects.

Some opposition⁵ Democrats⁶ have called for the naming of an independent prosecutor⁷ to look into the case, but President Bush says Attorney General Michael Mukasey is coordinating⁸ the investigation with the CIA and Congress.

"I am confident that the preliminary inquiry⁹ conducted by the AG and the IG of the CIA, coupled with the oversight¹⁰ provided by the Congress will end up enabling us all to find out exactly what happened," he said.

At his end-of-year news conference, Mr. Bush said he will reserve judgment¹¹ on the matter until that investigation is complete.

The House Intelligence Committee has rejected a Justice Department request to delay its inquiry into the destruction of the videotapes and has subpoenaed¹² the former head of the CIA's clandestine¹³ service to testify next month.

CIA Director Hayden says the 2002 videotapes were destroyed to protect the identity of the interrogators. Critics allege¹⁴ they were destroyed to hide evidence of torture.

The New York Times reported Wednesday that at least four White House officials took part in discussions with the CIA about what to do with the tapes before they were destroyed.

News reports say the tapes showed the questioning of two top al Qaida operatives who were being held at secret overseas prisons.  The suspects were allegedly subjected to interrogation methods that simulate drowning and other so-called "enhanced" techniques.  The tapes were reportedly destroyed in 2005.

On other subjects at Thursday's news conference, President Bush said he is grateful that Congress agreed to $70 billion for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.  Republicans again forced Democrats to abandon efforts to link further funding to a troop withdrawal¹⁵ from Iraq.

Iraq and the U.S. economy are the biggest issues so far in the race for next year's presidential elections, a contest that Mr. Bush says he will not comment on until his party chooses its nominee¹⁶.

"During the primaries and during the general election, I suspect my name may come up a lot. And what the American people need to do is sort through the rhetoric¹⁷ and reality," he added.

The president says he confident that his Republican Party will maintain control of the White House, because he says Republicans better understand that the government's primary responsibility is to protect the nation from further terrorist attack.

1 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。

2 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 obstruction   

n.阻塞，堵塞；障碍物

参考例句：

• She was charged with obstruction of a police officer in the execution of his duty.她被指控妨碍警察执行任务。
• The road was cleared from obstruction.那条路已被清除了障碍。

4 lawsuits   

n.诉讼( lawsuit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Lawsuits involving property rights and farming and grazing rights increased markedly. 涉及财产权，耕作与放牧权的诉讼案件显著地增加。 来自辞典例句
• I've lost and won more lawsuits than any man in England. 全英国的人算我官司打得最多，赢的也多，输的也多。 来自辞典例句

5 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

6 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 prosecutor   

n.起诉人；检察官，公诉人

参考例句：

• The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。
• The prosecutor would tear your testimony to pieces.检查官会把你的证言驳得体无完肤。

8 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

9 inquiry   

n.打听，询问，调查，查问

参考例句：

• Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
• The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

10 oversight   

n.勘漏，失察，疏忽

参考例句：

• I consider this a gross oversight on your part.我把这件事看作是你的一大疏忽。
• Your essay was not marked through an oversight on my part.由于我的疏忽你的文章没有打分。

11 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

12 subpoenaed   

v.（用传票）传唤（某人）( subpoena的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The court subpoenaed her to appear as a witness. 法庭传唤她出庭作证。
• The finance director is subpoenaed by prosecution. 财务经理被检查机关传讯。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 clandestine   

adj.秘密的，暗中从事的

参考例句：

• She is the director of clandestine operations of the CIA.她是中央情报局秘密行动的负责人。
• The early Christians held clandestine meetings in caves.早期的基督徒在洞穴中秘密聚会。

14 allege   

vt.宣称，申述，主张，断言

参考例句：

• The newspaper reporters allege that the man was murdered but they have given no proof.新闻记者们宣称这个男人是被谋杀的，但他们没提出证据。
• Students occasionally allege illness as the reason for absence.学生时不时会称病缺课。

15 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

16 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

17 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。