VOA常速英语2008年-CIA Chief Says Al-Qaida Found Safe Haven in Pak

By Kent Klein
Washington
30 March 2008

The head of the US Central Intelligence Agency says al-Qaida has established a safe haven¹ in the tribal² areas near the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, and that it presents a "clear and present danger" to the West. VOA's Kent Klein reports from Washington.

The CIA Director, Air Force General Michael Hayden, says if there were another terrorist attack against the United States, it would almost certainly originate from that region.

"What I can tell you about is the situation along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, which presents a clear and present danger to Afghanistan, to Pakistan, and to the West in general and to the United States in particular," said Michael Hayden.

General Hayden, interviewed on NBC's Meet the Press, said al-Qaida has been using the advantage of that safe haven to train operatives who "look Western."

"But it's very clear to us that al-Qaida has been able over the past 18 months or so to establish a safe haven along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border area that they have not enjoyed before, that they are bringing operatives into that region for training, operatives that wouldn't attract your attention if they were going through the Customs line at Dulles [International Airport, near Washington] with you when you're coming back from overseas," he said.

The CIA chief said the situation in the border region has resulted from a 2006 agreement that Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf reached with some tribal lords, that the Pakistani army would leave that region alone.

"Absolutely disastrous," said Hayden. "To be fair to President Musharraf, in different times and in different circumstances, all of us would think that what he had decided³ to do was wise, was patient, was what he needed to do over the long term. The problem was what was happening over the short term. He was, in fact, pulling forces and the writ⁴ of the Pakistani government back from the tribal region, and al-Qaida and the Taleban were having more and more free rein⁵ there."

General Hayden said he believes Osama bin⁶ Laden⁷ is in the border area, and that the al-Qaida leader is an "iconic figure," but not involved in the operations of the group. The CIA head said much of al-Qaida's operational force consists of Egyptians. He said every effort is being made to capture or kill the terrorist group's leadership "from the top to the bottom."

General Hayden would neither confirm nor deny a recent US newspaper report that the United States is increasing attacks against al-Qaida suspects in the border region in anticipation⁸ that President Musharraf's power will diminish soon. But he said the United States has not had a better partner in the war against terror than the Pakistani government.

1 haven   

n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所

参考例句：

• It's a real haven at the end of a busy working day.忙碌了一整天后，这真是一个安乐窝。
• The school library is a little haven of peace and quiet.学校的图书馆是一个和平且安静的小避风港。

2 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

4 writ   

n.命令状，书面命令

参考例句：

• This is a copy of a writ I received this morning.这是今早我收到的书面命令副本。
• You shouldn't treat the newspapers as if they were Holy Writ. 你不应该把报上说的话奉若神明。

5 rein   

n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治

参考例句：

• The horse answered to the slightest pull on the rein.只要缰绳轻轻一拉,马就作出反应。
• He never drew rein for a moment till he reached the river.他一刻不停地一直跑到河边。

6 bin   

n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件

参考例句：

• He emptied several bags of rice into a bin.他把几袋米倒进大箱里。
• He threw the empty bottles in the bin.他把空瓶子扔进垃圾箱。

7 laden   

adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的

参考例句：

• He is laden with heavy responsibility.他肩负重任。
• Dragging the fully laden boat across the sand dunes was no mean feat.将满载货物的船拖过沙丘是一件了不起的事。

8 anticipation   

n.预期，预料，期望

参考例句：

• We waited at the station in anticipation of her arrival.我们在车站等着，期待她的到来。
• The animals grew restless as if in anticipation of an earthquake.各种动物都变得焦躁不安，像是感到了地震即将发生。