2007年VOA标准英语-US Unveils New Counter-Drug Strategy for Afghan

By David Gollust
State Department
09 August 2007

The United States Thursday announced a new, more aggressive, strategy for curbing² the illicit³ drug trade in Afghanistan. U.S. officials concede that opium⁴ poppy production in the country overall is growing but say there have been local successes. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.

Young Afghan farmers gather poppies in their field in Zadi Dusht district of Kandahar, Afghanistan (File photo)

The United States, in coordination⁵ with Britain, other NATO countries and the Kabul government, is launching a new counter-drug strategy that would reward Afghan localities that reduce poppy cultivation⁶ and toughen coercive measures against traffickers and growers in other areas.

 

Afghanistan now produces about 90 percent of the world's illicit heroin⁷ derived⁸ from poppies. Officials here acknowledge that poppy cultivation overall is on the increase, mainly in Helmand and other southern provinces where the Taleban insurgency⁹ is strongest.

However, they say the opposite is true in the more secure northern region, and that six provinces of the country can already be considered poppy-free.

The new strategy aims at reinforcing the gains by speeding aid deliveries to localities making progress against the drug trade.

There would be greater coordination of counter-narcotics¹⁰ and counter-Taleban operations in the south with more action, including crop eradication¹¹, directed against high-level drug traffickers who often work in concert with insurgents¹².

Acting13 Assistant Secretary of state for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Thomas Schweich (2006 photo)" hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070811/1459071.jpg" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" />

Thomas Schweich (2006 photo)

At a news conference, acting Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Thomas Schweich said Afghans involved in the drug trade need to know they will be targeted along with insurgents.

"They need to understand that there is a direct relationship between the insecurity and the success or failure of the insurgency and the opium trade," he said. "There is increasing and more and more alarming intelligence about more integrated relationships between narco-traffickers and insurgents and Taleban."

"And for that reason, we need to make it clear that if you are supporting the poppy trade in the south of Afghanistan, you are supporting insecurity and you are supporting the Taleban," he continued.

The controversial practice of crop eradication would remain part of the strategy, though U.S. officials acknowledge differences with Britain, which has played the lead role in Afghan anti-drug efforts, over the use of aerial spraying.

U.S. Director of National Drug Control Policy John Walters said past eradication efforts had generated public anger, with small farmers feeling targeted while big growers with political connections were spared. He said coercive measures in the new strategy would be aimed against major offenders¹⁴ and corrupt¹⁵ officials.

"The opium poppy is a volcano, whose lava¹⁶ feeds corruption," said Walters. "It creates an incentive¹⁷ for people to be compromised."

"It has to be closed off. But part of it is not just to go after the farmer, obviously. But most of these parts address the leadership, address the institutional structures and making them stronger, but also going after the people who are making the big money. The big money made off of opium in Afghanistan is made by the upper levels of the chain: the warlords, the traffickers, the corrupt individuals who are involved in this."

The officials admitted there is no substitute crop that would be as lucrative¹⁸ for Afghan farmers as poppy. But they said ending poppy cultivation would bring farmers ancillary¹⁹ benefits including greater peace and security as drug lords and criminals are uprooted²⁰.

The new strategy would only modestly increase U.S. anti-drug aid to Afghanistan, now about $600 million a year. But development aid would be moved more quickly to localities curbing poppy production, to show tangible²¹ benefits for cooperation.

Walters dismissed proposals for legalizing all or part of the Afghan opium trade, saying there is already more than enough regulated world-wide production for morphine and other medicines.

He also said legal poppy production in secure parts of Afghanistan would do nothing to curb¹ illegal output in Taleban-controlled areas, which is the core of the problem.

1 curb   

n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制

参考例句：

• I could not curb my anger.我按捺不住我的愤怒。
• You must curb your daughter when you are in church.你在教堂时必须管住你的女儿。

2 curbing   

n.边石，边石的材料v.限制，克制，抑制( curb的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Progress has been made in curbing inflation. 在控制通货膨胀方面已取得了进展。
• A range of policies have been introduced aimed at curbing inflation. 为了抑制通货膨胀实施了一系列的政策。

3 illicit   

adj.非法的，禁止的，不正当的

参考例句：

• He had an illicit association with Jane.他和简曾有过不正当关系。
• Seizures of illicit drugs have increased by 30% this year.今年违禁药品的扣押增长了30%。

4 opium   

n.鸦片；adj.鸦片的

参考例句：

• That man gave her a dose of opium.那男人给了她一剂鸦片。
• Opium is classed under the head of narcotic.鸦片是归入麻醉剂一类的东西。

5 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。

6 cultivation   

n.耕作，培养，栽培（法），养成

参考例句：

• The cultivation in good taste is our main objective.培养高雅情趣是我们的主要目标。
• The land is not fertile enough to repay cultivation.这块土地不够肥沃，不值得耕种。

7 heroin   

n.海洛因

参考例句：

• Customs have made their biggest ever seizure of heroin.海关查获了有史以来最大的一批海洛因。
• Heroin has been smuggled out by sea.海洛因已从海上偷运出境。

8 derived   

vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取

参考例句：

• Many English words are derived from Latin and Greek. 英语很多词源出于拉丁文和希腊文。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He derived his enthusiasm for literature from his father. 他对文学的爱好是受他父亲的影响。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网

10 narcotics   

n.麻醉药( narcotic的名词复数 )；毒品；毒

参考例句：

• The use of narcotics by teenagers is a problem in many countries. 青少年服用麻醉药在许多国家中都是一个问题。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Police shook down the club, looking for narcotics. 警方彻底搜查了这个俱乐部，寻找麻醉品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 eradication   

n.根除

参考例句：

• The eradication of an established infestation is not easy. 根除昆虫蔓延是不容易的。
• This is often required for intelligent control and eradication. 这经常需要灵巧的控制与消除。

12 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

13 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

14 offenders   

n.冒犯者( offender的名词复数 )；犯规者；罪犯；妨害…的人（或事物）

参考例句：

• Long prison sentences can be a very effective deterrent for offenders. 判处长期徒刑可对违法者起到强有力的威慑作用。
• Purposeful work is an important part of the regime for young offenders. 使从事有意义的劳动是管理少年犯的重要方法。

15 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

16 lava   

n.熔岩，火山岩

参考例句：

• The lava flowed down the sides of the volcano.熔岩沿火山坡面涌流而下。
• His anger spilled out like lava.他的愤怒像火山爆发似的迸发出来。

17 incentive   

n.刺激；动力；鼓励；诱因；动机

参考例句：

• Money is still a major incentive in most occupations.在许多职业中，钱仍是主要的鼓励因素。
• He hasn't much incentive to work hard.他没有努力工作的动机。

18 lucrative   

adj.赚钱的，可获利的

参考例句：

• He decided to turn his hobby into a lucrative sideline.他决定把自己的爱好变成赚钱的副业。
• It was not a lucrative profession.那是一个没有多少油水的职业。

19 ancillary   

adj.附属的，从属的

参考例句：

• The transport corps is ancillary to the infantry.运输队是步兵的辅助部队。
• This is just an ancillary business.这仅仅是一项辅助业务。

20 uprooted   

v.把（某物）连根拔起( uproot的过去式和过去分词 )；根除；赶走；把…赶出家园

参考例句：

• Many people were uprooted from their homes by the flood. 水灾令许多人背井离乡。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The hurricane blew with such force that trees were uprooted. 飓风强烈地刮着，树都被连根拔起了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

21 tangible   

adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的

参考例句：

• The policy has not yet brought any tangible benefits.这项政策还没有带来任何实质性的好处。
• There is no tangible proof.没有确凿的证据。